Category: Texas Football

Longhorns Wire staff predictions for Texas vs. Ohio State in CFP semifinal Cotton Bowl

Our Longhorns Wire staff makes their expert picks for the CFP semifinal in the Cotton Bowl between Texas and Ohio State.

For the first time this season, the Texas Longhorns are the underdog. Ohio State is a 6-point favorite in the college football playoff semifinal Cotton Bowl Classic.

Since losing to Rival Michigan in the Horseshoe in the last game of the regular season. The Buckeyes have been crushing teams in the CFP so far, with blowouts of Tennessee at home and Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

The Longhorns held off a charging Clemson in the first round before an epic game against Arizona State that went to double overtime.

Texas hasn’t looked dominant in any game since the Oct. 19 loss at DKR to Georgia. But they’ve still won all of those games, except the rematch with the Bulldogs.

Can Texas find its early season form against OSU?

’s Prediction:

Two games remain, and I can’t help but think of Steve Sarkisian. I’m not sure if I’d want to be in his shoes. Despite potential challenges, Texas has made remarkable progress since he took over.

Texas in the SEC, the sole team in the College Football Playoff, undoubtedly signifies Texas’s return to greatness and hopefully this is just the start. This game evokes nostalgia for many fans, reminding them of the 2005 National Championship. Both teams boast elite talent, so I predict a close game.

Earlier this week, I would have favored Ohio State over Texas, but something about this Texas team’s determination and the media coverage they’ve received has ignited a spark within them. I’m going with an overtime victory for Texas, but it won’t be a pretty win.

Final Score: Texas 30, Ohio State 27

Jamie Gatlin’s Prediction:

On Friday, the Texas Longhorns will be looking to punch their ticket to the national championship when they take on Ohio State. They will be tasked with stopping a Buckeyes offense that has scored 83 points in their last two games.

To knock off Ohio State, Texas will need a big night from Alfred Collins and Colin Simmons. If that duo can make life difficult for Will Howard, they will be able to slow down the Buckeyes’ offense.

The Longhorns will also need Matthew Golden and Quinn Ewers to continue being a dangerous duo. This should be a high-scoring game that could come down to which defense gets the most stops.

Final Score: Texas 37, Ohio State 30

Trey Luerssen’s Prediction:

Everyone seems to be picking Ohio State over Texas in the Cotton Bowl, with good reason. The Buckeyes have bull dozed their first two college football playoff opponents and looked like by far the best team in the CFP.

The Buckeyes have played with a chip on their shoulder since losing to Michigan during Rivalry Week. The Peach Bowl scare might do that same for Texas. UT will making running the ball a priority. If the Horns can find balance on offense and Quinn plays well, Texas can pull the upset.

Especially with the points, Texas is a good bet.

Final Score: Texas 31, Ohio State 28

Texas Longhorns arrive in Dallas ahead of CFP Semifinal with Ohio State in Cotton Bowl

The Texas Longhorns have arrived in Dallas hours before a major DFW snow storm and Friday’s CFP Semifinal Cotton Bowl vs. Ohio State.

They beat the weather. As schools across North Texas announce Thursday closures ahead of a snow storm, the Texas Longhorns have safely arrived in Dallas for the Cotton Bowl. UT will take on Ohio State in Arlington’s AT&T Stadium Friday night in the CFP Semifinal.

The Horns left Austin Wednesday afternoon by plan and arrived at their hotel, the Gaylord Texan, around 4:30. After arriving, Texas Offensive Coordinator Kyle Flood, Defensive Coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, QB Quinn Ewers, RB Quintrevion Wisner, CB Jahdae Barron, and LB Anthony Hill, Jr. met the assembled media.

Texas will be playing in its record 23rd Cotton Bowl. The Horns are in the CFP Semifinals for the second straight year. The game will be Friday at 6:30 pm CT.

Thursday will be busy for the team and they’ll have to navigate through the snow storm. But the City of Arlington says it will have crews manning the bridges and roads.

https://www.youtube.com/live/LvFGjbLy6Hk?si=ifds7o_HFILfqJYT

 

Houston Texans, former Ohio St. QB sounds off on Cotton Bowl clash with Longhorns

Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud sounds off the Ohio State vs Texas CFP Semifinal in Cotton Bowl, makes bets with Longhorns teammates.

For this week, Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud is in enemy territory. The former Ohio State Buckeyes QB lives in Texas, and the state’s flagship school is about to face his alma mater in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl.

