Ohio State vs Texas Opening Odds & Spread for Cotton Bowl CFP Semifinal

• Ohio State (12-2) takes on Texas (13-2) in the 2025 Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal at AT&T Stadium January 10 at 7:30 p.m.
• Fourth-seeded Texas advanced with a double overtime win over Arizona State, while eighth-seeded Ohio State rocked Oregon.
• Check out our first look at the early odds, including a look at the opening lines, preview and a prediction.

Ohio State (12-2, 8-6 ATS) showed off all its weapons, while Texas (13-2, 8-7 ATS) showed its resiliency in New Years Day college football quarterfinal victories. Ohio State is the early favorite.

These two teams haven’t met since 2009, although they square off again in August in the regular season, but why wait?

It’s the SEC (sorta) vs. Big Ten battle we have been waiting for all year. Texas will have a de facto homefield advantage.

We’re got your first look at the opening odds for the 2025 Cotton Bowl, plus a prediction on who will advance to the CFP title game.

“If Jeremiah Smith is on your team, I think you can win every game.”@PatMcAfeeShow‘s reaction to Jeremiah Smith’s 2nd TD of the game 😅 pic.twitter.com/Uam5xuzbnK

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 1, 2025

Ohio State vs Texas odds

Odds as of Jan. 1 at Caesars Sportsbook. Be sure to check the top Caesars Sportsbook promos before making a bet on any big football match-up. 

The Longhorns are 8-7 against the spread this season, but that number is a bit misleading. Texas opened 4-0 against the spread playing four cupcakes to open the season, but is just 4-7 since. They did not cover the 13.5 points they were getting against Arizona State, even though the game looked like a blowout early.

Speaking of blowouts, Ohio State boat raced Oregon in the first half, getting revenge on the Ducks after a one-point loss in the regular season. The Buckeyes are 8-6 against the spread and were 6-7 over/under this season before the Oregon win.

Ohio State’s two losses are by a point to Oregon and by three points to Michigan. They have been the best-looking team in the CFP so far with a dominating offensive line.

Buck Yeah

Ohio State won the college football off-season, but the losses to Oregon and then Michigan brought back all the old questions about Coach Ryan Day and whether he had the chops to win a championship.

In two convincing wins over Tennessee and Oregon, those doubts have diminished (we’d say they’d gone away, but Ohio State expectations never end). Quarterback Will Howard looks poised and confident in the pocket, freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith already looks like a first-round NFL pick.

Defensively, Ohio State is led by a good linebacker corps, including Cody Simon and were giving up only 11.4 points a game going into the Rose Bowl. This was the Ohio State team the college football world was expecting to see this season.

TEXAS ON 4TH DOWN TO STAY ALIVE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/so6g50zUaR

— ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2025

Give ‘Em the Horns

With the running game vanishing against Arizona State (only 53 yards) and usually-reliable kicker Bert Auburn missed two kicks in the fourth, Texas QB Quinn Ewers was called on to deliver, and he did in overtime with two sensational money throws in the win.

Ewers played so well, it was hardly noticeable that superstar-in-waiting Arch Manning didn’t play a snap.

Texas’ defense looked fast early. Trey Moore had two sacks, but wilted late against the Sun Devils. Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. is a budding star.

Ohio State vs Texas Early Prediction

One big thing to consider is this will basically be a Texas home game at Jerry World in Arlington. Texas is sure to be feeling confident after their rally against Arizona State, but Ohio State looks like the best team in the nation right now.

Can anyone cover Jeremiah Smith? Texas may be able to match Ohio State athletically, but up front, the Ohio State offensive line is really firing. We will take Ohio State in a shootout.