College Football Playoff semifinal

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

No. 6 Ohio State (12-2) vs. No. 3 Texas (13-2)

6:30 p.m. CST Friday (ESPN)

AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

1 SEC team will have played 16 games in a season after the Cotton Bowl – Texas, which in 2024 has become the ninth SEC team to play 15 games in a season.

2 Previous Cotton Bowls have matched SEC and Big Ten teams. Alabama defeated Michigan State 38-0 in a CFP semifinal game on Dec. 31, 2015, and Missouri defeated Ohio State 14-3 on Dec. 29, 2023. The SEC has a 25-16-1 record in the Cotton Bowl. The Big Ten has a 5-2 record in the Cotton Bowl.

2 Ohio State players and two Texas players earned consensus All-American recognition for the 2024 season. Ohio State’s selections were C Seth McLaughlin and S Caleb Downs. McLaughlin is injured and will not play against Texas. Texas’ selections were offensive tackle Kelvin Banks and cornerback Jahdae Barron.

2 Losses for Texas this season – both inflicted by Georgia. The Longhorns lost to the Bulldogs 30-15 on Oct. 19 and 22-19 in overtime in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 7. Ohio State lost to Oregon 32-31 on Oct. 12 and Michigan 13-10 on Nov. 30.

2 Ohio State players have more than 900 rushing yards – RB TreVeyon Henderson, who has 925 yards and 10 TDs on 126 rushing attempts, and RB Quinshon Judkins, who has 924 yards and 10 TDs on 174 rushing attempts. Ohio State has had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season once. In 2013, RB Carlos Hyde ran for 1,521 yards and 15 TDs and QB Braxton Miller ran for 1,068 yards and 12 TDs

3 Previous games between Ohio State and Texas. The Longhorns won 25-22 on Sept. 10, 2005, in Columbus, Ohio, and the Buckeyes won 24-7 on Sept. 9, 2006, in Austin, Texas. In the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 5, 2009, Texas defeated Ohio State 24-21.

3 Consecutive victories over Big Ten opponents in bowls for Texas. The Longhorns have a 3-2 record in bowls and an 11-7 overall mark against Big Ten opponents, including a 31-12 victory over Michigan on Sept. 7. Since a 38-15 loss to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 1997, Texas has beaten Michigan 38-37 in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2005, Iowa 26-24 in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30, 2006, and Ohio State 24-21 in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 5, 2009, in postseason matchups with Big Ten members.

3 Previous Cotton Bowl appearances for Ohio State. The Buckeyes defeated Texas A&M 28-12 on Jan. 1, 1987, and Southern Cal 24-7 on Dec. 29, 2017, and lost to Missouri 14-3 on Dec. 29, 2023.

3 Texas players have won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back, including current CB Jahdae Barron, who won the honor for the 2024 season. Texas is now tied with LSU and Oklahoma for the most Thorpe winners with three each.

5 Texas players have won the Outland Trophy and four have won the Lombardi Award, but only one has won both – current OT Kelvin Banks Jr., who took home both awards for the 2024 season.

6 Victories, 14 losses and one tie for Ohio State against SEC opponents. The Buckeyes defeated Tennessee 42-17 in a CFP first-round game on Dec. 21. Ohio State has a 3-13 record against SEC opponents in postseason games. The Buckeyes have a 29-29 overall bowl record after beating Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 to reach the CFP semifinals.

10 Days until the winner of the Cotton Bowl plays again. Friday’s winner will face the winner of Thursday night’s Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State in the CFP national-championship game at 6:30 p.m. CST Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

15 Texas players have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season, including RB Quintrevion Wisner, who has 1,018 yards and five TDs on 209 carries this season. Wisner’s performance is Texas’ 27th 1,000-yard rushing season.

19 TDs have been scored against Ohio State in 2024, the fewest in the nation. The Buckeyes also have yielded the fewest points at 169 and have the best scoring defense in the nation at 12.1 points per game. Texas has yielded 14.5 points per game, the fourth-lowest average in the nation this season. Ohio State has averaged scoring 36.4 points per game, and Texas has averaged scoring 34.3 points per game.

23 Appearances for Texas in the Cotton Bowl when the Longhorns take the field on Friday — 10 more Cotton Bowl appearances than any other team. The Longhorns have an 11-10-1 record in the game, but, despite their wide lead in appearances, will be playing in the Cotton Bowl for the first time in 22 years. On Jan. 1, 2003, Texas defeated LSU 35-20 in the Longhorns’ most recent Cotton Bowl outing.

26 Consecutive games with a TD pass by Texas QB Quinn Ewers, the longest streak in the nation and the second-longest in school history behind a 29-game streak by Colt McCoy across the 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons.

30 Takeaways for Texas this season, the second-most in the nation. The Longhorns have recovered nine of their opponents’ fumbles and intercepted 21 passes. Ohio State has lost 14 turnovers this season – five fumbles and nine interceptions.

63 Bowl appearances for Texas when the Longhorns take the field on Friday, including a 38-24 victory over Clemson in a first-round game in the College Football Playoff on Dec. 21 and a 39-31 double-overtime victory against Arizona in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1. Texas has a 34-26-2 record in bowls.

70 Receptions for 1,224 yards and 14 TDs this season for Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, who broke freshman school records in all three categories set by Cris Carter in 1984.

232 Days before Ohio State and Texas square off again. The Buckeyes and Longhorns will kick off the 2025 season at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

327 Passing yards and four TD passes for Ohio State QB Will Howard in his most recent game against Texas. Howard was Kansas State’s quarterback in a 33-30 loss to the Longhorns on Nov. 4, 2023. Howard faced Texas three times with Kansas State. He completed 51-of-81 passes for 566 yards with six TDs and three interceptions and ran 35 times for 138 yards and one TD in three losses to the Longhorns.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.