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Teams ready to play in Cotton Bowl Classic
The winter weather hasn't stopped the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Both are preparing for a win in tonight's Cotton Bowl Classic. Arlington and TxDOT officials said they've also prepared the roads so that fans can drive to the game.
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes will battle it out tonight for a spot in the National Championship.
The Cotton Bowl Classic kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
And while Ohio State is the favorite to win, Texas said it’s going in to play its best football and no one should count the Longhorns out.
Both teams want to win badly.
The Longhorns haven’t been to the championship game in 20 years. Their last title was in 2005 with quarterback Vince Young.
And while Ohio State’s last title was a decade ago, the Buckeyes feel like they have unfinished business in Arlington.
They played at AT&T Stadium in the Cotton Bowl last seas but lost to Missouri 14-3.
What they're saying:
Both teams have incredible momentum heading into the game. So it’s sure to be a tough but fun one to watch.
"I could probably poll everybody in this room, and they’d agree they’re the favorite to win the game. And that’s okay. That’s football. That’s sport. That’s why we have to do what we do," said Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkisian.
"Bottom line is this game is going to be played and the team that plays the best and executes the best is going to win the game. There’s a lot of opinions out there of what everyone’s going to expect, but ultimately it’s going to come down to the players and how they play," said Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day.
What's next:
Whoever wins on Friday night will face Notre Dame in the National Championship game on Jan. 20.
Cotton Bowl Weather
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Dallas Weather: Jan. 10 early morning forecast
Meteorologist Evan Andrews says North Texas could see a few more hours of patchy drizzle and snow flurries before the skies clear. The weekend should be dry.
Despite a winter storm in North Texas, organizers opted against moving the game.
The city of Arlington and the Texas Department of Transportation said the roads surrounding AT&T Stadium are safe to drive on.
A TxDOT spokesperson said its crews have been out 24/7 treating the roads. Additional crews from across the state have also been mobilized to North Texas to help with Cotton Bowl operations.
It may be a last-minute rush for some fans who flew into North Texas to make it to AT&T Stadium, though, because of flight cancelations and delays.
The skies should be clear by Friday night with pregame temperatures hovering in the mid-30s. After the game, temps are expected to drop below 30 degrees.
An overnight freeze could begin early Saturday morning. So, anyone planning to stay out late should drive carefully.
The Source: The information in this story comes from pregame news conferences, interviews with Arlington and TxDOT officials, the FOX 4 Weather team, and past news coverage.