TSB Staff Picks: Ohio State and Texas matchup in the Cotton Bowl CFP Semifinal with two of the most talented rosters in College Football.

Dave: 28-27 Longhorns

Blake: These are two of the best rosters in the sport coached by the top offensive minds College Football has to offer. Ohio State has been the most dominant team in the CFP, but many are questioning how long it can be sustained. Will Texas find its next gear in a de facto home game? There are storylines aplenty as Quinn Ewers takes on his former team for a chance to go to the National Championship against Notre Dame.

The Longhorns have an elite passing defense, and I expect a variation of bracket coverage on Jeremiah Smith, opening opportunities for Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate on the perimeter. TE Gee Scott and RB TreVeyon Henderson should also find space in the passing game, while Quinshon Judkins gets the bulk of the carries. Ohio State’s offensive line has to continue playing well to neutralize Texas’s vaunted front seven. The Buckeyes will do enough offensively and the Silver Bullets come up big in key spots. Ohio State 27 Texas 21

Dan: Texas contains Jeremiah Smith, but Carnell Tate and TreVeyon Henderson step up, and Texas is focused on the dynamic freshman. The Buckeyes win 28-27 in a tight one.

Cass: One more to the National Championship. Two of the most historic programs in the country. Texas Quinn Ewers takes on the team that made him a college athlete. The way Ryan Day has his team playing I fully expect the same team to show up. I think Texas will key in on Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka which will free up Carnell Tate and Gee Scott Jr in the throw game. I think TreyVeon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins will get going. Defensively Ohio State will bring the pressure on Quinn Ewers and force him to turn the ball over. The Buckeyes will move on to the National Championship with a 34-24 victory.

Carson H: Jeremiah Smith and TreVeyon Henderson have been unstoppable lately, and the Oregon secondary couldn’t contain Smith. Jim Thorpe Award winner Jahdae Barron won’t be able to hold him in check for the entire game. I expect Smith and Egbuka to get theirs like they do every game.

I’m also expecting bigger games from Quinshon Judkins and Carnell Tate after quiet games in the Rose Bowl. The defense will force Ewers to throw another pick or two as he has been prone to do. The Buckeyes have been very clean with the ball and if they win the turnover battle and line of scrimmage, they will easily cover again. Both of my playoff predictions have been right with the Buckeyes winning by a good margin, and I expect another win in this one. The team from Columbus will put the horns down, and the Buckeyes will move on to Atlanta. Ohio State 31 Texas 20

AJ: Ohio State 34 Texas 24