The Brief Thousands of fans are expected to attend the Cotton Bowl in Arlington on Friday night. Fans from across the country battled flight delays and trouble spots on the roads to make it to North Texas.

Football fans from across the country made their way to Arlington on Friday for the Cotton Bowl showdown between the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes.

Earlier this week, Cotton Bowl officials contemplated rescheduling the college football playoff semifinal match-up due to the forecasted snow and ice.

The city of Arlington pretreated roads in the Entertainment District for days. Late Tuesday night, Cotton Bowl officials made the call that the game would go on.

However, traveling fans still had to adjust.

For some, it wasn’t easy, with Thursday’s winter storm delaying and canceling flights.

Longhorn, Buckeye fans make frustrating trip to Arlington

The backstory:

Tens of thousands of fans attended the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Friday night, despite the snow, flight cancelations and delays.

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More than 1,800 flights in and out of DFW and Dallas Love Field airports were canceled on Thursday and hundreds more were canceled on Friday.

Even though the snow stopped falling on Friday morning, there were still several slick spots on North Texas roads on Friday morning.

What they’re saying:

Ohio State fans Mark Lowary and his son Braidan managed to make it to North Texas Friday morning after their plane was de-iced in El Paso and cleared for takeoff.

“We started in California, it was a direct flight to Dallas and about 20 minutes out of Dallas they told us we weren’t going to be able to land and got diverted to El Paso. Spent the night in El Paso,” said Mark Lowary.

“I feel like we should’ve never left Ontario, California if they knew there was a chance Dallas would be a nightmare yesterday, but whatever, we’re here, so I’m happy about that.,” said Braidan Lowary.

Texas fan Steven Holloway drove up from the Austin area on Friday morning to pick up his son who is flying in from New York City.

“He was about 15 minutes late out of LaGuardia this morning and about 15 minutes late getting here, but we’re fine, we’re good,” Holloway said with a smile.

The Leonard family from Cincinnati were on one of the few flights from Ohio to make it to DFW Thursday.

“Travel was rough getting here. They were hesitant on us being able to get here,” said OSU fan Brooke Leonard. “We had a couple delays,but we made it here.”

Others decided to tough it out on the roads.

The Riley family, Buckeye fans from Oklahoma City, got into North Texas late Thursday night, despite the snowy conditions.

“When we bought our tickets originally, it was supposed to be 49 and sunny and then that changed quickly, but we weren’t going to miss it either way,” said Erica Riley.

“We would slip and slide every now and then, but once we put it in 4-wheel drive it wasn’t too bad,” said Chase Riley.

READ MORE: Cotton Bowl 2025: Texas-Ohio State predictions, how to watch, matchups

Ohio State fan Robyn McGuffee drove in from Louisiana on Thursday. When she reached Terrell, the roads started to get bad, so she called her husband who brought her, and her car, the rest of the way.

“Luckily my husband is a tow truck driver, and he was here, and he loaded my car on the back of his tow truck and drove me in,” said McGuffee. “It comes in handy.”

Both teams tackled a rare North Texas winter weather event, hoping to see their team punch their ticket to the championship game.

Arlington, TX Weather – Cotton Bowl Forecast

Despite a winter storm in North Texas, organizers opted against moving the game.

The city of Arlington and the Texas Department of Transportation said the roads surrounding AT&T Stadium are safe to drive on.

A TxDOT spokesperson said its crews have been out 24/7 treating the roads. Additional crews from across the state have also been mobilized to North Texas to help with Cotton Bowl operations.

Texas vs Ohio State: How to watch, stream

Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

Where: AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas

Date: Friday, Jan. 10

Time: 6:30 p.m. (CT)

TV: ESPN

Streaming: ESPN, DirecTV, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV (with subscription)

The Source: Information in this article comes from interviews with fans who traveled to North Texas for the Cotton Bowl, the College Football Playoff, the FOX 4 Weather team and past FOX 4 coverage.

When fans finally settle into their seats Friday night around 6:30 p.m. in Arlington for the start of the Cotton Bowl Classic, they’ll do so amid an icy backdrop — a cold snap that brought snow, sleet, freezing temperatures and school closures to North Texas in recent days.

The University of Texas Longhorns take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff semifinal at AT&T Stadium with hopes of getting one step closer to a national championship.

