Luke Montgomery and Jermaine Mathews Jr. played their biggest roles of the season in Ohio State’s College Football Playoff semifinal win over Texas.
Montgomery made the first start of his Ohio State career against the Longhorns and played all 60 of OSU’s offensive snaps at left guard. After rotating in at left guard with Austin Siereveld in Ohio State’s first two CFP games, Montgomery became a full-time starter in the Cotton Bowl while Siereveld rotated in off the bench with Tegra Tshabola at right guard.
Mathews, meanwhile, played the entire second half at cornerback after Denzel Burke left the game late in the first half with what Ryan Day described as an “upper extremity” injury.