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Two of the most historic programs in college football battle in the 2025 Cotton Bowl as 5-seed Texas plays 8-seed Ohio State with a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship on the line.
Ohio State lost two games in the regular season but has looked nearly invincible through two CFP games. The Buckeyes crushed Tennessee by 25 points in the opening round and eviscerated undefeated 1-seed Oregon 41-21 in perhaps the most impressive performance of the playoff. The Longhorns, meanwhile, got past 12-seed Clemson in the first round before outlasting 4-seed Arizona State in double overtime to reach the semis.
Texas and Ohio State have played only three times in history, and all three featured teams that went on to make national championship games in the same calendar year. In the most recent battle, Texas beat Ohio State 24-21 in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl behind 171 yards and two touchdowns from receiver Quan Cosby.
Texas vs. Ohio State: Need to know
Gamebreaking wide receiver: Ohio State freshman Jeremiah Smith was the first No. 1 overall receiver recruit since 2012, and he has already exceeded his lofty expectations. In two playoff games, Smith has posted an absurd 13 catches for 290 yards and four touchdowns against highly ranked secondaries. Texas has perhaps the best secondary group in the country, headlined by Thorpe Award winning nickel Jahdae Barron, but they have yet to face a receiver the caliber of Smith.
Incredible defenses: Steve Sarkisian and Ryan Day are offensive-minded coaches. Penn State and Notre Dame are known for defense. Don’t get confused, though — the Cotton Bowl is a battle of the two top defenses in college football. Ohio State and Texas both rank top-three nationally in total defense, yards per play…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/texas-vs-ohio-state-game-prediction-picks-2025-cotton-bowl-odds-spread-where-to-watch-tv-channel/
Author : Shehan Jeyarajah
Publish date : 2025-01-08 18:46:00
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