The Texans are scheduled to take on the Los Angeles Chargers in the first game of the 2025 NFL playoffs on Saturday afternoon. But the night before, no doubt Stroud’s attention will be 266 miles to the north when his Buckeyes take on the Longhorns at AT&T Stadium.

Being in Texas, Stroud has certainly heard it from the Texas fans around the team. He told the media he’s already made bets with some teammates.

“A lot of UT guys here, so I got a lot of bets going on,” Stroud said, “If you see some guys in scarlet on Saturday morning you know where it came from.”

There are two former Longhorns on the Texans, defensive back Kris Boyd and practice squad running back Andrew Beck.

Stroud went onto say he’ll also be rooting for a couple of Longhorns to do well.

“One of my best friends actually plays for UT, Silas Bolden,” he said. “You know he had a punt return last week, which was cool. So I’m rooting for him and him only. And I like Quinn (Ewers), too. Quinn was my former teammate. But you know, I’m going Bucks all day.”

 

Cotton Bowl between Texas and Ohio State to kick off as scheduled despite snowstorm

Despite a forecast of snow and ice, the CFP Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl between Texas and Ohio State will kickoff as scheduled on Friday.

As storm clouds gather over northern Texas ahead of the College Football Playoff semifinal between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes, all eyes are on the Cotton Bowl to see what effects the forecast winter weather might have. Will the storm be bad enough to require a schedule change?

North Texas isn’t used to big winter storms, and anyone flying into Dallas Fort Worth International Airport will be affected by the forecast snow and ice.

But in a statement, the Cotton Bowl committee indicated the game and all of the associated activities will go ahead as planned.

“We continue to monitor weather reports, and over the last 24 hours, the forecast for later this week has improved according to the National Weather Service. We have been meeting routinely with city officials, the Director of Transportation for North Texas and the College Football Playoff. Should the forecast shift, we are prepared for all contingencies.

North Texas highways are already being brined and plans are in place to assure a safe environment for everyone in and around AT&T Stadium on game day.

The teams arrive (Wednesday), as planned, and the 2025 CFP Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic will kick off on Friday evening as scheduled.” — Cotton Bowl Statement

AccuWeather’s Thursday forecast for Arlington on USA TODAY is: “Snow; some sleet mixed in early, accumulating 3-6 inches; travel will be extremely difficult and dangerous.”

Arlington, home of the AT&T Stadium and the Cotton Bowl Classic, is doing what it can to prepare. Officials reported they treated more than three dozen city-owned bridge crossings ahead of the game and said safety would be paramount in a statement.

“Public safety is a top priority for both our visitors as well as our residents and businesses. Since Monday, our Public Works crews have been treating city-owned bridge crossings throughout Arlington with salt brine to help prevent the surfaces from freezing and creating icy conditions for drivers. Public Works expects to treat the bridge crossings over Johnson Creek in the Entertainment District on Thursday, and they will have sand, brine and equipment on hand to address any icy road conditions that may occur around AT&T Stadium on Friday ahead of the Cotton Bowl Classic.”  — City of Arlington statement

The game will be difficult to get to, whether by plane or by car. But once inside one of the best domed stadiums in the world, fans should be comfortable and enjoy the game. The question is, how many seats will be empty because of travel difficulties? Ticket prices have plummeted since the announcement of potential bad weather.

Texas-Ohio State Cotton Bowl ticket prices plummet ahead of snowstorm

With a major snowstorm moving into the Dallas area, ticket prices for the Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Texas are in free fall.

Last week, tickets for the Cotton Bowl between Texas and Ohio State were soaring. The skyrocketing prices had nosebleed tickets for the College Football Playoff semifinal in Arlington going for more than 50-yard line seats for the Peach Bowl were sold for.

The cheapest tickets on SeatGeek were $354 in section 436, the highest tier at AT&T Stadium. Most upper deck tickets were north of $500. Fifty-yard line seats at the Cotton Bowl were running around $1,800.

But as the temperature has dropped in North Texas, so have the ticket prices. Many Ohio State fans have cancelled their trips and flooded the secondary ticket market. Numerous Longhorns fans decided to cancel their trips to Dallas, too, based on the price collapse.

Tickets that cost $500 or more last week are down to $175 dollars on SeatGeek. The highest priced seat is under $1,200.

The Dallas area is bracing for a snowstorm Thursday that will make travel tricky at best or impossible at worst based on where fans are coming from. The forecast predicts one of the top five snowfalls in DFW history. With so many travel cancellations, the Longhorns may have a bigger home crowd advantage than first anticipated.

