College football experts, talking heads, reporters predictions for Ohio State vs. Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas — Ohio State is set to face Texas in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff on Friday evening (7:30 p.m., ABC) inside AT&T Stadium.

The Buckeyes are coming off an overpowering 41-21 win over Oregon in the quarterfinal round of the bracket after beating Tennessee in the first round, while the Longhorns have beaten Clemson at home and Arizona State in an overtime thriller at the Peach Bowl to get here.

The winner will move on to face the winner of the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame or Penn State, in the national title game on Jan. 20. The Orange Bowl semifinal will be played Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.

Experts and talking heads are torn on who will win in Arlington on Friday. Lettermen Row has a full breakdown of every prediction we’ve seen from around the college football world and put them into one big list of picks.

On3 predictions for Ohio State vs. Texas

On3 national college football reporter Andy Staples: Ohio State

On3 national college football reporter Ari Wasserman: Buckeyes

On3 national college football analyst JD PicKell: Ohio State

Other predictions from around college football

The Sporting News’ Bill Bender: Ohio State 31, Texas 21

The Solid Verbal podcast co-host Ty Hildenbrandt: Ohio State

The Solid Verbal podcast co-host Dan Rubenstein: leaning Ohio State

CBS Sports’ college football analyst Josh Pate: Ohio State to win

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Shehan Jeyarajah: Buckeyes (has Buckeyes winning the national championship)

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Richard Johnson: Buckeyes

Split Zone Duo podcast co-host Alex Kirshner: Buckeyes

CBS Sports’ national college football analyst Danny Kanell: Texas +6.5

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Tom Fornelli: Buckeyes (blowout)

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Chip Patterson: Ohio State

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Dennis Dodd: Buckeyes 38-28 (has Buckeyes winning the national championship)

ESPN FPI: Texas has 50.6% win probability

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy: Ohio State

Analysis from McElroy: “I think this game could go down to the wire, but I’m taking Ohio State. However, I don’t think Ohio State runs them out of the gym. I think this one comes down to the wire, and if you’re thinking about it from that perspective, probably take the points. I think Texas is being a little undervalued. Everybody seems to think Ohio State is going to run away with this, but I think it’ll be a tight one there in Dallas.”

ESPN college football reporter Pete Thamel: Buckeyes 31, Texas 17

Analysis from Thamel: “We both stood on the field and watched those two games, so it’s going to be hard to go against the eyeball biases. I don’t want to pick for you. But, yeah, I think Ohio State wins this game 31-17. I don’t want to say it’s going to be a blowout. I think it will be a good game. I just think, the way they are executing right now, their Indiana-level execution in their buy-games early in the year against elite competition. So, even if they slip like 20%, they’re probably still going to be better.”

ESPN host Rece Davis: Buckeyes 35, Longhorns 28

Analysis from Davis: “I’m going to say I’m picking Ohio State also, but I think Texas will have a little more success on offense than you do. I think I’m going to say that Ohio State wins the game 35-28. I think that Texas will move the ball. Might be a late try to get back in the game touchdown to cut it to seven, but that’s where I’ll go.”

The Athletic’s Chris Vannini: Buckeyes

The Athletic’s David Ubben: Texas +6.5

FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt: Buckeyes 34, Texas 21

Analysis from Klatt: “Even though this game is in Dallas, I don’t see this Ohio State team taking their foot off the gas. If we’re being really honest, the back half of the year, Texas has not quite looked like their full self, and it’s going to take their full self. They’re going to have to win the first quarter to keep the crowd engaged in Dallas and not allow the Buckeyes to just run off and hide. They have to run the football. There’s a lot of things. The dominoes that have to fall over for Texas are, to me, just too many. Whereas Ohio State, they’ve got a lot of paths to victory here. Steve Sarkisian is right, Ohio State is playing the best football of anybody in the country. They’ve got a great roster. And if they play like that at all, they should win this game.”