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Ohio State vs. Texas: Predictions, early odds and how to watch Cotton Bowl
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Sports Pulse
The stage is set for a monumental clash in the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic will witness the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes battle it out for a shot at the national championship.
The Longhorns displayed unwavering resilience in a nail-biting two-overtime quarterfinal showdown against the Arizona State Sun Devils. They emerged victorious with a score of 39-31, securing their spot in the CFP semifinals. The game was a true test of their mettle, with quarterback Quinn Ewers rising to the occasion and sealing the win with a touchdown pass to Matthew Golden. Ewers’ performance was stellar, with 322 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, along with a rushing touchdown.
The Buckeyes were determined to seek revenge against the top-seeded Oregon Ducks, the team that had handed them a tough loss earlier in the regular season. Their determination paid off as they defeated the Ducks 41-21 to advance to the semifinals. Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard led the offense, completing 65.4% of his passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith significantly contributed to the victory, recording 187 yards and two touchdowns.
Ahead of next week’s Cotton Bowl, the anticipation is palpable. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this significant event.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl predictions: Ohio State vs. Texas
ESPN: Texas has a 50% chance to win
According to ESPN Matchup Predictor, the Texas Longhorns have a 50.8% chance to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
College Football News: Ohio State
Staff writes: “Texas will do what it always does and get too creative for its own good. Ohio State will be in a fight in the first quarter. Will Howard was brilliant in the first two CFP games, but an early pick followed by an explosive Longhorn drive will set the mood for a far different game than the first two. And then the Buckeyes will kick it back into gear. Sort of like the two Georgia losses, Texas will be terrific for stretches, and then it’ll play like it just doesn’t have … IT. Texas has the talent, and the athleticism, and the want-to, but it doesn’t have that special gear that a far inferior Arizona State team showed in Atlanta. It’ll be Ohio State’s turn to play in Atlanta on January 20th.”
Sporting News: Texas
Kris Johnson writes: “This could be another instant classic for Texas after its rollercoaster win against Arizona State. By all appearances, Ohio State looks like the most complete team left in what began as a 12-team field.The Buckeyes opened as a 5.5-point favorite at DraftKings, but early wagering moved the line to six. It’s tempting to play Texas on the moneyline, but we’re anticipating the spread could reach a full TD by kickoff. We picked the Longhorns to win the national championship at the outset of the CFP, and will wait for the possibility of additional points ATS.”
Tickets to the Cotton Bowl with StubHub
Goodyear Cotton Bowl odds, lines: Ohio State vs. Texas
The Texas Longhorns are favorites to defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes, according to the BetMGM college football odds.
- Spread: Texas (-6)
- Moneylines: Texas (-225); Ohio State (-190)
- Over/under: 53.5
How to watch Ohio State vs. Texas in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl
- Date: Friday, Jan. 10
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: Fubo
- Where: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
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Just days before Mother’s Day, a North Texas father is grieving the sudden loss of his wife and unborn son after she died unexpectedly, only days before her due date. Avi Carey said he is still in shock over the death of his wife, Tiffany, whom he described as his “rock” and “soulmate.”
“Tiffany’s smile, her radiance, her presence … she didn’t meet a stranger,” Carey said.
Nearly two decades together
The couple had been together for nearly two decades, raising two children, Kingston and Kasyn, and preparing to welcome their third child, a baby boy they planned to name Kylo.
Carey said Tiffany began complaining of a severe headache just days before she was due to give birth. He recalled her sitting on the couch, dozing off multiple times – something he said was unusual.
A short time later, Carey found her unresponsive.
“I saw her face … her lips were blue. And I already knew,” he said with tears in his eyes.
A celebration turned to heartbreak
Tiffany Carey and her unborn son died May 2, leaving behind a grieving husband and two children. The loss came less than a week after the family had celebrated a baby shower.
“We went from celebrating the baby shower to planning a funeral in less than five days,” Carey said.
A crisis affecting Black mothers
Health officials say cases like this highlight a broader crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women in the United States are more than three times as likely as white women to die from pregnancy‑related causes, and most of those deaths – around 80% – are considered preventable.
Carey said he is still searching for answers and now lives with questions about whether warning signs were missed.
