Is Ohio State football favored to beat Texas? Here are the Cotton Bowl odds

PASADENA, CALIF. — Ohio State will get an early look at its 2025 season-opening opponent as it tried to keep its 2024 national title hopes alive when it faces Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

After two dominating performances in the first two rounds, the Buckeyes are expected to continue its winning ways as they head to Dallas on Jan. 10.

They are considered a 6.5-point favorite against the Longhorns, according to DraftKings.

Both teams reached the Colleg Football Playoff seminal by having to first win a home game in the first round before heading to a bowl site though in very different ways. The Longhorns needed overtime beat Arizona State in the Peach Bowl after beating Clemson at home in a four-quarter game. OSU has outscored its opponents 83-38 in wins over Tennessee at home and Oregon at the Rose Bowl.

The winner of the Cotton Bowl will face the winner of the Orange Bowl being played on the day before. So far, Penn State has already punched its ticket to Miami with wins over SMU in the first round and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Notre Dame beat Indiana in the first round and will face Georgia — who had a bye — in the Sugar Bowl which has been postponed until Thursday.