Ohio State and Texas enter CFP semifinal at Cotton Bowl with a chance to end title droughts

ARLINGTON, Texas — There is still a sense for some Ohio State players that they haven’t done anything yet, even after winning twice already this postseason to get into the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against Texas.

“Absolutely. I have been here for four years, and I have absolutely no hardware to show for it,” receiver Emeka Egbuka said. “That’s really on the forefront of our minds.”

While Ohio State is the only school to appear in four of the last six CFPs, all since Ryan Day became coach, and won four consecutive Big Ten titles from 2017-20 before Egbuka and most of the current players arrived, the Buckeyes’ last national championship was 10 years ago. That was the first season of the four-team College Football Playoff, when they won the title at AT&T Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys where they played the in-state Longhorns (13-2).

The winner Friday night advances to the national title game Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Ohio State (12-2) is the No. 8 seed now favored to win the national title after two lopsided playoff wins: 42-17 at home against Tennessee before a dominating 41-21 win over undefeated Big Ten champion and top seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

“We’re just fighting to get another opportunity to play with each other,” said linebacker and captain Cody Simon, one of nine Ohio State players still around from 2020. “That’s our biggest motivator right now. … We don’t want to end this run right now.”

Texas last won the national title 19 years ago and didn’t make its CFP debut until last season as the Big 12 champion. Coach Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns are now the last team standing for the SEC, the only league to be represented in the semifinals each year — and which has six of the last nine national champions.

“I like the new playoff dynamic. It’s fun,” Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers said.

The 15 games for the Longhorns, who played in the SEC championship game before wins over Clemson and Big 12 champ Arizona State, are one more than they had ever played in a single season.

“We’re obsessed with finishing up,” Longhorns All-America senior cornerback Jahdae Barron said. “But we’re obsessed with being enamored with us, and giving every day the respect that it deserves. And just being loving to one another and having a level bond with one another and continuing to build the culture.”

Championship QBs

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard and Ewers both won Big 12 championships the last time they played at AT&T Stadium.

Texas was the Big 12 champ last season. Howard transferred to Ohio State from Kansas State, which two years ago beat CFP-bound and undefeated TCU in overtime for that league title.

Howard started three games against Texas while with the Wildcats. Those were all losses, as was a fourth game when he was on the sideline.

Chasing Smith

The best matchup of the game could be Barron vs. Buckeyes freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Barron won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back. But Barron gives up four inches and 15 pounds to Smith, the second-team All-American who may be the most electric freshman in the country. Smith has 70 receptions for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns. Smith has four touchdowns in these playoffs.

“He’s a big baller. Strong,” Barron said. “He’s a physical player, and I’ll have to be physical.”

Protecting Ewers

In its two losses to Georgia this season, Texas struggled to protect Ewers and surrendered 13 sacks. Now the Longhorns face a Buckeyes defensive front that sacked Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel eight times in the Rose Bowl. Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau each had two sacks in that game. Sawyer was Ewers’ roommate when the Longhorns QB spent a semester in Columbus before transferring to Texas.

Cotton history

Texas is playing in its 23rd Cotton Bowl, the most for any team. But this is the Longhorns’ first in 22 years. Ohio State is in its second Cotton Bowl in a row, and fourth overall, after losing 14-3 to Missouri last season.

See you again soon

While the winner plays for the national title, the loser goes into an offseason that will lead up to a rematch when the two teams meet in a 2025 season opener Aug. 30 at Ohio State.

Their only previous regular-season meetings were a home-and-home series in 2005 and 2006. The road team won both of those games and went on to play for the national championship — Vince Young and the Longhorns beat Southern Cal for the 2005 national title. Ohio State lost to Florida the following season.