Cotton Bowl 2025: Texas-Ohio State predictions, how to watch, matchups
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes will face off in Arlington, Texas on Friday in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
The winner of the game between Texas (13-2) and Ohio State (12-2) will go on to play Notre Dame in the national championship.
Texas vs Ohio State: How to watch, stream
- Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
- Where: AT&T Stadium - Arlington, Texas
- Date: Friday, Jan. 10
- Time: 6:30 p.m. (CT)
- TV: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN, DirecTV, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV (with subscription)
Cotton Bowl 2025: Where to watch Texas vs Ohio State
If you can't make it to AT&T Stadium, several establishments across the Austin area are hosting watch parties for the Cotton Bowl.
Key Players
Quarterback matchup
Neither quarterback in this game is a stranger to playing in Arlington.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard and Ewers both won Big 12 championships the last time they played at AT&T Stadium.
Texas won the Big 12 in its last season in the conference last year. Howard transferred to Ohio State from Kansas State. He led the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship win over then-undefeated TCU two years ago.
Stopping Smith
The best matchup of the game could be Texas All-American senior cornerback Jahdae Barron vs. standout Buckeyes freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith. Barron won the Thorpe Award, which is given to 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.
Predictions
- Pick Against the Spread: Texas (+6)
- Pick Over/Under: Under (53.5)
- Prediction: Ohio State 27, Texas 22
Predictions are made by the Data Skrive betting model.
FOX Sports Analyst Joel Klatt went with Ohio State in his prediction for the Cotton Bowl. Klatt says the Buckeyes are playing the best football in the country right now and the fact that the game is being played in Texas is keeping the line (Texas +6) lower than it should be.
- Klatt: Ohio State 35 - Texas 21
Texas-Ohio State tickets: What you'll pay for a last minute trip to the Cotton Bowl
Tickets for Friday night's Cotton Bowl range from $204 to $3,694 for those looking to make a last minute trip.
National Championship Game
The winner of the Longhorns and Buckeyes game will take on Notre Dame in the championship game.
The game will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where the Longhorns played in the SEC Championship and against Arizona State in the College football playoff.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Texas Longhorns/Ohio State Buckeyes
- Date: Monday, January 20
- Time: 7:30 P.M. (CT)
- Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium - Atlanta, Georgia
The Source: Information in this article comes from the College Football Playoff, the Associated Press and FOX Sports.