One of the biggest games of the college football season is now in question due to a winter storm about to descend on the Dallas area, as Texas and Ohio brace for any changes.
The Dallas Metroplex is expected to receive several inches of snow starting Thursday, while the Cotton Bowl is currently scheduled to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Friday at 6:30 PM local time.
The game also serves as a College Football Playoff semifinal in the first year of the 12-team playoff. And while AT&T Stadium is an indoor venue, the roads surrounding Jerry World may be unsafe to travel on.
“We continue to monitor weather reports and according to the National Weather Service, forecasts for later this week have improved over the past 24 hours,” said a statement from Cotton Bowl representatives.
“We have had regular meetings with city officials, the director of transportation for North Texas and the College Football Playoff. If the forecasts change, we are prepared for unforeseen circumstances.’
“North Texas highways are already flooded and plans are in place to ensure a safe environment for everyone in and around AT&T Stadium on game day.”
The Cotton Bowl between Texas and Ohio State is still scheduled for Friday evening
The Dallas area is bracing for a winter storm that could end with several inches of snow
The match is likely to be attended by about 80,000 people, which will create quite a traffic jam for the crowds after the winter storm, even if the roads are cleared and well treated.
The entire state of Texas has been experiencing winter storms for decades, with Dallas being one of the largest hubs in the Lone Star State.
The 2021 power crisis underscores the challenges facing the Buckeyes and Longhorns in the city, where 4.3 million Texans were without power for days, while millions more were without drinking water because of frozen pipes.
That’s the same winter storm that saw U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz flee his home state for Mexico and stay in a luxury hotel, leaving the family dog at home in the cold.
After being universally panned for his departure and receiving many calls to resign, Cruz returned to the United States to help with recovery efforts.
Ensuring that a sporting event goes ahead as planned would not take precedence over Texas’ recovery efforts to care for its own residents.
There is some wiggle room for the match to take place, as the national championship does not take place until January 20.