7:30 p.m. | ESPN AT&T
Stadium Arlington, Texas
SERIES HISTORY
• Texas and Ohio State will meet for the fourth time ever. The Horns hold a 2-1 series advantage over the Buckeyes with the most recent game coming in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. Texas defeated the Buckeyes, 24-21, on Jan. 5, 2009. • The Horns are 1-0 vs. Ohio State in neutral site contests and 1-0 on the road. Ohio State is 1-0 in Austin vs. Texas. • The first meeting between Texas and Ohio State was during the 2005 season in Columbus, Ohio, when UT took home a 25-22 win. • Texas and Ohio State have one mutual opponent during the 2024 season: Michigan. Texas traveled to Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sept. 7 and took down the Wolverines, 31-12, inside Michigan Stadium. Ohio State hosted Michigan on Nov. 30 during the regular season finale before the Wolverines secured a 13-10 win over the Buckeyes. • Texas and Ohio State will open the 2025 season against each other on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
Ohio State Buckeyes Notes
FIRST AND TEN
• The Ohio State Buckeyes (12-2 overall; CFP No. 8 Seed) and the Texas Longhorns (13-2; CFP No. 5 Seed) will meet at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Friday, Jan. 10. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m. CST / 7:30 EST with ESPN televising the game nationally. • The winner advances to the 2025 CFP championship game Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta against the winner of Thursday evening’s Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State. All four teams still in contention won first-round CFP home games and then defeated higher seeded opponents in the quarterfinals at the four bowl sites. • Ohio State is 2-2 against SEC-member institutions in CFP games: a 42-35 win over No. 1 Alabama in 2014; a 52-24 loss to No. 1 Alabama in 2021; a 42-41 loss to No. 1 Georgia in 2022 and a 42-17 win over No. 9 Tennessee Dec. 21 at Ohio Stadium. • Ohio State and Texas kick off the 2025 season Aug. 30 in Ohio Stadium.
FOURTH COTTON BOWL CLASSIC
• This CFP semifinal game is Ohio State’s fourth game at the Cotton Bowl. • The Buckeyes are 2-1 all-time in Cotton Bowls with wins over Texas A&M, 28-12, to conclude the 1986 season (the game was played on Jan. 1, 1987) and USC, 24-7, at the end of the 2017 season, and a loss to Missouri last year, 14-3.
OHIO STATE 3-1 AT AT&T STADIUM
• Ohio Ohio State has a 3-1 record in games at AT&T Stadium, including a win over Oregon in January 2015, 42-20, to win the inaugural College Football Playoff after defeating Alabama in the opening round, 42-35. Ohio State’s other games at AT&T stadium resulted in a 24-7 win over USC in 2017, a 40-28 win over TCU in a 2018 game in which Ryan Day was interim head coach, and the loss to Missouri last year.
SIXTH CFP FOR OHIO STATE
• Ohio State is playing in the College Football Playoffs for the sixth time since the start of the CFP era in 2014. Ohio State is the only school to appear in four of the last six CFPs. • Ohio State is No. 3 all-time in CFP appearances, trailing only Alabama (eight appearances) and Clemson (seven). Georgia and Oklahoma round out the Top 5 with four CFP appearances apiece. • Ohio State won the inaugural College Football Playoffs in 2014 and is 5-4 all-time in CFP games. Ohio State CFP Results: • 2014 Season – Defeated No. 1 Alabama, 42-35, in CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl; Defeated No. 2 Oregon, 42-20, in CFP National Championship game at Arlington, Texas 2016 Season – Lost to No. 2 Clemson, 31-0, in CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl 2019 Season – Lost to No. 3 Clemson, 29- 23, in CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl 2020 Season – Defeated No. 2 Clemson, 49-28, in CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl; Lost to No. 1 Alabama, 52-24, in CFP National Championship game at Miami, Fla. 2022 Season – Lost to No. 1 Georgia, 42- 41, in CFP Semifinals at the Peach Bowl
OHIO STATE EVENS BOWL RECORD
• The win over Oregon at the Rose Bowl has evened Ohio State’s all-time bowl game record at 26-26. The rich history of Ohio State football includes, officially, 52 prior bowl games starting with the 1921 Rose Bowl and including 12 different bowls and 38 games played at the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Cotton, Orange and Peach bowls, respectively.