“I would say educate yourself. Take everything seriously,” he said. “That should have been a red flag … the headache.”
Honoring Tiffany’s legacy
Now, surrounded by baby supplies meant for a child who never arrived, Carey said he is focused on honoring Tiffany’s memory and raising their children with the values she lived by.
“She always said, ‘You’ve got to lead with love,’” he said. “She did that in everything.”
Trump administration to release UFO files soon, president says
President Trump said his administration plans to release information and materials relating to UFOs.
Ever look up at the vast Texas sky and see something move across it? It could be a shooting star, a satellite — or a UFO.
The Pentagon released several documents Friday, May 8, detailing sightings of unidentified flying objects, or “bogeys,” in U.S. airspace, including reports from Texas.
The documents were released by the U.S. Department of Defense at the directive of President Donald Trump, marking the release of government files related to “alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP)” and UFOs.
“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves. This release of declassified documents demonstrates the Trump Administration’s earnest commitment to unprecedented transparency,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a statement.
Here’s a look at the files related to Texas.
UFO spotted in 1948 above Abilene, Texas
A DoD incident summary shows that on Jan. 1, 1948, a man identified as “Mr. A. Schroeder” reported a UFO in the 1100 block of Highland Ave in Abilene, Texas.
Schroeder reported seeing a stationary bright blue-green bell-shaped object in the western sky above Abilene at 1:25 a.m. and 1:30 a.m.
Fort Worth man sees UFO above Alaska
Also in 1948, Lt. Aytch Johnson noticed a silver flat disk in the sky in Fairbanks, Alaska.
According to the incident report, the Fort Worth man observed the object flying over Alaska at around 1:06 p.m. on April 18, 1948, at an estimated speed of 250 to 300 miles per hour.
The report also noted that the sighting “may have been the reflection of sun from wings” of aircrafts flying in the area at the time.
Possible UFO sighting during the NASA Gemini 7 space launch
The DoD released the transcript and audio file of NASA’s Gemini 7 mission in 1965 when astronaut Frank Borman reported to NASA mission control in Houston his sighting of an unidentified object, which he referred to as a “bogey.”
While the launch didn’t take place in Texas, the report came back to space control in Houston.
The conversation occurred on Dec. 5, 1965 — 4 hours and 24 minutes into the flight — when Borman notified space control that there was a “bogey” on their left-hand side.
When asked to clarify what they are seeing, Borman said he was seeing “hundreds of little particles” on their left, about three to four miles away.
As NASA Public Affairs clarified, the bogey was an unidentified object, along with the particles.
Pentagon documents report of other possible sightings in Texas
Some documents have connections or reports of possible UFO sightings in Texas, but are missing details to understand the situation.
For example, the DoD received a clipping from the Yoakum Times-Record reporting UFO sightings by Mrs. Anna Banys in 1947, but it is unclear why she was writing to the DoD.
This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
Concern over effectiveness of AMBER Alerts
For nearly 30 years, the AMBER Alert has helped locate hundreds of children, but one of its founders believes changes should be made to make the emergency alert system more effective.
Fox – 7 Austin
An AMBER Alert has been issued for a 13-year-old girl abducted from Louisiana who was last seen in North Texas.
Merlin Chirinos-Argueta was last seen around 7:10 p.m. May 7 in Allen, Texas, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Authorities say the teen was abducted from Keithville, Louisiana, and may be traveling in Texas
Chirinos-Argueta is described as a 13-year-old Hispanic girl with black hair and brown eyes. She is about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds, officials said.
The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office said Merlin was reported missing Thursday. May 7 from the 6200 block of Bain Boulevard in Keithville. Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr. said investigators are asking for the public’s help in locating the teen.
Investigators believe she may be with 18-year-old Daniel Vasquez Mejia, who has black hair and brown eyes.
Merlin has not been in contact with her family, which has raised concerns for her safety and well-being, authorities said. The investigation is ongoing.
Authorities say they may be traveling in a white Chevrolet SUV with Texas license plate VML6061. The vehicle is believed to have a skull sticker on the rear driver’s side back window and a “mojo” sticker on the passenger side rear window.
Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or contact the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-675-2170.
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