The Cotton Bowl is likely the most talented underclassman matchup in College Football Playoff history

While the identity of last year’s Texas Longhorns team revolved around bountiful snaps from the team’s best veterans, the 2024 Horns have won by utilizing youth in places its needed most.

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While the two teams had a similar number of key contributors in their first two years of school, it’s hard to argue that this year’s group of youngsters isn’t one of the most impactful in recent memory for the Longhorns. Instead of Jaylan Ford and Ryan Watts captaining the defense and logging meaningful snaps in championship games, the Longhorns rely on true sophomores like Malik Muhammad, Anthony Hill, Liona Lefau and Jelani McDonald to spearhead an explosive defense, one that has been arguably the best in the nation throughout the team’s first 15 games.

As Texas’ group of 10 key underclassmen contributors approach the biggest games in their young football careers, Ohio State’s identity has also called on some of its greenest players to make the biggest plays over the course of the season.

Yes, Ohio State paid up to return key seniors like Lathan Ransom and Jack Sawyer, but the Buckeyes would not be the most feared team in the nation without the play from positions that might’ve entered the year as a question mark. Texas won’t have to deal with Marvin Harrison Jr. on Friday, but Jeremiah Smith may be an even bigger problem at 18 years old than Harrison was at 21.

Smith has possessed all of the well-deserved headlines revolving around this Ohio State team during the Playoff but he’s not the only underclassman that have blossomed as stars in Columbus. Smith may be the best freshman in the nation this year, but former Alabama breakout safety Caleb Downs held that crown a season ago. Still just in his second year in college, Downs leads the team in snaps and tackles and has revolutionized OSU into another top tier defense.

But one of the scariest parts of that OSU defense is how it utilizes a high flying, speedy playmakers in rotation. Similar to Texas using McDonald as a spark plug on the defense, OSU has a trio of relievers that can change the pace of play. Jermaine Matthews as the CB3, Arvell Reese as the third linebacker and Kayden McDonald as a rotational defensive tackle have all reached that 200-snap number and have beaten out juniors and seniors to become key contributors on the defense. These are names that will be called multiple times on Friday, and Texas will get no breaks even when future first-round picks are being subbed out.

This game will feature possibly the best matchup of underclassmen groups the College Football Playoff has ever seen. Just by a rough estimate, there are probably seven players who will be taken in the first round of a future NFL draft that will make an impact on Friday’s matchup who have yet to pass their third year in college. They can’t even drink yet, or take upper-division classes, but they may be the ones making the biggest plays of the game.

A few storylines do loom over certain matchups and comparisons. Not yet mentioned is the 2024 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year winner Colin Simmons, given to the best freshman in the entire nation. Texas’ young edge rusher has already collected nine sacks and three forced fumbles while playing in a four-man edge rotation, but his win shocked many CFB fans. Smith, who was arguably the best receiver in the nation this year, was the clear favorite to win the award, but it went to Texas instead. If there was ever a reason for this cyborg of a route runner and athlete to have a chip on his shoulder, it would be against Simmons.

Smith and sophomore Carnell Tate will also spend plenty of time lined up against Muhammad in this game, as well. Muhammad has caught a lot of flak for his performances in the last two playoff games, but his ability to make game-changing plays as early as the first game he played in burnt orange makes him a potential X-factor against the Buckeyes. On the other side of the ball, Texas will need to lean on sophomore running back Quintrevion Wisner if it wants to have any chance in this matchup, and true freshman Ryan Wingo is still looking for a true signature performance in his first year. Even with Isaiah Bond potentially playing, Wingo should be an important part of this offense.

There is definitely an argument to be made about this being one of the greatest accumulations of talent between two teams in a playoff semifinal, both as an entire team and for the youngest players on each side. The closest comparison that comes to mind is the 2021-22 national championship game, when Brock Bowers, Jalen Carter, Will Anderson, Bryce Young and even Adonai Mitchell lit up the stat sheet in all of their second seasons (apart from Mitchell, who was a freshman).

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It’s hard to beat three pro bowlers, a future No. 1 overall pick and multiple other first-rounder or impact NFL players, but the Cotton Bowl gives it a run for its money. Smith will be the first overall pick in 2027, unless that goes to Texas’ Arch Manning, and players like Downs, Hill and Wingo have the talent and tape to become future All-pro level NFL players. Even having this debate is enough to prove how talented these two teams are, and how bright both of their futures will be. But Steve Sarkisian and Ryan Day are focused on one thing as you’re reading this: securing a spot in the national championship game.