There’s been a lot of talk about the national anthem in these College Football Playoffs lately, especially after the postponement of the Sugar Bowl when the anthem wasn’t aired on ESPN. The first CFP semifinal game between Notre Dame and Penn State on Thursday at the Orange Bowl featured the broadcast of the national anthem, which drew almost entirely positive reactions due to the young singer’s vocal range and delivery. And we can hope for a similar reaction in Friday night’s Cotton Bowl matchup between No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State, the winner of which will advance to the CFP National Championship.

Despite the inclement weather in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, kickoff is still scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium. But who can we expect to see perform this evening?

No one sings the national anthem at the Cotton Bowl because it is instead performed on the saxophone by Dallas musician Boston Ed Varney.

While local fans will get a taste of the musical stylings of DJ Diesel, aka Shaquille O’Neal, who headlines Friday’s FanFest portion of the Cotton Bowl, the average viewer won’t have access there. However, you can watch the pre-game coverage and the national anthem performed by Varney.

Varney may not be a household name when it comes to releasing records, but according to his event booking page, he has performed with numerous bands throughout his music career and has also performed the national anthem on the saxophone at various sporting events. Especially given the location of the Cotton Bowl, Varney has already performed the “Star-Spangled Banner” at GlobeLife Field before a Texas Rangers game in the MLB.

According to the official Cotton Bowl Fan Guide, although the broadcast is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, actual kickoff will not take place until around 7:45 p.m. ET, as the national anthem is scheduled to be played at 7:34 p.m. ET.

To highlight the traditions of the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes, both university marching bands will perform at the 2025 Cotton Bowl halftime show. Additionally, the Kilgore College Rangerettes, one of the nation’s most iconic drill teams, will make their 75th Cotton Bowl appearance. Viewers hoping for a bit of Americana will get their money’s worth.