Editor’s note: This story is part of a two-piece preview looking at the strengths and weaknesses of Texas football in relation to its Cotton Bowl opponent, Ohio State. The second article can be read here.
Texas football will enjoy some of the comforts of home when it takes on Ohio State in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
Bevo, UT’s live longhorn mascot, will be in attendance for the Cotton Bowl inside Arlington’s AT&T Stadium. And Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is hoping a CFP game within the borders of the Lone Star State can give the Longhorns (12-2) a home-field advantage when they meet the Buckeyes (13-2) on Friday (6:30 p.m., ESPN).
“We’re going to need our fans,” Sarkisian said Friday. “We’re going to need our fans’ support. I need Longhorn nation to show out in Arlington. We’re going to need everything we’ve got to try to win this game. Clearly, we’re massive underdogs. Nobody’s going to give us a shot. So we’re going to need all that we can to try to win this game.”
Will it be enough? Let’s make the case for a Texas victory.
Will Howard, the fifth-year signal-caller for Ohio State, got three shots at Texas during his career at Kansas State. The Longhorns sent him home with a loss on all three occasions, blowing out the Wildcats in 2020 before securing narrow victories in 2021 and 2023.
Howard’s personal success in those games has been mixed. He turned it over twice in 2020, then failed to reach 100 yards passing in 2021. In 2023, he was outstanding. Howard passed for 327 yards and four touchdowns at Royal-Memorial Stadium.
His 32 passing touchdowns this season lead the Big Ten. He’s completed 72.6% of his passes for 3,490 yards.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian praised Howard’s athleticism, too. He’s totaled just 165 rushing yards this season, but has over 1,000 yards on the ground for his career.
“He’s got intention,” Sarkisian said Friday. “He’s got athletic ability. And then his ability to throw a catchable ball. I’ve seen that now for a few years. He throws passes where they need to be thrown, and guys make plays for him. And his poise and composure in critical moments is something that has been very impressive as well.”
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A common thread among the worst performances of the season for the Buckeyes has been a failure to run the ball efficiently.
In an escape-act victory over Nebraska, Ohio State managed just 2.1 yards per carry. Michigan held the Buckeyes to 3.0 yards per rush in a Week 14 upset. The Buckeyes were held to 4.3 yards per carry in an October loss at Oregon.
Slowing the star-studded tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins isn’t easy, but it’s possible. And few teams are better equipped than Texas, which comes into this game with a top-15 run defense in the country.
Don’t be fooled by Cam Skattebo’s Peach Bowl heroics against Texas, either. The Longhorn defense spent an eternity on the field during that game, with some defensive backs playing over 100 snaps. Fatigue played a significant role in Skattebo’s performance.
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The Ohio State offensive line has spent the second half of the season in flux. The Buckeyes lost their starting left tackle, Josh Simmons, for the season in Week 7 against Oregon. His replacement, Zen Michalski, went down two weeks later and didn’t impress while he was on the field.
The Buckeyes have effectively filled that gap by sliding star left guard Donovan Jackson to tackle, but that’s created a big hole at guard that Ryan Day and his staff have had trouble filling.
Texas, meanwhile, should be getting right tackle Cameron Williams back. He was a game-time decision for the Peach Bowl. Wide receiver Isaiah Bond should be better poised to contribute in this game, too. He played sparingly against Arizona State as he works back from an ankle injury.
Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at deckert@gannett.com. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
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