That pair, and others like it, became part of notable trend in the 2024-25 bowl season: 21 of the 30 non-Playoff bowls that aired on an ESPN network through Jan. 2 saw year-over-year viewership increases, the majority of them by 20 percent or more.

Will the Texas football season end at the hands of Ohio State in the CFP? Here's the case for a Buckeyes win in the Cotton Bowl.

The four head coaches remaining in this year’s College Football Playoff have a lot to gain by winning it all. Not just a national championship, and not just the bonus that comes with it. The other prize coming the winning head coach’s way is power and prestige at a time of upheaval in the sport and evolution within his profession.

Penn State will face Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, while Ohio State will face Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Winners will meet for the CFP championship.

Ohio State and Texas have drawn each other as semifinal opponents in the College Football Playoff. This is the fourth matchup between the blue bloods.

With only four teams left in the College Football Playoff, two games will decide who gets the opportunity to play in the national championship game. The quarterfinal round solidified Ohio State as the odds-on favorite to win the title (-110).