The Texas Longhorns are headed to the Cotton Bowl after a hard-fought victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Peach Bowl on Wednesday.
On January 10, they will face the Ohio State Buckeyes in Arlington, who are led by a familiar opponent—quarterback Will Howard. Howard, who played for Kansas State from 2020-2023, became the starting quarterback in 2023 and led the Wildcats to a 9-4 record. However, one of those losses was to Texas, and throughout his four seasons, Howard’s teams never managed to beat the Longhorns.
Now, he’s eager for one final opportunity to defeat his former Big 12 rival.
“There was one team I never beat in the Big 12, and that was Texas. I’m really looking forward to this game,” Howard said after the Rose Bowl on Big Ten Network. “I’ve played them four times and definitely have some feelings about them. The way we lost last year—overtime down there—has me excited for the chance to play them again. They’re a great team.”
The overtime game Howard refers to occurred in 2023 in Austin, where Texas, led by backup quarterback Maalik Murphy and star running back Jonathon Brooks, won 33-30. Howard passed for 327 yards, four touchdowns, and helped Kansas State come back from a 20-point deficit in the third quarter, forcing overtime. But after holding Texas to a field goal in the extra period, Kansas State couldn’t convert on offense and turned the ball over on downs, sealing the victory for Texas.
Now, Howard gets his shot at redemption, while also aiming to lead his new team to Atlanta for a shot at a national championship.
The game kicks off at 6:30 pm CT on January 10 in Arlington and will be broadcast on ESPN.
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