Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl semifinal matchup with Texas on Friday is another star-studded matchup with talented players all over the field on both sides.
Both squads should have double-digit players drafted this spring, as Ohio State continues to face the nation’s best on its quest for a national championship. That hasn’t stopped it so far, and we’ll see if that continues in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
We’ve picked out 12 players, well, maybe 13 if you get technical, between Ohio State and Texas who could have the biggest impact on Friday’s game and highlighted them below.
Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith
Well, duh, right? Smith terrorized Oregon in the Rose Bowl and has made life miserable for any defensive back who dare attempts to cover him. He’s the best player on the field at all times, and regardless of whether Texas attempts to bracket him or not, he should see plenty of targets in the Cotton Bowl.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers
Ohio State faces its former quarterback in a contest where the stakes couldn’t be much higher. Ewers has been hit or miss at times for the Longhorns this season, making big plays down the field but also committing some head-scratching turnovers. It’s not often on a CFP team the backup quarterback is more popular than the actual starter, but many Texas fans have clamored for Arch Manning throughout the season. Ewers’ best bet to success on Friday may come from Texas being able to establish the run, something it failed to do against Arizona State and Georgia. If the Longhorns became one-dimensional early, it could turn into a long night for them.
Kickers
It’s fair to say neither team may have a ton of faith in its starting kicker. On Ohio State’s end, Jayden Fielding redeemed himself last week by making two field goals, but he’s still been inconsistent at times and missed two chip shot field goals in the Michigan loss. Texas, however, probably trusts its kicker far less. Bert Auburn has missed nine field goal attempts total this season, including two clutch kicks that would have been game-winners against Arizona State in the quarterfinals. Will Auburn continue to be Texas’ kicker, or will the Longhorns give someone else a chance in a do-or-die situation?
Quarterback Will Howard
Playoff Howard has been a thing of beauty. In the regular season, Howard turned in one 300-yard passing performance. He’s turned in two in the playoffs, slicing up the secondaries of Tennessee and Oregon. Howard will be facing one of the best defensive fronts in the sport against Texas, so he’ll have to maintain a strong internal clock at all times. But if he plays like he has in the past two contests, OSU might be celebrating early again.
Offensive tackle Kelvin Banks
Banks is one of the best offensive tackles in the country, and that’s reflected in nearly every NFL mock draft right now. Banks, who’s only allowed one sack all season, will be tasked with limiting either Jack Sawyer or JT Tuimoloau, and considering the Buckeyes dominated an Oregon offensive line for eight sacks last time out, Banks holding up in pass protection could be key for the Longhorns sustaining drives.
Tight end Gunnar Helm
Helm may be the best receiving tight end Ohio State has faced since Tyler Warren of Penn State. He’s the second-leading receiver on this Longhorns roster, catching 58 passes for 744 yards and seven receiving touchdowns. He’ll present a huge threat in the middle of the field, so the Buckeyes must always account for him.
Defensive end Jack Sawyer
Sawyer has played out of his mind in the playoffs, racking up 3.5 sacks in two games. He’ll be facing a stout offensive line for a second straight matchup, but if Sawyer can disrupt Ewers, the Buckeyes may be well on their way to forcing a turnover or two.
Edge rusher Colin Simmons
Ohio State fans vocally protested when Simmons won National Freshman of The Year over Jeremiah Smith, and rightfully so. Nonetheless, Simmons is immensely talented and led the Longhorns in sacks as a freshman with nine. The Buckeyes have done well limiting sacks this season, but Simmons will be one of the more talented pass rushers they’ve faced so far this year.
Offensive tackle Donovan Jackson
Jackson has performed admirably filling in at left tackle for the second half of the season, so much so in recent weeks that you almost forget his natural position is left guard. But this Texas front will certainly test him and the rest of the Ohio State offensive line, both in pass and run blocking. Whether he’s blocking Simmons or another talented Texas pass rusher, Jackson needs to maintain his high level of play to keep the Buckeyes' operation running smoothly.
Cornerback Jahdae Barron
Barron is the reigning 2024 Thorpe Award winner and the anchor of Texas' No. 3 rated pass defense nationally. This season, Barron has recorded 47 total tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery, nine pass breakups and five interceptions. He'll likely draw the unfortunate assignment to cover Smith or one of the other talented wideouts on OSU, so he'll be crucial in the Longhorns' defensive effort.
Safety Caleb Downs
Downs is relied on by Jim Knowles to do a variety of things on the field. He was instrumental in shutting down Oregon’s running game in the Rose Bowl, and now, he could be asked to do the same against Texas while also guarding Helm in pass coverage.
Running back Quintrevion Wisner
As we mentioned earlier, if Texas wants consistent success offensively, it needs to be able to run the football efficiently. Wisner is a big part of that for the Longhorns, though he didn’t have much success against Arizona State or Georgia this season. Of course, his running lanes may be dictated by how his offensive line holds up against Ohio State’s defensive line, but he’ll need to find yardage to bolster his offense.