33-30 ALL-TIME IN POST-SEASON PLAY
• Ohio State’s record in post-season games is 33-30, including a 6-4 record for head coach Ryan Day. The Buckeyes are: 5-1 in Big Ten championship games; • 26-26 in bowl games; • 0-2 in BCS championship games not played at a bowl game; • 1-0 in CFP first-round games; and 1-1 in CFP championship games.
ONLY TEAM IN CFP OR NY6 EVERY YEAR
• Ohio State is the only school to have played in either a College Football Playoff game or a New Year’s Six bowl game every year of the 10-year, four-team CFP era. • During this time, Ohio State went to the CFP, Fiesta Bowl, CFP, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, CFP, CFP, Rose Bowl, CFP and Cotton Bowl from 2014-23, respectively.
THE ROSE BOWL WIN OVER OREGON
• Ohio State improved to 10-7 all-time in Rose Bowl games with its 41-21 dismantling of No. 1 ranked and No. 1 seed Oregon on New Year’s Day. • The win was Ohio State’s fifth consecutive in a Rose Bowl game. • Ohio State stormed to a 34-0 lead before Oregon could even run a play on Ohio State’s side of the 50. • Will Howard threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to offensive MVP Jeremiah Smith, who caught seven passes for 187 yards and two scores in a continuation of his fabulous freshman campaign this season. • TreVeyon Henderson put the game all but out of reach with a 66-yard touchdown run with 8:47 to play in the first half to make the score 31-0. • Henderson, who also scored on an eight-yard TD in the third for Ohio State’s final points, rushed for 94 yards and teamed with Quinshon Judkins to hammer Oregon for 179 rushing yards. • Emeka Egbuka had a one-handed TD grab to make the score 14-0, part of a five-catchfor-72 yards day for the team captain. • Defensively, Ohio State forced five first-half punts and had four three-and-out series. • MVP Cody Simon led with 11 tackles, three TFLs and two quarterback sacks. • Bookend defensive ends JT Tuimoloau (3-16) and Jack Sawyer (2-19) combined for five TFLs, including four QB sacks. • Sawyer also batted down three passes at the line of scrimmage while unanimous All-American Caleb Downs had three PBUs in the secondary. • Lathan Ransom (seven tackles) and Jordan Hancock (five) were second and third on the team in tackles. • The offense amassed 500 yards vs. Oregon; 181 rushing and 319 passing. • The defense limited the Ducks to 276 offensive yards including minus-23 rushing.
-23 YARDS, 13 TFLs & EIGHT QB SACKS
• The minus-23 yards rushing the defense denied the Ducks: the fewest yards allowed in 55 years, or since the 1969 team held Northwestern to minus-29 yards. Ohio State tied its season high with 13 TFLs vs. Oregon while the eight QB sacks was a season high and a 48-game team high, or since recording 10 vs. Akron in 2021. • The last time Ohio State had at least eight sacks vs. a Power 4 team: 2017 with eight vs. USC at the Cotton Bowl.
OHIO STATE’S CFP SO FAR
• Ohio State jumped out to 14-0 and 21-0 first quarter leads over Oregon and Tennessee, respectively, while the Ohio State defense has forced three-and-outs on each of the opponents’ first two possessions. • Ohio State has amassed 973 yards of offense in the two games with 318.0 passing yards per game and 168 rushing yards. • The defense has allowed just 266.0 yards per game in the CFP, including -23 yards rushing by Oregon and 201.5 passing yards per game. • Cody Simon has led the team in tackles in both games with 12 vs. Tennessee and 11 vs. Oregon. • Will Howard has thrown for an average of 315 yards in the two games with five touchdowns and one interception. • Jack Sawyer has batted down five passes at the line of scrimmage and has recorded 3.5 QB sacks. • JT Tuimoloau has 5.5 TFLs in the two CFP games, including 4.0 sacks.
