Ohio State captains lock arms in anticipation of the coin toss ahead of the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinals game Jan. 1 in Pasadena, California. The Buckeyes won 41-21 against Oregon. Credit: Carly Damon | Asst. Photo Editor
DALLAS — Right now, Ohio State is the hottest college football team in the country.
The Buckeyes have advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals in dominant fashion; they first defeated Tennessee 42-17 in a first-round matchup Dec. 21, 2024, before beating a previously undefeated Oregon squad 41-21 in Pasadena, California, at the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl.
Ohio State will now face Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinals, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
The Longhorns pose a different threat compared to the Buckeyes’ previous two matchups, as Texas’ defense will be the best unit Ohio State has seen all season. It includes a highly disruptive defensive line, not to mention Jim Thorpe Award winner Jahdae Barron in its secondary.
Offensively, Texas has weapons all over the field in wide receivers Matthew Holden and Isaiah Bond, as well as tight end Gunnar Helm and former Buckeye quarterback Quinn Ewers leading the charge.
The Longhorns have the correct pieces to beat any team in the country, but they haven’t put them all together quite yet.
Texas lost just twice this season, both times at the hands of Georgia. The Bulldogs initially subdued the Longhorns in an Oct. 19, 2024, game 30-15. Then, Georgia secured a 22-19 win over Texas Dec. 7, 2024, to claim the SEC Championship.
In terms of wins, Texas has tallied one ranked victory this season, which came on the road against then-No. 20 Texas A&M Nov. 30, 2024.
Simply put, the Buckeyes are favored to beat Texas. The betting spread, according to most major sportsbooks, leans in favor of Ohio State by roughly six points.
If the Buckeyes want to advance to the National Championship game in Atlanta, they must focus on these three areas Friday night in Dallas.
Don’t let Texas run the ball
The Longhorns’ inability to consistently run the ball has been evident all season, but especially in their last few games.
Most recently — in its overtime win against Arizona State Jan. 1 — Texas ran for an abysmal 53 yards on 30 carries, which equates to just 1.8 yards per carry.
This bodes well for the Buckeyes, who not only have a top-tier defense, but also one of the country’s best rushing defenses.
It’s not that the Longhorns can’t run the ball; when they’re rushing the ball effectively, it’s a game changer. In the first round of the playoffs, Texas beat Clemson 38-24, collectively outrushing the Tigers 292-76.
But in the SEC Championship against Georgia, the Longhorns only amassed 31 rush yards on 28 carries.
Inconsistent is the best word to describe Texas’ rushing attack, which is led by Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue.
For Ohio State, containing and limiting the Longhorns’ rushing ability early on will be an important building block of victory.
Play turnover-free football
In most matchups, the team that wins the turnover battle usually wins the game. Therefore, it’s critical for Ohio State to play mistake-free football Friday.
The Buckeyes’ losses this season — to Oregon Oct. 12, 2024, and Michigan Nov. 30, 2024 — both involved Ohio State turning the ball over to their opponent at least once.
It’s still possible to win while conceding a costly turnover — the Buckeyes managed to defeat Penn State 20-13 Nov. 2, 2024, after quarterback Will Howard threw a pick-6 on the first offensive drive. But it does make winning the game significantly tougher.
This season, Howard has thrown nine interceptions, but he has yet to cough up the football in the playoffs.
On the other side of the ball, if Ohio State’s defense can force a turnover or two, the Buckeyes will be in a prime spot to advance to the National Championship.
Jump out to a fast start
In both of the Buckeyes’ first two playoff wins, they have come out of the gate firing on all cylinders.
Ohio State outscored Tennessee and Oregon by a combined 55-18 in the matchups’ first halves, and it must continue this trend by forcing Texas to be a one-dimensional team.
When the Buckeyes know their opposition is forced to have a pass-heavy play style because of their lead, it’s easier for them to effectively rush the passer. Against Oregon Jan. 1, while the Ducks were being forced into the pass to catch up, Ohio State’s defense notched eight sacks and 13 tackles for a loss.
Though it doesn’t necessarily have to be a 34-8 lead at the half, if Ohio State has a multi-possession lead, Texas has very little chance to come back and win the game.
Ultimately, the fate of the game lies firmly in the Buckeyes’ hands. They just have to sustain their momentum and play mistake-free, confident football.