While some people raised concerns about the weather and how that might affect the game, there never seems to have been a real threat to cancel or reschedule, especially as forecasts improved. And there were a lot of scheduling ramifications to take into account if things did shift around — especially with television. If the game was canceled or moved to another date over the weekend, it could have competed with the NFL playoffs.

In the end, the Cotton Bowl, AT&T Stadium and local emergency management officials all gave assurances plans were in place to make travel to and from the venue as safe as possible.

Gov. Greg Abbott, prompted by a reporter’s question, even reiterated that confidence at a press conference Wednesday.

“I’ve had conversations with multiple people about it, including in the briefing that we just had before coming into here, knowing that you would ask the question about Texas football,” Abbott said. “There should be no hindrance to people being able to attend the game.”

Abbott added potential snow and ice on the roads could pose a problem, but urged travellers to use caution.

“If you’re very cautious and slow and methodical in your driving, everything’s going to be just fine,” Abbott said.

The assurance came just a day before Dallas officials announced Thursday the city faced an uptick in crashes on the slick roads.

Meanwhile, both teams arrived in the area Wednesday without incident. As expected, though, fans attempting to fly into the region on Thursday or Friday may have experienced more trouble: Nearly half of all flights in and out of the DFW International and Dallas Love Field airports on Thursday were canceled due to the weather.

Penelope Rivera / KERA Ohio State Buckeyes fans tailgate outside AT&T Stadium ahead of the Cotton Bowl Classic on Jan. 10, 2025. Fans of the Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns were up bright and early to root on their favorite teams despite the icy weather.

Fans who could make it showed up bright and early Friday ready to watch their team and tailgate in the AT&T Stadium parking lot.

Dallas resident Eddie Ford said, as a fifth-generation alumnus from UT-Austin, Longhorn football games are a big tradition for him and his father over more than 25 years. The cold couldn’t keep him away.

“True fans are out here, and they want to see the University of Texas dominate just like we do,” Ford said.

For some Buckeyes fans who traveled from Ohio, the weather was no big deal.

“We’re from Ohio, we got the cold blood,” said 68-year-old Chris Caston. “I left five-degree weather and 2 feet of snow to come here, so this is a breath of fresh air.”

Increased security

On top of weather concerns, the game also comes in the wake of the New Year’s Day New Orleans attack that left 15 people dead — including the killer — and dozens more injured. The shocking act of violence came just days before the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans, prompting the game to be rescheduled with tightened security.

More than 500 miles away in Arlington, the attack prompted discussions among organizers and law enforcement about security for AT&T Stadium during Friday’s game.

Arlington police said the department has not been made aware of any credible security threats for the game at this point, but there will be increased police presence, primarily in and around the parking lots.

Julio Cortez / AP Snow is accumulated on a parking lot near AT&T Stadium a day prior to the Cotton Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game between Ohio State and Texas, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Arlington.

Braving the cold

By the time Friday’s game kicks off, temperatures in the area are predicted to hover around 35 degrees.

Of course, AT&T Stadium is no stranger to cold weather. Famously, during the week leading up to Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, some people were injured by snow and ice falling from the stadium caused by an ice storm.

The Cowboys have since installed a ridge-like ice guard on the stadium roof to prevent similar problems. The guard is designed to stop or slow the slide of ice and snow, and to break up larger chunks. The team also installed a system that pumps warmer water onto the roof to prevent buildup of ice and snow.

Still, time will tell what kind of issues the weather may present this time around.

As for whether the cold will chill the event atmosphere? Well, college football fans are pretty passionate, and there’s still going to be a massive number of people who find their way to the game rain, sleet or shine — especially Longhorns fans. That includes scores of alumni not just from close travel distance in Austin, but right here in North Texas.

Rachel Osier Lindley / The Texas Newsroom A snowman in Dallas on Jan. 10, 2025. The Texas Longhorns were scheduled to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Cotton Bowl Classic amid a winter storm.

The matchup — and local ties

As for the game, there’s a lot for North Texas fans to keep an eye on, but particularly the local flair: 31 alumni from North Texas-area high schools are part of the Texas roster for the game and several are right at the heart of their success.

Star quarterback Quinn Ewers graduated from Southlake Carroll, running back Tre Wisner hails from DeSoto and linebacker Anthony Hale Jr. — the team’s leading tackler — graduated from Denton Ryan. That’s not to mention true freshman defensive end Colin Simmons from Duncanville, who leads the team in sacks.

