Texas vs. Ohio State football: Revisiting 2005 game 20 years after ...

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Watch: Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers talks game day nerves, team culture, transfer rumors

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers spoke with the media on Wednesday afternoon ahead of Friday's Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semi-final.

Texas football's matchup with Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl on Friday actually marks an anniversary for the two blue-blood programs.

The College Football Playoff matchup on Friday is the first game between the powerhouses in 20 years – since the teams faced for the first time in 2005 – in a game between two of the nation's best teams that season. The game was the first of a home-and-home series that placed the Longhorns and Buckeyes against each other for the first time.

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Of course, the Longhorns went on to win the national championship after Vince Young's game-winning touchdown scramble over USC at the Rose Bowl.

Friday's game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for a spot in the national championship game should provide plenty of fireworks, just like the game between both programs 20 years ago.

Here's a look back at Texas and Ohio State's 2005 matchup, the first between both programs:

Revisiting 2005 Texas vs. Ohio State game

Texas and Ohio State's Week 2 matchup in 2005 was one of, if not the best, regular season games of the season.

The Longhorns and Buckeyes entered the game ranked No. 2 and No. 4, respectively, with ESPN's "College GameDay" and ABC's pregame show both on site in Columbus for the game. Two top-five teams meeting that early in the regular season was a rarity during the BCS era, as losing one or more games during the season could push a team out of the national championship game in any given year.

The game featured two of the best quarterbacks in college football, as Texas' Vince Young finished runner-up to USC's Reggie Bush for the 2005 Heisman Trophy, a year before Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith won the award.

Smith, however, split time with Justin Zwick after Smith was suspended for the Alamo Bowl in the 2004 season and Week 1 of 2005 for violating team conduct, which later turned out to be him accepting money from an Ohio State donor. He accepted the suspension to protect the program, which later saw coach Jim Tressel step down after the 2010 season after an NCAA investigation found Buckeyes players receiving improper benefits, with players signing memorabilia in exchange for tattoos.

Smith, serving as Ohio State's fall guy, split snaps with Zwick against Texas in 2005.

Texas jumped out to an early lead after forcing a three-and-out on Ohio State's first possession, as Zwick threw a pair of incompletions on the drive. Young led an 11-play, 63-yard drive that ended in a field goal after the stop.

Texas then got another stop and took a 10-0 lead on Young's 6-yard touchdown throw to Billy Pittman.

Smith then played the majority of the second quarter for the Buckeyes, as they put up 16 points to Texas' 3 to take a 16-13 lead into halftime. Smith threw a 36-yard touchdown to future Super Bowl hero Santonio Holmes to make the score 10-10 after Ohio State kicked a field goal on its prior possession.

The Buckeyes also kicked a pair of field goals in the second quarter.

Things looked bad for Texas to start the third quarter, as Young tossed an interception to kick off the second half with a 16-13 deficit. Ohio State kicked another field goal after the turnover, taking a 19-13 lead, before Texas responded with a field goal of its own to make the score 19-16 late in the third quarter.

In a battle of field goals, Ohio State kicked another on the ensuing drive with Zwick back at quarterback to take a 22-16 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

It was all Longhorns from there, however.

Texas held Ohio State scoreless in the fourth quarter and were helped by the Buckeyes missing a field goal. After the miss, Young led a touchdown drive ending in a 24-yard pass to Limas Sweed to take a 23-22 lead on a play that forever lives in Longhorns lore after Young dropped in a perfect pass for the score.

Ohio State had a chance to drive down the field with 2:19 left in the fourth, but Zwick fumbled on the first play of the drive, giving Texas the ball back deep in Ohio State territory.

Texas running back Henry Melton attempted a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal with 25 seconds left on the next drive but was stopped, forcing the Buckeyes to take over on their own 1-yard line.

The Longhorns stuffed Ohio State on the next play, resulting in a safety, which made the final score 25-22.

Young finished the game 22 of 29 passing for 270 yards with two touchdowns to two interceptions, also rushing for 76 yards on 20 carries. Star running back Jamaal Charles was stuffed for only 26 rushing yards on 10 rushes.

Texas finished the game with three turnovers, but the different that night was as each time the Buckeyes took over possession inside the Longhorns' territory, Texas was able to hold Ohio State to a field goal.

Ohio State's Josh Huston finished 5 of 6 on field goal tries on the game, with five makes still standing as tied-for the program record.

Texas' win marked the first time a nonconference team beat Ohio State on the road since 1990, which broke a 36-game win streak against such opponents. The Longhorns also became the first team to ever beat Ohio State in a night game at home.