Cotton Bowl Proceeding As Planned Despite Storm As Prices Plummet

The College Football Playoff is dealing with a major logistical issue for the second consecutive round.

Ohio State and Texas were set to arrive in Dallas on Wednesday ahead of an expected winter storm in the area that is impacting travel for many fans and media planning to attend Friday’s CFP semifinal matchup in the Cotton Bowl. 

Cotton Bowl organizers said they had been meeting with local officials and that North Texas highways were being brined to ensure a safe environment on game day. “Should the forecast shift, we are prepared for all contingencies,” a statement read.

The weather-related issue comes after the Notre Dame–Georgia quarterfinal game in the Sugar Bowl was delayed one day to Jan. 2 following the deadly attack in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day.

Ticket Prices Dropping

The Cotton Bowl was originally expected to be a hot ticket, given Ohio State’s big fan base and the venue’s proximity to Austin and many other Longhorns fans living throughout Texas. 

However, the Notre Dame–Penn State Orange Bowl on Thursday ended up with a higher get-in price on most major secondary ticketing platforms.

Standing room-only tickets at AT&T Stadium for the Cotton Bowl could be had for just over $100, as of Wednesday afternoon, while the cheapest seats at Hard Rock Stadium for the Orange Bowl were going for more than $200.

Even if the Cotton Bowl has some empty seats, though, it could still draw a larger crowd than the Orange Bowl. AT&T Stadium can fit more than 100,000 fans, while Hard Rock Stadium’s capacity is roughly 65,000.