Ohio State Buckeyes Must Avoid Massive Trap Against Texas

The Ohio State Buckeyes must avoid this massive trap against the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day leads warm ups prior to the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes may be the biggest enigma in college football this season.

They have had moments where they have looked entirely unbeatable, like when they eviscerated the Oregon Ducks by a score of 42-21 in the Rose Bowl.

But they have also had head-scratching stints that made you wonder if they were really as talented as advertised, like when they managed just 10 points in a three-point loss to the Michigan Wolverines—in Columbus, mind you—in their regular-season finale.

The Buckeyes certainly seemed to have flipped a switch in the College Football Playoff. They hammered the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round before shocking top-ranked Oregon.

Now, they will have to face the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl with a spot in the National Championship Game on the line.

So, are we to believe that the same Ohio State squad that showed up in Pasadena on New Year's Day will also be present in Dallas this Friday? Or will the Buckeyes' demons from their late November loss to Michigan once again rear their ugly heads?

Remember: it wasn't long ago that Ohio State was being criticized for lacking an identity. And to be perfectly honest, it still may not have a distinct one outside of being immensely talented.

The problem is that Texas could present some of the same issues as Michigan: a tough, physical team with a great defense that wants to muck the game up.

Are the Buckeyes prepared for such a slugfest? Or will they once again struggle to generate any sort of consistent offensive push?

You would like to think it's the former, especially based on the way Ohio State has looked over its first two playoff games. The Buckeyes look like a team on a mission, and they are, without question, the most talented team remaining in the CFP. By far, too.

But you can't help but feel there is a chance that Ohio State gets a bit too comfortable here, particularly after blitzing Oregon in the fashion that it did last week.

The Ducks were viewed by many as the best team in the nation. Heck, they handed the Buckeyes one of their only two losses this year. And Ohio State just ran through them.

The general consensus has long been that Oregon would represent the Buckeyes' most prominent hurdle in their quest for a national title. Now that Ohio State has conquered that mountain, is there a possibility that the Buckeyes may be feeling a bit too good about themselves?

Most likely, Ohio State won't be taking Texas lightly. The Longhorns are pretty loaded, too, and Quinn Ewers may have a bit of a chip on his shoulder against his former Buckeyes squad.

Chances are, Ryan Day will have the Buckeyes ready to play. He knows what is at stake here.

You just have to hope that the other Buckeyes—the ones who make you double take to ensure you are actually watching an Ohio State game—don't show up at the Cotton Bowl.