The Cotton Bowl
I am writing another blog post about Texas vs. Ohio State because I don’t think I did it justice in yesterday’s post. To be fair, I was incredibly worried about the Notre Dame vs. Penn State game. I thought for sure Penn State was going to win toward the end. However, that’s not what happened, and I went to bed happy last night. But this is a topic for another time.
In this post, I will talk about the matchup taking place tonight between two classic universities: the famous Ohio State Buckeyes (according to Gus Johnson) and the Texas Longhorns.
The Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State has experienced both highs and incredible lows this season. The Buckeyes are the most talented team in the country—plain and simple. They have the best wide receiver in the country (who is only a freshman, by the way) and a number of other elite options at receiver. If you’re the opposing team, it starts to feel a bit unfair. They have a great backfield with Quinshon Judkins (who, in my opinion, has been somewhat disappointing this year) and TreVeyon Henderson (who has been anything but disappointing). On top of that, they have a solid quarterback in Will Howard at the helm and a stifling defense featuring stars like Caleb Downs, Denzel Burke, and Jack Sawyer. And the scary part? They have a ton of other talented players I haven’t even mentioned.
So, what were the lows for Ohio State this season? The first came on October 12, when the Buckeyes suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Oregon Ducks. Heartbreaking for Buckeye fans, of course—I couldn’t have been happier that day. The second low (which was even worse) occurred on November 30. If you haven’t already guessed, the amazing and insanely talented Ohio State Buckeyes were embarrassed—at home, I might add—by their longtime and forever rival, the Michigan Wolverines. And it’s not like Michigan was undefeated going into the game—they were 5-5! It was the most beautiful thing to watch. (If you haven’t already guessed, I am not a fan of Ohio State.)
So the Buckeyes, who were 10-1, lost to Michigan in what is and always will be the biggest rivalry in college football. There was even a fight after the game, which made it even better, and Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day was firmly on the hot seat. To give readers context, when Ohio State was coached by Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes beat Michigan seven years in a row. If you’re a Michigan fan, this is a very sore subject. Ryan Day took over in 2019 and won his first game against Michigan, 56-27. The game wasn’t played in 2020 due to COVID, but since 2021, Ryan Day has lost to Michigan four years in a row. This is a major sore spot for Ohio State fans. Everyone knows that if you coach Ohio State or Michigan, yes, you must compete for national championships—but above all, you must, must, must win The Game. Ryan Day has barely accomplished that.
As a result of that loss, Ohio State missed out on the Big Ten Championship and was forced to play Tennessee in the first round of the playoff. That game was supposed to be a close battle. If Ohio State had lost, Ryan Day likely would have been fired. Well, Ohio State destroyed Tennessee and followed that performance with a dominant win in the Rose Bowl. Freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith had two touchdowns in each of the playoff games, and you can be certain Ohio State will target him heavily tonight against Texas.
Ryan Day is coaching for his job. If he doesn’t win a championship with this roster, he could very well be fired. Ohio State has not won a national championship since 2015, when they had Ezekiel Elliott at running back and Urban Meyer as head coach. The Buckeyes haven’t played for a national title since 2021, a game they lost to Alabama. This game against Texas is a big one.
The Texas Longhorns
Now, let’s talk about the Longhorns. Another incredibly famous football program, Texas is similar to Ohio State in many ways—big-time rivalries, legendary coaches, a history of winning, Heisman-caliber players, and national championships.
Texas is coached by Steve Sarkisian, a former assistant under the great Nick Saban. Their quarterback is Quinn Ewers, though many believe that Arch Manning should take over the reins. Like Ohio State, Texas has a wealth of talent. However, injuries have limited their ability to reach their full potential.
Texas looked like the No. 1 team in the country early in the season—that was until they got their asses kicked at home by a Georgia team that had lost to Alabama just two weeks prior. Texas would go on to lose to Georgia again in the SEC Championship, though that game was much closer.
Texas is a very good football team, but they barely survived against ASU, and they have looked very beatable in recent games. The Longhorns haven’t played in a national championship since 2010 and haven’t won one since 2005. I believe they can beat Ohio State, but it will be a very close game.
Prediction
The team that is more physical will win. The team whose quarterback protects the ball better will win.
Ohio State is the most talented team in the country, and they will beat Texas 38-24 in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