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With by far the shortest distance to CFP Semifinal, Texas has travel advantage in Cotton Bowl

Shortest distance to CFP Semifinal might give Texas an advantage in the Cotton Bowl, College Football Playoff.

200.4 miles is all that separates the UT Campus from AT&T Stadium. That’s a walk in the park compared to the other three teams in the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State has the next shortest distance, but it’s still four times the distance the Horns have to travel. The Buckeyes must travel 1,062.2 miles to Jerry World.

Notre Dame and Penn State must go even farther for the Orange Bowl. The Nittany Lions must go 1,246.4 miles to Miami and the Irish have to travel 1,326.3 miles to Hard Rock Stadium.

Will this give Texas an advantage? History shows travel impacts college football teams more than teams in the NFL. College teams generally don’t travel very far than during the season. Conferences are generally regional. Teams will schedule an occasional intersectional non-conference game, like Texas to Michigan, but that’s one or two games a year.

With conference expansion, the West Coast arm of the newly formed Big Ten had to get used to cross-country trips. Some of USC’s problems this season have been blamed on travel.

The Longhorns flight to Dallas is less than an hour. If you’re looking for Texas advantages, even slight ones, travel, or lack of, definitely makes the list.

Texas Longhorns return to Cotton Bowl after long absence, long history

Texas Longhorns will in the Cotton Bowl a record 23rd time, but UT hasn’t been back to the Dallas bowl game in 21 years.

The Texas Longhorns will play in the Cotton Bowl for a record 23rd time. No other team is even close to that number. But Texas hasn’t played in the (now) Arlington based bowl since 2003. In fact, UT has never played in a Cotton Bowl that was held in A&T Stadium.

The Cotton Bowl used to serve as host for the annual winner of the Southwest Conference, which Texas competed in from 1914 to 1996. After 1996, the Cotton Bowl had a tie in with the Big 12.

The Longhorns have only played in Cotton Bowl three times since the dissolution of the SWC. In 2010, the Cotton Bowl game moved to AT&T Stadium in Arlington. This will be Texas’ first appearance in the new home.

With it’s win in the Peach Bowl, UT became the first school in history to win every New Year’s Six bowl game. Friday, Texas will compete in its 62nd bowl game. More than a third of those appearances have been in Dallas.

Texas Longhorns Cotton Bowl History:

1943 vs. Georgia Tech (W 14–7)
1944 vs. Randolph Field (T 7–7)
1946 vs. Missouri (W 40–27)
1951 vs. Tennessee (L 20–14)
1953 vs. Tennessee (W 16-0)
1960 vs. Syracuse (L 23–14)
1962 vs. Ole Miss (W 12–7)
1963 vs. LSU (L 13-0)
1964 vs. Navy (W 28–6)
1969 vs. Ole Miss (W 36–13)
1970 vs. Notre Dame (W 21–17)
1971 vs. Notre Dame (L 24–11)
1972 vs. Penn State (L 30–6)
1973 vs. Alabama (W 17–13)
1974 vs. Nebraska (L 19–3)
1978 vs. Notre Dame (L 38–10)
1982 vs. Alabama (W 14–12)
1984 vs. Georgia (L 10–9)
1991 vs. Miami (L 46–3)
1999 vs. Mississippi State (W 38–11)
2000 vs. Arkansas (L 27–6)
2003 vs. LSU (W 35–20)

Overall Record (11-10-1)

Kirk Herbstreit sets record straight about ESPN “SEC bias”

Kirk Herbstreit sets the record straight on potential ESPN “SEC bias”

ESPN’s top college football analyst, Kirk Herbstreit, is here to set the record straight. With Texas being the sole remaining team from the elite SEC, ESPN’s Herbstreit addressed the apparent bias ESPN shows towards the SEC.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better final four with Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas. The only team missing is Michigan,” Herbstreit stated during an appearance on On3’s “Andy and Ari.”

Herbstreit goes on to say that “So this idea we want Alabama, Texas A&M, and Auburn. Are you kidding me?”

This year’s College Football Playoff has already been deemed successful in terms of ratings, and the national semifinals are expected to be another triumph for the four participating teams. Ohio State and Texas are both seeking their first championships in over a decade, while Penn State and Notre Dame are facing droughts that stretch back to the 1980s.

The SEC will have the opportunity to claim the championship title through the likes of Texas, but that is only if they manage to defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday. Despite losing to the top dog Georgia twice, Texas is the only team in the SEC.

Texas takes on Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl from Arlington, TX on Friday at 6:30pm. Although Jerry World is inside, the Cotton Bowl has already released a statement on potential severe weather. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN.

