Ohio State beats Texas, advances to College Football Playoff title game
FINAL: Buckeyes win 28-14, advance to the national championship
No. 8 Ohio State punched its ticket to the national title game with a 28-14 victory over No. 5 Texas in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes built an early 7-0 advantage on Quinshon Judkins’ 9-yard touchdown run, then closed the first half with a screen pass that TreVeyon Henderson took 75 yards to the house. Despite trailing 14-7 at halftime, the Longhorns showed life in the third quarter behind Quinn Ewers, who connected twice with running back Jaydon Blue for touchdown receptions.
After Texas knotted the score at 14-14, Ohio State’s Will Howard impressed with a critical 88-yard scoring drive, capped by Judkins’ second touchdown for a 21-14 lead. With Texas threatening to tie on fourth-and-goal, defensive end Jack Sawyer blindsided Ewers, scooped up the fumble, and sprinted 82 yards for a game-clinching touchdown.
Howard finished with 289 passing yards and one touchdown, while Judkins logged two rushing scores. Ewers threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns but was under pressure all night from Ohio State’s relentless defensive line. The Buckeyes forced two key turnovers, including Sawyer’s decisive fumble recovery, and held the Longhorns to just 58 rushing yards.
Ohio State now awaits a national championship showdown with Notre Dame, hoping to claim the program’s first title since 2014.
😱 Sawyer’s scoop-and-score catapults Ohio State
On fourth-and-goal, Jack Sawyer blasts Quinn Ewers, pounces on the fumble, and sprints 82 yards to the end zone. The dramatic defensive touchdown puts the Buckeyes up 28-14 late in the fourth quarter.
👀 Judkins’ second TD puts Buckeyes on top
Ohio State grinds out an 88-yard, 13-play drive, capped by Quinshon Judkins’ 1-yard plunge for his second touchdown. Will Howard’s 18-yard fourth-down run kept the march alive, and the Buckeyes now lead 21-14 with seven minutes remaining.
BUCKEYES TAKE THE LEAD IN THE FOURTH 👀
— ESPN (@espn)
Quinshon Judkins punches it in for his second touchdown of the game‼️
🫡 Blue strikes again, ties it 14-14
Quintrevion Wisner’s heavy workload sets up Jaydon Blue’s second touchdown of the night — a 26-yard reception. The 12-play, 67-yard drive evens the score at 14 late in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium.
SO NICE THEY HAD TO DO IT TWICE 🤘
— ESPN (@espn)
Quinn Ewers finds Jaydon Blue for six on the exact same route as their first touchdown 🤝
😳 Texas defense comes up big
David Gbenda intercepts Will Howard early in the third quarter, ending a promising Ohio State drive. The Buckeyes still lead 14-7, but the Longhorns gain momentum as they take over.
🤝 Halftime: Ohio State regains momentum
Ohio State leads Texas 14-7 at halftime, thanks to a 75-yard screen touchdown reception by TreVeyon Henderson — the third-longest scoring reception in CFP semifinal history. It immediately silenced the Longhorns, who scored their first points of the game just minutes seconds before.
Ohio State’s pass rush has rattled Ewers, while the Buckeyes have racked up 236 total yards in two quarters. Texas will need a stronger showing on offense in the second half. Ohio State receives the kickoff and holds a crucial lead.
😱 Buckeyes retake the lead
Ohio State responds immediately as Will Howard connects with TreVeyon Henderson on a perfectly executed screen pass for a 75-yard touchdown. The Buckeyes go up 14-7 with just 13 seconds left before halftime.
TREVEYON HENDERSON 75 YARDS TO THE HOUSE, WOW‼️
— ESPN (@espn)
Ohio State immediately answers after Texas' TD.
🟠 Texas pulls even before the break
Quinn Ewers connects with Jaydon Blue on an 18-yard touchdown, capping a 59-yard drive in just over a minute. The extra point ties the score at 7-7 with 29 seconds left in the half.
😬 Third-down drop ends Texas drive
Isaiah Bond, returning from injury, drops a wide-open pass on third-and-5, forcing the Longhorns to punt again. Ohio State takes over at its own 27-yard line with 3:31 left in the half.
‼️ Tuimoloau limps off after scary tackle
J.T. Tuimoloau heads to the medical tent with a limp following an awkward collision on Texas’ third-down play. Ohio State’s standout edge rusher is a key piece of the Buckeyes’ pass rush.
🔴 Buckeyes strike first
Quinshon Judkins caps Ohio State’s 64-yard drive with a powerful 9-yard touchdown run. Will Howard and Emeka Egbuka set it up with several key completions, giving Ohio State a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Ohio State strikes first‼️
— ESPN (@espn)
Judkins powers his way in for six 😤
🏈 Texas receives first
⏰ One hour until kickoff
The Buckeyes and Longhorns have arrived at AT&T Stadium. The Cotton Bowl kicks off in just one hour!
THE best freshman in college football has entered the building.
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB)
We've arrived 🤘 |
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball)
🏟️ IT'S GAME DAY
Game day is here. No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State face off in the Cotton Bowl tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tune in for what promises to be a thrilling matchup.
🎉 HAPPY GAME DAY! 🎉
— Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (@CottonBowlGame)
The 2025 Semifinal at the 89th Classic arrives at . vs. , today at 6:30 p.m. CT. | |
🍿 Game preview
The 89th Cotton Bowl Classic features two of the best units in all of college football with No. 8 Ohio State's high-powered offense clashing with No. 5 Texas' vaunted defense. Unable to clinch a first-round bye following their SEC title game loss to Georgia, the Longhorns responded with a 38-24 win over Clemson in the first round and a Peach Bowl victory over Arizona State in 2OT. Despite a heartbreaking loss to Michigan to end the regular season, Ohio State rebounded with two blowout wins over 9-seed Tennessee and 1-seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Quarterback Will Howard is on a hot streak with 630 total passing yards and five TDs in the Buckeyes' first two playoff games and freshman phenom wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has not been stopped with 13 catches for 290 yards and 4 TDs in Ohio State's blowout wins.
Despite both teams being among some of the most prolific offenses in college football, defense is the key in this Cotton Bowl matchup. Texas linebacker Colin Simmons leads the defense with nine total sacks and cornerback Jahdae Barron has a team-high five interceptions on the season. Ohio State's defensive line and pass rush is powered by Jack Sawyer, who is coming off of a two-sack performance against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. He has 10 sacks on the season to lead the Buckeyes. Both Texas and Ohio State rank in the top five in college football for fewest total yards and points per game allowed.
Here is how the two teams matchup:
| Texas | Stat | Ohio State |
|---|---|---|
| 13-2 | Record | 12-2 |
| 34.3 | Points Per Game | 36.4 |
| 14.5 | Points Against | 12.1 |
| Quintrevion Wisner (1,018 yards) | Leading Rusher | TreVeyon Henderson (925 yards) |
| Matthew Golden (936 yards) | Leading Receiver | Jeremiah Smith (1,224 yards) |
| Anthony Hill Jr. (107 tackles) | Leading Tackler | Cody Simon (97 tackles) |