Ohio State and Texas enter CFP semifinal at Cotton Bowl seeking a chance to end title droughts

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — There is still a sense for some Ohio State players that they haven't done anything yet, even after winning twice already this postseason to get into the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against Texas.

"Absolutely. I have been here for four years, and I have absolutely no hardware to show for it," receiver Emeka Egbuka said. “That’s really on the forefront of our minds.”

While Ohio State (12-2) is the only school to appear in four of the last six CFPs — all since Ryan Day became head coach — and won four consecutive Big Ten titles from 2017-20 before Egbuka and most of the current players arrived, the Buckeyes' last national championship was 10 years ago. That was the first season of the four-team College Football Playoff, when they won the title at AT&T Stadium, the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys where they play the in-state Longhorns (13-2).

The winner Friday night advances to play Orange Bowl champion Notre Dame (14-1) for the national title in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

Ohio State is the No. 8 seed now favored to win the national title after two lopsided playoff wins: 42-17 at home against Tennessee before a dominating 41-21 win over undefeated Big Ten champion and top seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.

“We’re just fighting to get another opportunity to play with each other,” said linebacker and captain Cody Simon, one of nine Ohio State players still around from 2020. “That's our biggest motivator right now. ... We don't want to end this run right now."

Texas last won the national title 19 years ago, and didn't make its CFP debut until last season as the Big 12 champion. Coach Steve Sarkisian's fifth-seeded Longhorns are now the last team standing for the Southeastern Conference, the only league that has been represented in the semifinals each year — and that has six of the last nine national champions.

The 15 games for the Longhorns, who played in the SEC championship game before wins over Clemson and Big 12 champ Arizona State, are already one more than they had ever played in a single season.

"I like the new playoff dynamic. It’s fun,” Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers said.

“We’re obsessed with finishing up,” said Longhorns All-America senior cornerback Jahdae Barron. “But we’re obsessed with being enamored with us, and giving every day the respect that it deserves. And just being loving to one another and having a level bond with one another and continuing to build the culture.”

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard and Ewers both won Big 12 championships the last time they played at AT&T Stadium.

Texas was the Big 12 champ last season. Howard transferred to Ohio State from Kansas State, which two years ago beat CFP-bound and undefeated TCU in overtime for that league title.

Howard started three games against Texas while with the Wildcats. Those were all losses, as was a fourth game when he was on the sideline.

The best matchup of the game could be Barron vs. Buckeyes freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Barron won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back. But Barron gives up four inches and 15 pounds to Smith, the second-team All-American who may be the most electric freshman in the country. Smith has 70 receptions for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns. Smith has four touchdowns in these playoffs.

“He’s a big baller. Strong,” Barron said. “He’s a physical player, and I’ll have to be physical.”

In its two losses to Georgia this season, Texas struggled to protect Ewers and surrendered 13 sacks. Now the Longhorns face a Buckeyes defensive front that sacked Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel eight times in the Rose Bowl. Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau each had two sacks in that game. Sawyer was Ewers’ roommate when the Longhorns QB spent a semester in Columbus before transferring to Texas.

Texas is playing in its 23rd Cotton Bowl, the most for any team. But this is the Longhorns' first in 22 years. Ohio State is in its second Cotton Bowl in a row, and fourth overall, after losing 14-3 to Missouri last season.

While the winner plays for the national title, the loser goes into an offseason that will lead up to a rematch when the two teams meet in a 2025 season opener at Ohio State on Aug. 30.

Their only previous regular-season meetings were a home-and-home series in 2005 and 2006. The road team won both of those games and went on to play for the national championship — Vince Young and the Longhorns beat Southern California for the 2005 national title. Ohio State lost to Florida the following season.

AP Sports Writer Jim Vertuno contributed to this report.

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FILE - Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon (0) celebrates after his sack against Western Michigan during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)

FILE - Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) throws against Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

FILE - Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron (7) celebrates with teammate Barryn Sorrell (88) after making in interception against Arkansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods, File)

FILE - Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka, left, and running back Quinshon Judkins celebrate their touchdown against Iowa during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Overnight strikes by Israel killed at least 55 people across the Gaza Strip, hospital officials said Thursday, a day after senior government officials said Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and establish a new security corridor across the Palestinian territory.

Israel has vowed to escalate the nearly 18-month war with Hamas until the militant group returns dozens of remaining hostages, disarms and leaves the territory. Israel has imposed a month-long halt on all imports of food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle.

Officials in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the strip, said the bodies of 14 people had been taken to Nasser Hospital – nine of them from the same family. The dead included five children and four women. The bodies of another 19 people, including five children aged between 1 and 7 years and a pregnant woman, were taken to the European hospital near Khan Younis, hospital officials said. In Gaza City, 21 bodies were taken to Ahli hospital, including those of seven children.

The Israeli military ordered the residents of several areas -- Shujaiya, Jadida, Turkomen and eastern Zeytoun -- to evacuate on Thursday, adding that the army “will work with extreme force in your area.” It said people should move to shelters west of Gaza City.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel was establishing a new security corridor across the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas, suggesting it would cut off the southern city of Rafah, which Israel has ordered evacuated, from the rest of the Palestinian territory.

Netanyahu referred to the new axis as the Morag corridor, using the name of a Jewish settlement that once stood between Rafah and Khan Younis, suggesting it would run between the two southern cities. He said it would be “a second Philadelphi corridor ” referring to the Gaza side of the border with Egypt further south, which has been under Israeli control since last May.

Israel has reasserted control over the Netzarim corridor, also named for a former settlement, that cuts off the northern third of Gaza, including Gaza City, from the rest of the narrow coastal strip. Both of the existing corridors run from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea.

“We are cutting up the strip, and we are increasing the pressure step by step, so that they will give us our hostages,” Netanyahu said.

The Western-backed Palestinian Authority, led by rivals of Hamas, expressed its “complete rejection” of the planned corridor. Its statement also called for Hamas to give up power in Gaza, where the militant group has faced rare protests recently.

Netanyahu’s announcement came after the defense minister, Israel Katz, said Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and add them to its so-called security zones, apparently referring to an existing buffer zone along Gaza’s entire perimeter. He called on Gaza residents to “expel Hamas and return all the hostages,” saying “this is the only way to end the war.”

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli pullout. The group has rejected demands that it lay down its arms or leave the territory.

On Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel plans to maintain overall security control of Gaza after the war and implement U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to resettle much of its population elsewhere through what the Israeli leader referred to as “voluntary emigration.”

Palestinians have rejected the plan, viewing it as expulsion from their homeland after Israel’s offensive left much of it uninhabitable, and human rights experts say implementing the plan would likely violate international law.

The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements and other deals. Israel rescued eight living hostages and has recovered dozens of bodies.

Israel’s offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has left vast areas of Gaza in ruins and at its height displaced around 90% of the population.

Separately, Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southwestern Syria, Syrian state media reported Thursday.

SANA said the nine were civilians, without giving details. Britain-based war monitor The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they were local gunmen from the Daraa province, frustrated with Israeli military encroachment and attacks in recent months.

Israel has seized parts of southwestern Syria and created a buffer-zone there, which it says is to secure Israel’s safety from armed groups. But critics say the military operation has created tensions in Syria and prevents any long-term stability and reconstruction for the war-torn country.

Israel also struck five cities in Syria late Wednesday, including over a dozen strikes near a strategic airbase in the city of Hama.

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Palestinians inspect a UN building after it was hit by an Israeli strike, in Jabaliya, northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians inspect a UN building after it was hit by an Israeli strike, in Jabaliya, northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)