After Sunday’s final CFP rankings were revealed, the Ohio State Buckeyes dropped just one spot to the two seed and now have a quarterfinal matchup set with either the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies or the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes. The game will be played on New Year’s Eve at 7:30 PM ET in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. So what is Ohio State’s all-time record and history in the Cotton Bowl?
We go through every appearance Ohio State has had in the Cotton Bowl and a short history of what occurred. It’s become a more frequent occurrence over the last few years and has some very fond memories as of late.
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Let’s dive in …
1987: The 51st Classic — Ohio State vs. Texas A&M
Ohio State won its first appearance in the Cotton Bowl by knocking off the Aggies 28–12. The Buckeyes entered with a 9–3 record and were Co–Big Ten Champions despite losing to Michigan in the final week of the season. The defense dominated with five interceptions, including pick-sixes by Chris Spielman and Michael Kee. Offensively, quarterback Jim Karsatos delivered through the air with 195 passing yards, and wide receiver Cris Carter accounted for 61 of those yards on four receptions.
2017: The 82nd Classic — Ohio State vs. USC
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Parris Campbell (21) runs the ball as USC Trojans cornerback Isaiah Langley (24) tackles during the third quarter of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the USC Trojans on Friday, December 29, 2017 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. [Joshua A. Bickel/Dispatch]
The 2017 season was an odd one for Ohio State, highlighted by losses to Baker Mayfield and Oklahoma in Columbus and then a stunning blowout defeat at Iowa, where J.T. Barrett threw four interceptions. The Buckeyes missed the CFP but landed a marquee bowl matchup with Sam Darnold and the USC Trojans.Darnold entered with top-five NFL Draft buzz, and although he finished with 356 passing yards, he had no touchdowns and threw an interception on 45 attempts. Ohio State controlled the game on the ground, rushing for 163 yards and two touchdowns through J.T. Barrett and J.K. Dobbins. The Buckeyes outmuscled USC and won 24–7 in Jerry’s World.
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2023: The 88th Classic — Ohio State vs. Missouri
Dec 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive back Jaylon Carlies (1) tackles Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) during the fourth quarter of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium. Ohio State lost 14-3.
The final year of the four-team playoff ended with Ohio State missing the CFP after a Week 12 loss to Michigan. They were sent to the Cotton Bowl to face a 10–2 Missouri team in a game where the Buckeyes had little at stake and many stars opted out, including Marvin Harrison Jr. and nine others. That left a young roster to take on the Tigers, and it showed.
Backup quarterback Devin Brown was injured early, forcing freshman Lincoln Kienholz into action, and he struggled, completing 6-of-17 passes for 86 yards. Freshman TreVeyon Henderson finished with 72 rushing yards on 19 carries, and Emeka Egbuka posted six catches for 63 yards. Ohio State fell 14–3 in a game that offered little value and left everyone feeling as if the night could not have ended soon enough.
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2024: The 89th Classic — Ohio State vs. Texas
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) sacks Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) forcing a fumble during the second half of the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 10, 2025. Sawyer returned the fumble for a touchdown, and Ohio State won 28-14.
This matchup became one of Ohio State’s most memorable games of the decade and ultimately sent the Buckeyes to the national championship. Jeremiah Smith was bottled up by an excellent Texas defense and finished with just one catch for three yards, leaving Carnell Tate and Emeka Egbuka to handle most of the receiving work. Tate posted seven catches for 87 yards, and Egbuka added five for 51. The most impactful receiving play, though, came from running back TreVeyon Henderson.
With under thirty seconds remaining in the first half, Henderson caught a screen pass from Will Howard and raced 75 yards for a touchdown that put Ohio State up 14–7. Quinshon Judkins added two rushing touchdowns, but the defining moment came from the defense and Jack Sawyer.
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Texas, down seven with just over two minutes left, drove to the Ohio State one-yard line. The Buckeyes stuffed Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner for a seven-yard loss, pushing the Longhorns back to the eight. On fourth and goal, former OSU quarterback Quinn Ewers was sacked by Jack Sawyer for a nine-yard loss, fumbled, and Sawyer scooped it up and ran it back 83 yards to seal the game.Ohio State won 28–14 and went on to beat Notre Dame for the national championship.
Ohio State has built a strong track record in the Cotton Bowl, and whether the Buckeyes face Miami or Texas A&M, it should be ready for whatever comes its way. Winning the Big Ten Championship and securing the one seed would have been nice, but facing adversity before the CFP may end up being exactly what Ryan Day and the 2025 Buckeyes needed.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football in the Cotton Bowl: A look through the years