Will snowstorm give Texas an advantage over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl?

A snowstorm in the Dallas area might give the Longhorns an edge over Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl CFP Semifinal.

Every weatherman in Texas is predicting a major snowstorm on Thursday.

In Texas, a “major snowstorm” is six inches of snow. While our friends in more northern climates might look at that as a slight dusting, in southern states, that’s enough to shut almost everything down.

Texas, and other southern states, just don’t allocate a much of their municipal budget for bad weather preparedness. There isn’t a prolonged need for snowplows, sand and salt spreaders. Typically, there is one or two winter storms a year and everyone stays inside for a day or two. Schools close. Work cancels.

Most Texans haven’t a clue how to drive in ice and snow.

The airports in Texas also struggle to deal with the bad weather. But ice and snow will cancel and delay flights all over the country. That is what might give the Longhorns an advantage at the Cotton Bowl.

With the game being in Texas, there’s a mindset that UT would have a huge home crowd advantage. After all, Dallas is just 200 miles from Austin. But it was never going to be a “huge” advantage thanks to ticket allotments and the fact Ohio State fans travel well. All things being equal, the split would probably be about 60/40 in favor of UT fans.

But what if Buckeyes fans can’t or don’t travel to Texas?

The National Weather Service in Dallas/Ft. Worth is predicting between two and five inches of snow the same week as the Cotton Bowl game.

Depending on when Ohio State fans’ flights are booked, they may struggle to get to the Dallas/Fort Worth area at all. The Columbus Dispatch is warning Buckeyes fans that even though the game is indoors, getting to AT&T Stadium might be difficult. Most OSU fans would have flights booked for Thursday.

A similar situation happened in 2011 when AT&T Stadium hosted the Super Bowl. A snow and ice storm hit that week and it was an absolute mess. The Dallas area hasn’t been awarded a Super Bowl since, despite Jerry Jones’ yearly efforts to bring the game back to his stadium.

Feb. 5, 2011; Arlington, Texas; General view of snow at Cowboys Stadium before Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Feb. 6, 2011. Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

The Cotton Bowl issued a warning on Monday indicating bowl officials are monitoring the situation.

“We are routinely monitoring weather reports and we are in close contact with AT&T Stadium and local officials. We always have plans for inclement weather. Should conditions warrant it, we will communicate to everyone attending and connected with this year’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.” – Goodyear Cotton Bowl Statement

According to AccuWeather, there is a winter storm watch in effect starting at midnight Thursday morning until Friday at 6 p.m. CT. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday.

“Very cold with a mixture of snow and sleet, accumulating a coating to an inch; travel will be extremely difficult and dangerous.” — AccuWeather forecast for Thursday in Arlington, TX

It will be hard to get to the Dallas area, and it will be hard to get around the Dallas area and to the stadium. If some Buckeyes fans can’t make it, that probable 60/40 Longhorns crowd advantage increases.

Cotton Bowl warns of potential snow threat for Texas-Ohio State CFP Semifinal

Cotton Bowl released a statement on Monday on potential implications of severe weather and snow impacting entire State of Texas.

When you think of Texas, snow might not be the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, some people, like the Ohio State media team, might be completely clueless about where Arlington is.

A recent post on their social media platform featured an image of a cactus. Now, cacti are not exactly a common sight in the middle of Arlington, and you certainly won’t be seeing any cacti with sunny skies on Friday night either.

The Cotton Bowl released a statement on Monday due to severe weather conditions in the Dallas area that could potentially impact Friday’s highly anticipated Cotton Bowl matchup.

Although not as severe as the 2021 Great Texas Freeze, the polar vortex is bringing arctic air from Canada down across most of the United States. This phenomenon has already caused temperatures to plummet below freezing, and strong northerly winds are intensifying the cold.

In North Texas, temperatures could drop into the teens later week especially on Friday, and another weather system from the west is expected to bring precipitation. Some parts of the state might even experience snowfall.

“We are routinely monitoring weather reports and we are in close contact with AT&T Stadium and local officials. We always have plans for inclement weather. Should conditions warrant it, we will communicate to everyone attending and connected with this year’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.” – Goodyear Cotton Bowl Statement

Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns are mentally prepped for the game. On Monday Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkisian spoke about the Cotton Bowl:

“Just like to say first of all, it’s an honor to represent the SEC in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “This game has been notorious for great games and great teams over the years. Obviously, this being a semifinal game of the College Football Playoff, it’s definitely an honor to be a part of this.”