The first College Football Playoff semifinal is set as (8) Ohio State and (5) Texas will meet in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, January 10 with a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship on the line. This will be just the fourth all-time meeting, and the first since 2009, between the two most storied programs in sports.
Texas kept its College Football Playoff trip alive in a thrilling 39-31 double overtime victory against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. The Longhorns led 24-8 in the fourth quarter before a late rally by the Sun Devils, led by star running back Cam Skattebo, sent the game into overtime. The two teams squared off in the first quarter as Texas found its game-tying fourth-and-13.
The Longhorns opened the second period of overtime with a touchdown and forced a punt on Arizona State’s next possession to seal the tie.
Ohio State heads into its Rose Bowl game against Oregon, avenging a 32-31 loss in the regular season with an easy 41-21 win. The Buckeyes built a wire-to-wire lead and jumped out to a 34-0 lead before sitting back and playing it safe.
Interestingly, Ohio State and Texas beat teams that had early byes. So far, College Football Playoff teams playing in the first round are 3-0.
What you need to know about Ohio State
Behind one of the most talented teams in college football, Ohio State has flexed its muscles during an impressive run of games. The Buckeyes won their first two postseason games by a combined score of 83-38. On both occasions, they jumped to a massive 21-plus lead, leading at halftime and never took their foot off the gas, making a statement after coming up short in the first half. and common time.
A big reason for Ohio State’s strength so far has been the offensive rush, which has been fueled by a focus on star freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes went to Smith early and often at quarterback against Oregon — he had 161 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters alone — when caught his 13th and 14th touchdowns of the year, a new Big Ten record. for a new person. Smith has 13 catches for 290 yards and four touchdowns during Ohio State’s CFP season.
Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson has also shifted into another gear. Against Tennessee and Oregon, teams that boast the nation’s top two defenses, Henderson rushed for 174 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 9.8 yards per carry and had four runs of at least 20 yards – three of which went for touchdowns.
The defense really played up to par. Oregon has allowed 13 sacks in its first 13 games. Ohio State has reached Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel eight times. Ohio State defensive lineman Jack Sawyer, who had two sacks and three pass breakups against Oregon, is playing the best football of his career as he leads the game of aggressive defense.
What you need to know about Texas
As evidenced by its three-week postseason journey thus far, Texas is a very inconsistent team. The Longhorns had a chance to win the SEC Championship Game against Georgia — especially when starting quarterback Carson Beck left with an injury — but collapsed late in the season. They almost blew a big lead against Clemson in the first College Football Playoff, then did blew a big lead against Arizona State in the quarterfinals before meeting to keep their state hopes alive.
If the Cotton Bowl comes down to a game-winning kick, the Longhorns could be in trouble. Auburn’s tight end Bert struggled mightily in the Peach Bowl against Arizona State, missing two potentially crucial touchdowns in the last 1:40. That included his first punt return of less than 40 yards on the year.
The Longhorns are led on offense by former Ohio State signee No. 1 overall prospect Quinn Ewers. Ewers, who committed to Texas in 2022, has been the starting quarterback ever since.
Like Ohio State, however, Texas can rely on its defense. The Longhorns were uncharacteristically sloppy against the Sun Devils, but have a front that stands firm against a pass rush. True freshman rusher Colin Simmons is already emerging as one of the top defensive backs in college football, and linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. he flies the ball to all positions of the field.
It’s not like Texas doesn’t have players in the secondary. Jahdae Barron, who won the Thorpe award, is a constant presence on defense, while safety Andrew Mukuba, who had the game-winning performance at Arizona State, can clear plays in the backfield.
2025 Cotton Bowl odds, predictions
The Cotton Bowl presents two completely different teams. In many ways, Texas was more fortunate than Arizona State after poor late-game management and a miraculous fourth-down performance in overtime. Meanwhile, Ohio State has navigated its way through the College Football Playoff’s toughest bracket. The Buckeyes are playing at a different level than every other team in the field so far, and there’s good reason to believe they should be able to handle the Longhorns with ease. Pick: Ohio State -4.5
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