One spot in the College Football Playoff national championship has been secured, and another is up for grabs in The Lone Star State on Friday.
To decide who will meet No. 7 Notre Dame in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State will clash in the CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal at 7:30 p.m. ET inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Friday’s CFP semifinal is the first meeting between both programs since the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.
Ryan Day and Ohio State had to beat No. 9 Tennessee in the first round and No. 1 Oregon in the CFP quarterfinals to reach the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes‘ 41-21 win at the Rose Bowl was a bit of a sweet one for Ohio State, as it got vengeance for their Week 7 loss. Star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had a monster day against the Ducks, finishing with 187 receiving yards and two touchdowns on seven catches.
Conversely, Steve Sarkisian and No. 5 Texas had to beat No. 12 Clemson in the first round and No. 4 Arizona State in the CFP Peach Bowl quarterfinal. In what was a back-and-forth Peach Bowl affair for the Longhorns, quarterback Quinn Ewers hit tight end Gunner Helm for a 25-yard touchdown pass in overtime to win the game.
If Ohio State is able to come out on top Friday, the Buckeyes will make their third appearance in the national title game since the CFP started in 2014. If Texas is able to pick up its 10th win this season in the state of Texas, the Longhorns will be playing for their first CFP national title.
With that, follow along for live scores, updates and highlights of Friday’s CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal between Ohio State and Texas:
REQUIRED READING:Notre Dame reaches College Football Playoff title game with late field goal against Penn State
This section will be updated when the game begins
This section has been updated with new information
Texas is making its 23rd Cotton Bowl appearance on Friday, which ranks for the most Cotton Bowl appearances by one program, and first since 2003. The Longhorns are 11-10-1 all-time in the Cotton Bowl.
Here’s a look at past scores from the Longhorns’ last 10 Cotton Bowl appearances:
Ohio State is making back-to-back appearances in the Cotton Bowl, as the Buckeyes appeared in the New Year’s Six bowl in the 2023 season vs. Missouri. The Buckeyes bring a 2-1 record at the Cotton Bowl into Friday’s CFP semifinal.
Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of how the Buckeyes have fared in past Cotton Bowls:
REQUIRED READING:Why is Ohio State football playing Texas in Cotton Bowl for CFP semifinal matchup?
The snow has appeared to calm down in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Arlington Police Department made an announcement on X (formerly Twitter) encouraging those attending the Cotton Bowl to drive safe and watch out for ice. Kickoff is officially slated for 7:45 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium.
The Buckeyes and Longhorns will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 10 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in the College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl semifinal.
ESPN will broadcast Friday’s College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl semifinal between Ohio State and Texas. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a TV login), and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will have the call from the booth at AT&T Stadium, with Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge both reporting from the sidelines.
REQUIRED READING:SEC fans unable to root for Texas or Ohio State in Cotton Bowl: Can they both lose?
Friday’s meeting between Ohio State and Texas will be the fourth all-time meeting between both programs, and the first since the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. The Longhorns lead the all-time series against the Buckeyes 2-1.
Here’s a look at some predictions for Friday’s CFP semifinal between Ohio State and Texas:
Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday, Jan. 1
This section will be updated.
According to forecasts from The Weather Channel, it is expected to be 36 degrees and cloudy at 7 p.m. ET on Friday in Arlington, Texas — which is certainly warmer than it has been in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in recent days. Snow showers in the area are expected to end at 3 a.m. ET.
However, the weather won’t have any impact on the game itself since AT&T Stadium is a full enclosed stadium.
REQUIRED READING:Ohio State, Texas meet in College Football Playoff semifinal. Who has edge in the Cotton Bowl?
Here’s a look at Ohio State’s schedule in 2024, including past scores and results:
* Denotes Big Ten game
** Denotes CFP ranking
Here’s a look at Texas’ schedule in 2024, including past scores and results:
* Denotes Big Ten game
** Denotes CFP ranking
Here’s a few pregame reads surrounding the College Football Playoffs:
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