Texas has never been past this round of the playoffs since the four-team era started back in 2014. It finally made its first appearance in the playoff last year before losing to Washington in the semifinal round. And now that Texas is back to the same point in the first 12-team arrangement, the question is whether it can find a way to break through for its first national championship game appearance since losing to Alabama in 2009.

And if the Longhorns are able to pull that off, they’ll earn their crack at a first title since Vince Young’s iconic “fourth-and-five” touchdown run sealed the 2005 national championship win over USC.

The Cotton Bowl Classic kicks off Friday night at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN live from AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Snow and ice have been on the minds of Texas fans hoping to attend the College Football Playoff semifinal game in Arlington against Ohio State.

AT&T Stadium, where the Cotton Bowl will be played Friday, has seen temperatures hovering slightly before freezing leading up to the game.

Though the opponents from the north for Texas football are used to the cold, the Longhorns and the state of Texas rarely see this kind of winter weather.

Cotton Bowl officials have not considered postponing the game as of Wednesday. However, there will be some snow and sleet in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Thursday, Tom Bradshaw, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth said Wednesday. That could create hazardous conditions for those planning to drive about three hours (in normal conditions) north from Austin to Arlington.

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Snow gathered in different part of the metro, according to various social media posts, and about half the flights at Dallas-area airports were canceled at one point the day.

Here’s what to know about the weather for the upcoming CFP semifinal between Texas and Ohio State:

What weather is expected near Arlington between now and kickoff?

“We have a pretty substantial storm system that’s moving through the area we’re going to we’re going to have a mixed bag of precipitation, winter precipitation, starting around daybreak tomorrow … probably least through midnight here at the (Dallas-Fort Worth) Metroplex,” Bradshaw explained Wednesday.

The NWS is expecting at least 1-2 inches of snow and sleet that will lead to hazardous driving conditions from Thursday evening until at least Friday morning.

When is the ideal time to travel to the Texas-Ohio State game?

Bradshaw says those who planned on driving Thursday night from Austin to Arlington should reconsider and postpone their trip to at least late Friday morning or the early afternoon. Though Central Texas would be mostly safe Thursday, Bradshaw has concerns once drivers reach Temple and Waco, where cooler temperatures may cause hazardous driving conditions.

The temperature should rise Friday, leading to safer roads.

“As we get through the afternoon hours on Friday … we do climb into the upper 30s here in the Arlington, Metroplex area,” Bradshaw said. So we’ll see pretty good improvement around the Cotton Bowl by mid-afternoon.”

For those who need to travel to D-FW Thursday

Bradshaw strongly recommends not driving on Thursday. However, those who do need to drive up should be extra careful on the roads.

“Really be willing to slow down. Everyone loves to drive fast, but you really got to slow down and put a lot of space between yourself and the cars around you,” Bradshaw said. “Try not to tailgate, because that’s just a recipe for disaster.”

Dallas-Fort Worth weather forecast

According to the National Weather Service, Arlington’s high will be 40 degrees the day of the game with temperatures reaching a low of 30 degrees .

If you can’t postpone your trip and must travel to the area Thursday, the high is projected to be 34 with a 100% chance of precipitation.

Waco weather forecast

With the game just 198 miles north of Austin, it’s likely that dozens if not hundreds of Texas fans will make the trip north. So what will that drive look like?

Not great. On Thursday, the high will be 35 degrees with the low reaching 31 degrees . The forecast predicts a 100% chance of precipitation.

“Anywhere north of Waco, you’re probably below-freezing by that point. You’re, probably going to look at some slick conditions from probably generally the Waco area on up into the Metroplex itself,” Bradshaw said.

Fans driving home Friday night can expect a low of 26 degrees Fahrenheit in Waco. Those who are looking to come back to Austin right after the game may want to reconsider, as Bradshaw says any leftover precipitation from earlier in the day could refreeze that night.

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ROLLERCOASTER TEMPERATURES AHEAD Temperatures on Saturday climbed into the mid-50s allowing for lots of melting.

Warming centers are open across North Texas.

Watch the latest forecast here. Download our app to stay on top of changes in the forecast.

A reinforcing cold front on Sunday.

Below freezing temperatures return, next week.

Due to a breezy southerly wind, Sunday morning lows will remain above freezing. A cold front will sweep across the area by Sunday afternoon allowing highs into the upper-40s to lower-50s.

