ARLINGTON, Texas – Ohio State senior quarterback Will Howard earned the J. Curtis Sanford Trophy after being named the Offensive Most Valuable Player in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

Howard threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, guiding eighth-seeded Ohio State to a 28-14 victory over fifth-seeded Texas on Friday night at AT&T Stadium. The Pennsylvania-native led a Buckeye offense that totaled 370 yards of offense.

With the score tied at 14-14 in the fourth quarter, Howard guided the Buckeyes on a pivotal 13-play, 88-yard touchdown drive.

"At that moment, I was getting concerned that the defense was getting worn out," Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said. "We needed a big, long drive and that's exactly what we got – and Will was the leader in the huddle."

On a key fourth-and-two at the Texas 34-yard line, the signal-caller carried the ball up the middle for an 18-yard gain.

"We talked about it before the game, we're going to have to work this game, and we're going to have to methodically move the ball down the field," Howard said. "I'm just so proud of our offense that we were able to get the game – we talk about it all the time, get the game to the fourth quarter, and that's where we'll win it."

This performance boosted Howard's season totals to 3,779 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. Ohio State advances to the CFP National Championship, where the Buckeyes are set to face seventh-seeded Notre Dame on Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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