The College Football Playoff semifinals are just days away, featuring a showdown between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The winner of Friday night’s Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes matchup will go on to face the victor of Thursday’s game. While Texas entered the quarterfinals as the top favorite for the national title, Ohio State’s dominant 41-21 victory over the Oregon Ducks has shifted the narrative, making the Buckeyes the new favorites.
Quarterback Will Howard, who went winless against Texas during his time at Kansas State before transferring to Ohio State, is eager to claim his first victory over the Longhorns.
“That was the one team I couldn’t beat during my time in the Big 12,” Howard said to reporters over the weekend. “They’ve always been a solid team, but none of those games felt out of reach. I’m definitely excited to get another shot at them… Texas is a great football team, so we’ll need to bring our best.” Ahead of the game, Ohio State Football shared a bold three-word message on social media: “Next game up,” along with details about the Cotton Bowl matchup.
Howard wants to exact revenge on Texas for all of his losses, but especially on the Wildcats, who had a chance to defeat the Longhorns in a 33-30 overtime loss last season.
“That one still sticks with me,” says Howard. “The way that one ended bothers me… I am aware that many Kansas residents are looking forward to the Buckeyes defeating these opponents.
Texas vs. Ohio State begins Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. ESPN will air both of the playoff games.
