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Expert Score Predictions for No. 5 Texas vs. No. 8 Ohio State in College Football Playoff

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cami Griffin | Last updated Jan 9, 2025 6:53 PM ET

No. 5 Texas will face No. 8 Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 10.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Although the Longhorns are the highest ranked team left in the playoff field, the Buckeyes enter the matchup as the betting favorite.

Ohio State is the 6-point favorite over Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Friday and many national media networks predict the Buckeyes to win the national championship this season.

The Buckeyes are viewed as the hottest team in the playoff while the Longhorns struggled to get by Arizona State last week. However, when Steve Sarkisian's squad is clicking on all cylinders, they could seemingly beat anyone in the country. Can Texas get out of their own way on Friday?

With a trip to the national championship game on the line, here's a look at a few score predictions ahead of the anticipated matchup:

Max Chadwick of PFF: Ohio State 30, Texas 21

Joel Klatt of Fox Sports: Ohio State 34, Texas 21

Brad Crawford of 247Sports: Ohio State 34, Texas 27

Bill Bender of Sporting News: Ohio State 31, Texas 21

Caleb Yum of Austin American-Statesman: Ohio State 37, Texas 35

The winner of the Cotton Bowl will face either No. 6 Penn State or No. 7 Notre Dame in the national title game on Monday, Jan. 20.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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