OHIO STATE IN 2024 – DEFENSE
• The Buckeyes have been led by one of the nation’s top defenses as Jim Knowles’ unit ranks No. 1 in total defense (244.6 yards allowed per game), No. 1 in scoring defense (12.1 points allowed per game), No. 1 in passing defense (152.4 yards allowed per game) and No. 5 in rushing defense (92.2 yards allowed per game). • Ohio State’s defense has allowed just 18 touchdowns this season (12 passing; six rushing), fewest in the nation. • The unit is also No. 2 in red zone scoring and red zone TD pct. at 61.7 (21-34) and 41.1 (14-34). • LBs Cody Simon (97) and Sonny Styles (85) lead the Buckeyes in tackles with SAFs Caleb Downs (72) and Lathan Ransom (69) right behind. • DE JT Tuimoloau leads in sacks (10-72) and TFLs (17-94) with Simon (11.5 TFLs), Ransom (8-16), Jack Sawyer (8-59) and Tyleik Williams (7-18) providing support. • Sawyer’s TFLs are all sacks to rank second to JT with Simon (7-57) and Styles (4-29) right there, as well.
OHIO STATE IN 2024 – OFFENSE
• On offense, quarterback Will Howard is third nationally in passing efficiency (175.82), fourth in completion percentage (72.6 pct.) and fifth with 32 touchdown passes. • His top targets have been Emeka Egbuka (70 receptions, 896 yards, 10 TDs), Jeremiah Smith (70 receptions, 1,224 yards, 14 TDs) and Carnell Tate (43 receptions, 611 yards, four TDs) Smith and Egbuka are the only teammates nationally with at least 10 TDs apiece. • RBs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins have combined for 1,849 yards and 20 touchdowns. • Henderson (26-209) and Judkins (17-118) are dangerous as receivers, as well. • The tight ends, led by Gee Scott Jr. (21-219- 2), have combined for 34 catches for 393 yards and four touchdowns. • The offensive line has had two senior starters, each with more than 30 starts, lost for the season with injuries – LT Josh Simmons in the Oregon game and All-American center Seth McLaughlin the week of the Indiana game – and has had five different line-up changes and eight different starters. • The O-line is 8th nationally in fewest sacks allowed (12.0) and 11th in fewest TFLs (51).
Texas Longhorns Notes
THE CFP SEMIFINAL AT THE 89TH GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL
• No. 3 and fifth-seed Texas Football advances to its second-consecutive College Football Playoff Semifinal as it clashes with No. 6 and eighth-seeded Ohio State at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl at 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Jan. 10, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will broadcast on ESPN with Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe (reporter) and Laura Rutledge (reporter) on the call. • The winner of the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl will advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game and take on the winner of the Capital One Orange Bowl between No. 4 and sixth-seeded Penn State and No. 5 and seventh-seeded Notre Dame. The 2025 National Championship will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT on Monday, Jan. 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. • Texas is 13-2, claiming the program’s first 13-win season since 2009 and tying the program record in single-season victories. It’s just the third 13-win season in program history (2005, 2009). • It marks back-to-back 12-plus win seasons for the first time since 2008-09. It’s also the fifth 12-plus win season in program history. • The Longhorns have played in the most Cotton Bowls of any program (23). • UT will be making its first Cotton Bowl appearance since 2003 when the Longhorns defeated LSU, 35-20. • Texas is the only team to make CFP appearances in both 2023 and 2024. • Texas became the first program to capture a victory in each New Year’s Six bowl game following its thrilling 39-31 2OT win against Arizona State on Jan. 1. It was Texas’ first-ever Peach Bowl appearance as well. • The Longhorns have 11-consecutive top-10 CFP rankings, dating back to Oct. 31, 2023. Texas debuted at No. 5 in the first CFP rankings on Nov. 5 this season – which doubled as the program’s highest-ever spot in the first week of CFP rankings. Texas has been in the top-25 in each of the last 15 rankings and has 27 overall appearances in the rankings with its highest being No. 2. UT checked in at No. 4 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls that were updated on Dec. 8. • The Longhorns are 12-1 at home over the last two seasons. • Head coach Steve Sarkisian has now led his programs to eight postseason