Ohio State football is 60 minutes away from a shot at Notre Dame and a national championship, but first Ryan Day and the Buckeyes must get through Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
After an utterly dominant performance against the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes are hoping to take that momentum into their CFP semifinal matchup against the Longhorns and Quinn Ewers, who was a Buckeye for a blink. Now, wunderkind Jeremiah Smith hopes to lead Ohio State to its first title game appearance since 2020.
As Ohio State (12-2) and Texas (13-2) prepare for their fourth-ever matchup and a preamble for a home-and-home in 2025 and 2026, the stage couldn’t be bigger, nor the lights brighter. Two teams who were among the favorites to win a championship entering the season have played up to their billing, and although neither won their respective conferences, the talent has been apparent throughout the season.
To get here, the Buckeyes had to get through Tennessee and Oregon, two tough opponents the Buckeyes dispatched with seeming ease. Texas, meanwhile, has beaten Clemson and Arizona State, the latter of which gave the Longhorns fits in an OT victory.
The winner will get the Fighting Irish in Atlanta for the national championship. Here’s what to know to watch Ohio State vs Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
Ohio State will play Texas on ESPN in the Cotton Bowl, with the Buckeyes looking for a national championship berth. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will be on the call. The game can also be streamed on Fubo, which has the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial.
Ohio State and Texas will kick off Friday at 7:30 p.m. from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, Jan. 10
REQUIRED READING:Ohio State has used slower tempo to navigate longer season: ‘You want to keep guys fresh’
* Big Ten game
** Denotes CFP ranking
* Denotes SEC game
** Denotes CFP ranking
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