The Ohio State Buckeyes clinched a berth in the College Football Playoff Final with a 28-14 win against Texas in the Cotton Bowl Semifinal at AT&T Stadium Friday (January 10) night.
The Buckeyes never trailed, holding a 14-7 lead at halftime before scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter. Quinshon Judkins scored on a 1-yard touchdown to put Ohio State ahead 21-14 with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter, having previously given the Buckeyes their first touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run in the first quarter.
Defensive end Jack Sawyer sacked Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers -- his former roommate before transferring to Texas in 2022 -- and returned a fumble 83-yards for a touchdown to give a 14-point cushion with 2:13 remaining. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard finished Friday's game with 289 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 24 of 33.
The Buckeyes will face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first College Football Playoff National Championship Game of the new 12-team format, having won during the inaugural four-team playoff 10 years prior, its last national title.
The Fighting Irish defeated Penn State, 27-24, in the Capital One Orange Bowl Semifinal at Hard Rock Stadium Thursday (January 9) night. Notre Dame hasn't appeared in a national championship game since its blowout loss to Alabama in the BCS Championship Game in 2013 and last claimed a national title in 1988.