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DALLAS – A packed house at AT&T Stadium on Friday night had fans in a mixed-bag of emotions for all four quarters of the Cotton Bowl. For all the crazy events that occurred in this CFP semifinal game, it was the final eight minutes of regulation that delivered a plethora of moments to remember. In the end, it was Ohio State coming through at the biggest moment to clinch a CFP championship game spot with a 28-14 win over Texas. 

We all should’ve seen this coming, especially with the run Ohio State has been on lately with its offensive output. After blowing out Tennessee and Oregon in previous games, the Buckeyes finally ran into a defense that wasn’t ready to budge. 

But the question most fans clad in burnt orange had inside a loud ‘Jerry World’ centered around Quinn Ewers, and how he would lead this team to a win, with everything going against them. Who would’ve thought that it would take a bunch of dump-down passes, followed by a few 15-yard outs to confuse the Ohio State defense. ‘

All this game needed was a dramatic ending in the final few minutes to deliver, and that’s exactly what we got, as Texas fans nervously cheered on as their team had the ball at the Buckeyes 2-yard line. All the Longhorns had to do was not run a toss-sweep, or have Quinn Ewers rolling out of the pocket with the Buckeyes chasing him down. 

As we’ve seen a few times this season, Texas found a way to give this game away, and Ohio State gladly took the Quinn Ewers fumble 84-yards to the house for the touchdown. 

After everything that transpired in this game, with Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith having only 3 yards on 3 targets, the Buckeyes were begging Texas to take this game away from them. 

It was as if Chip Kelly finally woke up in the coaches’ box and put together a drive that put the Buckeyes ahead, after looking lethargic over the previous two quarters. The Buckeyes allowed Will Howard to run the football, and then all they needed was Quinshon Judkins to push it in from 2-yards out. 

We wondered if the Longhorns had it in them to put together a drive that could tie this game up. And while we watched Quinn Ewers lead them to the Buckeyes goal line, something he struggled to do for a good chunk of the game, they at least had a chance. 

We all know how that ended by now. 

Ohio State Beatable Against Notre Dame, As Texas Provided Blueprint

Did you expect Ohio State to come out and push the Texas defense around? I hope not. But you probably didn’t think it would take a massive mistake from Quinn Ewers to seal this game for the Buckeyes. If this is the Ohio State offense we get in Atlanta during the college football playoff title game, then yes, Notre Dame can win the national championship. 

While all of the talk on Thursday night centered around this game in Dallas being the defacto ‘national title’ game, you can take all of that talk and throw it away. This Ohio State team looked like a squad that was staring at Michigan all night, judging by the amount of targets Carnell Tate received compared to Jeremiah Smith. 

ARLINGTON, Texas – Quinshon Judkins #1 and Will Kacmarek #89 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after Judkins scored a touchdown in the first quarter against the Texas Longhorns during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on January 10, 2025. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Don’t confuse this though, Texas was locking down Smith all evening, hoping nobody else from Ohio State would take advantage. Unfortunately, that plan backfired in the fourth quarter, after going a full-night of bracketing the most explosive player on the field. I don’t care that Will Howard’s stat sheet says that he threw for 289 yards, because 75 of those yards came from a TreVeyon Henderson touchdown.

Texas ran the same defense that Michigan did in the regular season finale, and they were two yards away from tying this game up in the fourth quarter. Obviously, all that matters is getting to the championship game, no matter the circumstances, but this performance against a tough Texas defense is making this national title game look delicious. 

Why? Because Notre Dame is fast, and will get after Will Howard, along with forcing other Buckeyes to step up next week. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not implying Jeremiah Smith won’t get his in Atlanta, but I’m pointing out that, once again, Ohio State was left confused for a majority of the game, until Chip Kelly decided to finally wake up in the fourth. 

College Football Playoff Title Game Is Set For Atlanta

We will now get one of the most intriguing games of the season for a national championship. Notre Dame comes into this game playing like a team on a redemption tour that has one more stop, while Ohio State has the ability to catch you at the most incredible moments.

It’s hard to put into words what this game will mean from a ratings perspective, but I can promise you that CFP executives are having a party tonight, once they exit AT&T Stadium. 

ARLINGTON, Texas – TreVeyon Henderson #32 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on January 10, 2025. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

What we witnessed on Friday night in Ohio State was a football team that might’ve run through its first two opponents, but needed to dig deep to get away from the Longhorns. 

This was as much on Texas as it was Ohio State. One team crumbled under the pressure, while the other team found a way to clinch a national title game berth. That’s the difference between winning football teams, and Ryan Day is one win away from completing a wild story that started following the loss to Michigan. 

Buckle up, it’s going to be a wild night in Atlanta on January 20.