Aight college football fans, we’re in for a barn burner. We are about to witness a change in the power hierarchy of college football dominance in the following days. You’ve got a $1.3 billion football dynasty that’s been steamrolling the competition all year at every stadium in every state. They’re about to upset the SEC team and settle the SEC-B1G debate once and for all, according to big-time college football analyst. On the other side of town, we got Steve Sarkisian’s Texas, the SEC’s lone survivor in a playoff that’s been nothing but an SEC nightmare who’s now gotta protect SEC heritage.

When Fox Sports analyst RJ Young dropped his take on this matchup, he didn’t hold back: “The only way Texas wins this is if Ohio State beats itself.” A little harsh? Maybe. But after what we’ve seen this season, he might be on to something. The Big Ten’s been the talk of the town this year. Ohio State is flexing dominance, and their journey to the semis has been nothing short of lethal. Tennessee? Torched 42-17. Oregon? Humbled 41-21 in the Rose Bowl. Penn State? Still alive in the other semifinal.

Meanwhile, the SEC has been fumbling the bag. Alabama lost to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl, 19-13. Georgia fell to Notre Dame in a shocking 23-10 upset. Tennessee? Well, we already mentioned that beatdown. And now, Texas stands as the last SEC team left to defend their conference’s legacy.

Ohio State isn’t just a team—it’s a juggernaut. With their depth chart stacked and their roster healthier than it’s been all year, the Buckeyes were low-key meant to put on a show. RJ Young laid it out: “When they clean it up, all of a sudden, they’re putting up 42 points a game and holding opponents to about 21.” They literally manhandled the No.1 ranked Oregon Ducks.

This season, the only 2 things standing in their way have been Michigan, that too Big 10 and themselves—botched clock management, missed holes, and some questionable coaching calls. But when they’re locked in, there’s not a team in the country that can hang with them.

Ohio State got the best total defense in the country with only allowing 10. points avg per game. That is a diabolically insane statistic. And Texas? Look, they’ve been solid, for sure, but they haven’t looked like the powerhouse the SEC needed them to be this season. Georgia beat the hell and L out of Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns twice this season.

Their double-OT win over Arizona State in the Peach Bowl was more survival than dominance. And now they’re up against a team that’s been dismantling opponents left and right. Let’s be honest—Texas is walking into a buzzsaw in their own backyard.

Big Ten’s Rise: Is the SEC losing its grip on college football?

This game ain’t just about Ohio State and Texas. It’s about a shift in power and prestige. The Big 10 is having a banner year. This season, they are going crazy, obliterating everybody, with 4 teams making noise in the playoffs—Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and even Indiana, who shocked everyone under Curt Cignetti in his 1st year as HC. Compare that to the SEC, where heavy-hitting powerhouse programs like Alabama and LSU didn’t even sniff the playoffs. Georgia, the No. 2 team, got manhandled by Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, a team that does not even have a conference.

RJ Young put it bluntly: “Texas doesn’t look like the team people thought they’d be at the start of the year. And Ohio State is about as healthy as it’s going to get.” Texas got too many gaps this season; their O-line lagged against Georgia; and it allowed over 12 sacks against Bulldogs in 2 of their matchups. Their run game is weak; they only put up 52 yards against ASU’s average run game. Ohio State finna eat them up. If Ohio State wins this game, it’s not just a win for the Buckeyes. It’s a win for the Big Ten’s growing dominance over the SEC.

When the dust settles in the Cotton Bowl, this matchup might just be the turning point college football’s been waiting for. Ohio State is more than ready to carry the Big Ten banner into the national championship, while Texas is fighting to keep the SEC from fading into the background. One game. Two conferences. And a whole lot of pride on the line.