There is some uncertainty regarding the Cotton Bowl, which will feature Friday's College Football Playoff semifinal between Texas and Ohio State at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, with bowl organizers saying that due to weather forecasts. Preparing for an “emergency”.
A winter storm warning is in effect for Arlington, Texas, from Thursday morning until Friday afternoon, with the possibility of several inches of snow.
Although the stadium has a roof, weather conditions can create dangerous road conditions for fans heading to games.
AT&T Stadium and the Cotton Bowl released a joint statement Tuesday night announcing that the game will be played as scheduled at 7:30 p.m. ET and that both teams will arrive in town on Wednesday.
“According to the National Weather Service, we continue to monitor weather information and the forecast for the second half of this week has improved over the past 24 hours,” the statement said. “We meet regularly with city officials, North Texas and College Football Playoff transportation directors, and we remain prepared for contingencies should projections change.
“The highways in North Texas are already salted, and plans are in place to ensure a safe environment for everyone in and around AT&T Stadium on game day.”
More than 70,000 people are expected to attend Friday's game, the winner of which will face the winner of the Penn State-Notre Dame Orange Bowl semifinal game in the national championship game on Jan. 20.
Kevin Orden, Dallas' emergency management and crisis response director, said he would increase staffing Wednesday in anticipation of the storm.
“We are closely monitoring the travel situation into the city, especially as we prepare to welcome fans and teams back to the Cotton Bowl,” Auden said. “Our priority is to ensure safe travel for our teams and their fans visiting Dallas and the greater metropolitan area.”