After this dry frontal passage, overnight lows will fall below the freezing mark. Daily afternoon highs will slowly rise to seasonable levels (mid to upper-50s) by midweek.

Latest Forecast:

INTO THE MORNING: Mostly clear and cold. Low: 35. Wind: S 10-15 mph.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny and cool. High: 50. Wind: NW 10-15 mph with higher gusts.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny and cool. Low: 30. High: 47. Wind: N 5-10 mph.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny and cool. Low: 29. High: 52. Wind: SW 5-10 mph.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny and seasonable. Low: 33. High: 56. Wind: NW 5-10 mph.

THURSDAY: Partly sunny and seasonable. Low: 34. High: 58. Wind: SW 5-10 mph.

FRIDAY: Mixed sun and clouds, milder. Low: 41. High: 67. Wind: SSW 10-15 mph.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy and cooler. Low: 41. High: 55. Wind: NW 10-15 mph.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy and chilly with a 20% chance of rain or snow. Low: 32. High: 43. Wind: N 10-15 mph.

MONDAY (MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY): Partly to mostly cloudy and cold. Low: 27. High: 37. Wind: N 10-15 mph.

TUESDAY: Partly cloudy and cold. Low: 24. High: 39. Wind: NE 5-10 mph.

COLD WEATHER PREPARATION

Winterizing Your Home

Before the cold, replace worn weatherstripping on doors and windows to ensure a good seal. This will make sure warm air stays inside and cold air stays outside. Most modern windows are sealed inside the frame, but older windows may be sealed with a glaze that can crack and need replacing. The glaze may need to be applied above a certain temperature and it’ll need time to cure — this maintenance is ideally done in the spring or fall. Lastly, check your gutters to ensure they are clear and allow water to flow freely to the downspout. Blocked gutters can lead to water entering the home. The Texas Department of Insurance also recommends trimming trees away from power lines, homes, and cars and checking the insulation level in attics.

Protecting Your Pipes

Most North Texans know to insulate their outdoor faucets, but if the cold snap is prolonged it could be a good idea to also leave inside faucets on external walls dripping overnight so that they don’t freeze. The drip, drip, drip from running faucets, if heard, can be annoying, so put a sponge or towel in the sink to silently catch each drop. If you’re leaving town for a few days, the Texas Department of Insurance recommends leaving cabinet doors open so that pipes on external walls are more exposed to heat. If you have pipes in an attic or crawlspace or any other exposed pipes outdoors, they’ll need insulation, too. For external faucets, disconnect hoses and insulate the valves. Wrapping valves with towels is not the best long-term solution. Most, if not all, North Texas hardware stores sell inexpensive exterior faucet covers made of foam that easily attach to the faucet bib in just a few seconds and do a great job protecting the pipe from freezing. If you suspect a pipe has frozen, keep the faucet open so that water can flow when it melts. Additionally, make sure you know where your main water valve is located (and how to turn it off) in the event a pipe bursts.

Bring in Your Pets

Even if you have a pet or animal that normally lives or sleeps outdoors, they could be susceptible to cold, hypothermia, and pneumonia. The SPCA of Texas says if you’re cold outside, odds are your pet is cold too. Bring pets inside and make sure other outdoor animals have appropriate shelter, dry and well insulated, to protect them from frigid temperatures and possible death.

Protecting Your Plants

Perennial potted plants should be brought indoors. Plants that cannot be brought inside will need to be covered. Delicate plants can be covered with sheets, blankets, or landscaping frost blankets, which can trap heat. During times of extreme cold, multiple frost blankets may be used. For plants left outside a day or two before a freeze hits, the Dallas Arboretum recommends watering the soil only by hand, keeping the foliage dry to insulate the plant’s roots. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has more here on how to protect plants from frosts and freezes. AgriLife also has tips on how to plant for the winter.

Dallas Arboretum Dallas Arboretum

Turn Off Your Sprinkler System

You want to turn off your irrigation system for several reasons. One is that you don’t want it running on its normal schedule, potentially throwing water on streets where it can freeze and be dangerous for passing cars. Second, you don’t want to risk any broken pipes or valves that may come with a system that has not been winterized. To winterize your system, the city of Fort Worth recommends that timers and back-flow devices both be turned off, even if you have freeze or rain sensors installed and that the main line be drained. Any pipes that are above the ground should also be insulated.

