The No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes are preparing to take on the No. 5 seed Texas Longhorns in a highly anticipated Cotton Bowl showdown on Friday night. The College Football Playoff semifinal will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, but the weather forecast has raised concerns about potential travel and game-day conditions.
Forecasters predict temperatures will drop below freezing across Texas this week. According to the National Weather Service, there’s a “high confidence in at least measurable snow” from Wednesday night through Friday in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
“Expect hazardous travel conditions Thursday and Friday, particularly on untreated roads,” the NWS warned. In response, the Cotton Bowl released a statement on Monday addressing these concerns: “We are closely monitoring the weather and staying in regular contact with AT&T Stadium and local officials. Contingency plans are in place for inclement weather, and we will provide updates to all attendees and participants as needed.”
Just received this statement from the Cotton Bowl regarding the weather forecasts for Friday in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/Up5MS3LpD8
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) January 6, 2025
Ohio State has been on an impressive playoff run, defeating the No. 9 seed Tennessee Volunteers and the top-seeded Oregon Ducks to reach this semifinal. Texas earned its spot by overcoming the No. 12 seed Clemson Tigers and the No. 4 seed Arizona State Sun Devils.
Ohio State enters the game as a 5.5-point favorite over Texas. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday night.