appearances in his 11 seasons as a head coach. He led Washington to four-straight bowl games following the 2010-13 seasons and guided USC to the Holiday Bowl in 2014. His Washington team played in the 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl, a game he did not coach in after taking over the Trojans’ program. Sarkisian was the head coach for the Huskies’ Alamo Bowl appearance against Baylor in 2011. • Texas finished the 2024 regular season as the only SEC team with one loss. • Texas’ six wins against a ranked opponent this season are the most in a season in program history. • Of the six non-original members of the SEC (Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Texas A&M), Texas is the only program to clinch an SEC Championship game berth in its first season as a league member. • Texas is the only team in the nation with 10 wins vs. bowl eligible opponents. • In its first season as an SEC member, Texas has secured conference championship game berths in back-to-back seasons after winning the Big 12 Championship in 2023. • Texas’ 11-consecutive true road wins (not including neutral site contests) is the longest streak for the Horns since winning 15-straight road games from 2003-06. It also doubles as the longest active streak in the FBS. • The Longhorns have held 10 of 15 opponents to 17 points or less this season. • UT boasts the fourth-most wins (961) in NCAA history. Texas holds a record of 961-394-33. The Longhorns’ 961 wins are the second most by an SEC program following Alabama’s 974 victories. • Following Texas’ 56-7 win over UTSA on Sept. 14, Texas moved to No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time since Oct. 26, 2008. The Longhorns spent four weeks this season at No. 1 and have 49 overall appearances at No. 1 in the AP Poll.
BOWL HISTORY
• Texas will be making its 61st all-time bowl appearance, the third-most in the country behind only Alabama (75) and Georgia (62). • The Longhorns have a record of 32-26-2 (.550) in bowl games. • Texas has played in the Cotton Bowl Classic more than any other program, back for its 23rd appearance (11-10-1 record). • Texas will be making its first Cotton Bowl appearance since Jan. 1, 2003, when then-ranked No. 9 Texas defeated LSU, 35-20. • The Jan. 10 game date for this season’s Cotton Bowl Classic marks its latest game date, three days later than the 75th edition between LSU and Texas A&M on Jan. 7, 2011. • Texas and Ohio State will meet for the second time in a bowl game after the Longhorns defeated the Buckeyes, 24-21, in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. • The 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl/CFP Semifinal will be the 11th game UT has played inside the state of Texas this season. Twelve of Texas’ 16 games this season have been played inside the state’s borders. Texas and Oklahoma met for the Allstate Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Oct. 12, and the Longhorns traveled to Texas A&M for the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown on Nov. 30. Texas is 9-1 playing inside the Lone Star State this season. • Friday will be the program’s fourth College Football Playoff game played in Texas. The Horns are 2-1 all-time in the CFP.
TEXAS LOOKING TO JOIN 14-WIN CLUB
• Clemson, Georgia, Michigan and LSU own the modern record of 15 wins (1937-present); winning 14 is almost as rare, as it has happened on just 14 occasions, by eight different schools. Texas can join this exclusive club with a win vs. Ohio State. Alabama and Clemson are the only schools to win 14 or more games four times. The 15-14ers in the modern era (*—denotes national champion):
A TEXAS WIN WOULD …
• Give the Longhorns their first CFP Semifinal win and advance Texas to the CFP National Championship for the first time in program history. • Clinch a program single-season record 14 wins. • Claim the program’s third 13-win season (2005, 2009). • Move Texas to the National Championship Game for the first time since 2009. • Give Texas its 12th Cotton Bowl victory. • Allow Texas to move on to the National Championship and the opportunity to win its fifth national crown. • Grant Steve Sarkisian a single-season career-high 14 wins. • Record Sarkisian’s third CFP victory. • Be Texas’ 962nd all-time victory, the fourth-winningest program in college football history. • Secure Steve Sarkisian his 86th victory as a head coach and 39th at Texas in his 137th career game as a head coach. • Move Texas to 3-1 all-time against Ohio State. • Claim Texas’ 33rd bowl game victory.
