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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. You can read thefirst piece here.
Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian said Friday that he believes Ohio State, the Longhorns’ Cotton Bowl opponent, to be the best team in college football.
Was that public posturing from Sarkisian to underline Texas’ underdog status? Or was it an honest evaluation of a Buckeyes team that has steamrolled its way through the first two rounds of the College Football Playoff? Perhaps a bit of both?
No matter, it’s clear Ohio State is a formidable opponent for Texas to manage. OSU dominated top-seeded Oregon in the Rose Bowl after making short work of a strong Tennessee team in the opening round.
The winner of Cotton Bowl moves on to the national title game against the winner of the Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame.
Here’s the case for the Buckeyes (12-2) to beat the Longhorns (13-2) on Friday (6:30 p.m., ESPN):
BUY TICKETS TO WATCH UT AT THE COTTON BOWL
Texas is more vulnerable in pass protection than you think
The 2024 Joe Moore Award — given annually to college football’s best offensive line — went to Army, which surrendered just six sacks across 14 games in its run-heavy scheme.
Oregon was one of the other three finalists. It seemed like a strong choice at the time. The Ducks gave up just 13 sacks in 13 games heading into the College Football Playoff. Then Oregon matched up with Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, got down big early, and became powerless to stop the OSU pass rush. The Buckeyes sacked Dillon Gabriel eight times before the final whistle blew.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Texas vs ASU film study: Unpacking Quinn Ewers’ heroism and what it means for Ohio State game
The third finalist for the award was Texas. The…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-texas-may-lose-ohio-080134662.html
Author : Austin American-Statesman
Publish date : 2025-01-07 08:01:00
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