No. 1 Miami (12-0) vs. No. 2 Ohio St. (13-0) Fiesta Bowl: Jan. 3, 8 p.m. EST (ABC) Sun Devil Stadium (73,471)

CNNSI.com's Stewart Mandel breaks down the Fiesta Bowl.
For only the second time in the BCS' five years, two undefeated teams meet in the national championship game, which returns to the Fiesta Bowl for the first time since Tennessee's victory over Florida State there four years ago. Miami enters the game riding a 34-game winning streak, the longest Division I has seen in 31 years, and looking to repeat as national champion. It would mark the program's sixth such prize in the past 20 years. The Buckeyes, in their second season under head coach Jim Tressel, leapt from 7-5 to the first 13-win season in school history. They will be attempting to capture the school's fifth national title, but its first since 1968.
Willis McGahee AP Miami's offense vs. Ohio State's defense The nation's No. 3 scoring offense (41.9 points per game) faces a unique challenge. The 'Canes love to pile up yardage on the ground with gifted RB Willis McGahee (1,686 yards, 27 TDs), but the Buckeyes' defense allows only 78.7 yards per game, fourth nationally. In addition to a strong defensive line, All-America LB Matt Wilhelm (111 tackles, 16.5 for loss) and S Mike Doss (98) creep up and stuff the run. It's possible Miami's stout offensive line, led by C Brett Romberg, will overwhelm OSU's defenders as they do everyone else. But if the Buckeyes can contain McGahee as they did Penn State's Larry Johnson, the onus will be on accomplished QB Ken Dorsey (3,073 yards, 26 TDs) in the passing game. His favorite target is TE Kellen Winslow streaking across the middle, but he's also lethal when he connects with speedy WR Andre Johnson (21.6 yards per catch) on the deep ball. OSU's bend-but-don't-break pass defense is liable to give up yardage, but two-way CB Chris Gamble is always a threat to pick one off.   Maurice Clarett AP Ohio State's offense vs. Miami's defense The Buckeyes don't exactly dazzle anyone on offense, ranking 67th out of 117 I-A teams (372 yards per game), but they've been able to make the necessary big plays. It all starts with talented RB Maurice Clarett (1,190 yards, 6.0 per carry), who's had six weeks to rest his injured shoulder. The shifty freshman will be going against a Miami rush defense that got torched in several games this season. Miami relies on hard-hitting LBs Jonathan Vilma (119 tackles) and D.J. Williams (100) to stand up runners, and if the 'Canes play good assignment football, they should at least be able to prevent Clarett from breaking off long runs. QB Craig Krenzel is deceptively mobile, but he'll have a hard time escaping menacing Miami pass-rushers like Jerome McDougle. Gamble and Michael Jenkins (1,031 yards, 18.1 per catch) are talented receivers, but they'll be going against four highly skilled defensive backs, led by safety Maurice Sikes (two INTs for TDs), that helped produce the nation's top pass defense (119.5 yards per game).
The Buckeyes have both an All-America kicker and punter in Mike Nugent (24 of 26 field goals) and Andy Groom (44.6 yards per kick). The 'Canes have veterans at the position as well in Todd Sievers and Freddie Capshaw, but both have struggled at times this season. Capshaw has had three punts blocked; OSU has blocked four. Miami head coach Larry Coker has yet to lose a game as head coach and will be coaching in his second straight national championship game. Tressel knows about such games as well: He won four of them at I-AA Youngstown State.
Miami WR Andre Johnson Jr., 6-3, 227 2002 stats: 48 catches, 1,039 yards, 21.6 per catch, 9 TDs Earned co-MVP honors in last year's Rose Bowl win over Nebraska with seven catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State CB Chris Gamble So., 6-2, 180 2002 stats: 4 interceptions, 6 pass break-ups, 1 TD The receiver became a starter on defense halfway through the season and ended up leading the Buckeyes in interceptions.
It's easy to look at Miami's three-year dominance and Ohio State's many close calls against several mediocre Big Ten teams and think this will be a blowout from the start. Think again. The Buckeyes' defense is too good to let McGahee run all over them, while Clarett is capable of putting on a show against the 'Canes' soft run defense. OSU doesn't have enough weapons on offense to put together four quarters, however, and Dorsey will help Miami pull away down the stretch to finish his career 39-1 as a starter. The pick: Miami 28, Ohio State 16
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