Texas vs. Ohio State: Score, live updates for the College Football Playoff semifinal

2:21 am, January 11, 2025

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.

2:16 am, January 11, 2025

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.

2:00 am, January 11, 2025

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.

1:44 am, January 11, 2025

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.

1:01 am, January 11, 2025

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‼️

Judkins powers his way in for six 😤 pic.twitter.com/iSDGT7fNKA

— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2025

12:47 am, January 11, 2025

Game action has started. Texas will receive and start on their own 25-yard line.

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)

No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State have only played three times with Texas holding a 2-1 edge in the series history. The last meeting between the two teams was in the 2008 season when Texas defeated Ohio State 24-21 in the Fiesta Bowl behind a 400-yard passing performance by Heisman runner-up Colt McCoy. Before that postseason tilt, the two programs met in back-to-back regular seasons in the 2005 and 2006 seasons with each team earning a road win.

All prior meetings were in the BCS format as the two teams have not met in the College Football Playoff era.

Season Champion Selecting Organization 2023 Michigan CFP 2022 Georgia CFP 2021 Georgia CFP 2020 Alabama CFP 2019 LSU CFP 2018 Clemson CFP 2017 Alabama CFP 2016 Clemson CFP 2015 Alabama CFP 2014 Ohio State CFP