Quinn Ewers Faces Former Team Ohio State in College Football Playoff Semifinal

In a dramatic twist of fate, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers will face his former team, Ohio State, in the College Football Playoff semifinal on Friday. The matchup, set to take place at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, carries high stakes as both teams vie for a spot in the national championship game.

Ewers, once the nation’s top-ranked high school recruit, initially committed to Ohio State in 2021 but transferred to Texas after just one semester. Now, as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback, he is two wins away from a national title. Standing in his way is Ohio State, a team he once called home.

“I don’t regret any decision I’ve made on going or anything like that,” Ewers told reporters ahead of the game. He emphasized that his relationships with many at Ohio State remain strong, saying, “It would be like I was hanging out with them yesterday.”

Ewers’ journey highlights the transformative changes in college football, particularly the rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. In 2021, Ewers skipped his senior year of high school to enroll early at Ohio State, partly to capitalize on NIL opportunities. After a brief stint with the Buckeyes, he transferred to Texas, where he has since signed numerous lucrative endorsement deals.

“One of the main things was that there was that, I don’t know if you guys remember or not, but the Texas Legislature wasn’t going to allow high school football players to be paid,” Ewers explained. “We felt that it was a good decision for me to go on and forgo my senior year and enroll early at Ohio State.”

Ewers’ performance this season has been stellar, with over 3,000 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. His leadership has propelled Texas to the playoff, where they face an Ohio State team seeking its first national title since 2014. The Buckeyes, led by star defensive end Jack Sawyer—Ewers’ former roommate—are determined to stop their former teammate.

As the game approaches, speculation about Ewers’ future continues. Reports suggest he has been offered $6 million by an unnamed school to transfer again, though Ewers remains focused on the task at hand. “I’m just not worried about all that stuff,” he said. “People can say all they want to say. But I’m just focused on Friday at this point in time.”

With a national championship berth on the line, Ewers and the Longhorns will kick off against Ohio State at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday. The winner will advance to face either Penn State or Notre Dame in the title game on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.