HVAC

Many air filters should be changed or cleaned every three months or every season. But that’s not the only winterizing needed for your HVAC system. You should check your ductwork regularly for holes (whether from vibration or rodents) to ensure the airflow is uninterrupted. If part of your HVAC is in the attic, it may also be home to rats, mice, and squirrels who find the unit’s warmth an ideal spot to build a nest.

Swimming Pools

Even if you have a freeze protector among your pool equipment, you’ll want to look at the pump daily to ensure it’s moving water through your pipes. Those pipes, too, can burst if they freeze.

Batteries

Having fresh batteries for flashlights during a power outage is always a good idea. If you didn’t replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors during daylight saving time — now is a good time to make the switch. It’s also a good idea to ensure your phone is charged so that you’ll have access to timely information in the event of a power loss. Having a backup battery or power source to recharge your phone is also a good idea.

The Texas and Ohio State football teams arrived in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex Wednesday to continue preparations for the Cotton Bowl seven days after a tragedy in New Orleans shook the country and less than 24 hours before snow and sleet began to fall in the area.

The city of Arlington will respond with beefed up security measures and a plan to cope with the wintry weather, city officials said.

No. 5-seeded Texas and No. 8-seeded Ohio State are scheduled to square off at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium on Friday (6:30 p.m. CST; ESPN) with a spot in the College Football Playoff championship game on the line. Representatives from the Cotton Bowl Classic said earlier this week the game will kick off as planned despite inclement weather in North Texas, a region that often struggles to deal with snowy or icy conditions.

“We have been meeting routinely with city officials, the director of transportation for North Texas and the College Football Playoff,” the Cotton Bowl Classic said in a social media statement Tuesday. “Should the forecast shift, we are prepared for all contingencies. North Texas highways are already being brined and plans are in place to assure a safe environment for everyone in and around AT&T Stadium on game day.”

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather warning for North Texas from Thursday morning through noon Friday and forecasted an accumulation of snow and sleet to reach between 2 and 4 inches.

City of Arlington communications manager Susan Schrock said she’s not aware that rescheduling the Cotton Bowl because of weather “is even on the table right now.”

Safety measures in the city stretch beyond salting roads. The Arlington Police Department plans to have an increased presence around AT&T Stadium on Friday night as a precaution in the wake of a New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans’ entertainment district that killed 14 people.

“For the Cotton Bowl Classic on Friday, we will be bringing in some additional police resources and shifting other resources to help us boost safety for pedestrians,” Tim Ciesco, a media representative for the Arlington Police Department, wrote in an email. “We can say that fans should expect to see a more visible police presence when they are moving from the parking lots to the stadium.”

Ciesco wrote that the Police Department met with AT&T Stadium and Cotton Bowl officials to address security concerns after the New Orleans attack, but Arlington PD is not aware of any threats made to the city.

As for the weather preparations, Schrock said public works team members began switching to 12-hour shifts Wednesday to help prepare the city for an influx of about 75,000 visitors.

“They’ll be working through Friday or as long as there is snow and ice on the ground to keep the streets clear,” Schrock said. “They are going to be monitoring road conditions closely, and they’re going to have sand, salt, brine, snow plows and other equipment on standby Friday before and during the game to help keep the streets and parking lots clear as possible.”

The public works employees are paying attention to the eight bridges in the area around the stadium, regularly treating the streets and sidewalks on the bridges with salt brine meant to prevent freezing, according to Schrock.

Arlington’s entertainment district regularly welcomes major events, even beyond regularly scheduled Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys games throughout each year. AT&T Stadium hosted a widely-viewed boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul in November, and the venue also has served as home to a Super Bowl, NBA All-Star game and other marquee events.

The MLB All-Star Game took place in the Rangers’ Globe Life Field, located next to AT&T Stadium, in July. And next year, AT&T Stadium is scheduled to host FIFA World Cup matches.

Schrock said despite the weather and heightened focus on security, the annual return of the Cotton Bowl does not feel strange for city employees.

“It’s kind of business as usual for our public works crew,” Schrock said. “But we do want fans coming out to the Cotton Bowl Classic to have a safe, enjoyable experience. So, obviously, we’re working with event organizers to address those streets and kind of combat any icy conditions that may appear.”