ARLINGTON, Texas – The No. 5 Texas Longhorns (13-2, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) braved morning snow flurries on the way to AT&T Stadium for one final walkthrough prior to Friday's match up with Ohio State at the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. 

The 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is Friday, Jan. 10 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and ESPN Radio. Kickoff is slated for 6:45 p.m.

Texas took to the AT&T Stadium turf for more than an hour to make final tune-ups for the Classic. Following the walkthrough, Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian joined Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day at a press conference held in the spectacular Main Club South at AT&T Stadium.

The Longhorns, who are the home team on Friday, are making their 23rd appearance in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Texas has appeared in more Classics than any other team. However, the Horns haven't been in the game since 2003, a point Sarkisian noted on Thursday.

"As far as being here at the Cotton Bowl, it's an honor," Sarkisian said. "Obviously, being at the University of Texas and the Cotton Bowl are synonymous with one another. I can't believe it's been over 20 years since the University of Texas has been in this game.

"Obviously, being the Semifinal game, I think it's a credit to our players and to our staff, the work that they've put in. Two years in a row we've been in this place now, and it's been something that we were striving for when we first took over the program.

"That being said, we've got a great opponent. That doesn't need to be said probably much more. I mean, Coach Day has done a great job. He's got a tremendous staff. They've navigated the season tremendously."

Sarkisian noted that with the CFP now expanded and teams playing more games than ever, the measuring standards of the past may not be suitable for today's version of college football. 

"I think in this day and age of college football, to think you're going to go unblemished is probably not realistic, especially not in our two conferences, with the amount of quality teams that you have to play week in and week out, and the grind that it puts on your team, not only physically, but mentally.

"I think the ones that can be standing here January 9th and 10th, playing for an opportunity to play for a National Championship, I think the credit is due to all four teams, but obviously the job that he's done to get them here."

The Buckeyes and Longhorns are meeting on the gridiron for the fourth time with Texas holding a 2-1 series advantage. Their last meeting came in a 24-21 Texas victory in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 5, 2009.
This year's Classic is a part of the ESPN bowl lineup for the 11th straight year. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit are set to call the action from the booth with Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge reporting from the sidelines. ESPN Radio returns as the Classic's national radio partner for the 11th consecutive year with Marc Kestecher and Kelly Stouffer in the booth and Ian Fitzsimmons and Quint Kessenich on the sidelines to describe all the action from AT&T Stadium.

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