Ohio State built a 23-3 lead over Texas before stalling, and the Longhorns rallied from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win 24-23. Both teams made their share of plays that mattered most down the stretch.
The Buckeyes Couldn’t Run
The Buckeyes’ running game had a rough night. Ohio State attempted 31 carries for 94 yards, with their longest gain coming on an 11-yard run from Bo Jackson. Every other rusher managed eight yards or fewer.
The lack of a ground game forced Ohio State to hand the ball off in bad situations, which mattered greatly. On at least two occasions, the Buckeyes lost points because of short gains or losses on third down. After building a big lead, the Longhorns’ offense looked anemic’ front seven clogged up running lanes all night, and Ohio State’.
“It’s tough to ice away a game when your only hope of moving the chains is the dropback passing game.”
Sayin Slipped Late
In the opening half, Julian Sayin performed with the skill of a Heisman candidate, completing 75% of his passes for 192 yards and a touchdown. But after halftime, his play changed entirely. Over the final two quarters, he completed 6 of 16 attempts for 86 yards.
Early in the fourth quarter, he threw behind Jeremiah Smith on a third-down target, and the pass skipped off Smith’s hands and hit the turf. It was a missed connection that played a big role in Ohio State’s quick movements as Texas mounted a comeback.
Manning Stepped Up
In the opening period, Arch Manning’s accuracy deserted him. He completed just 7 of 14 throws for 60 yards, and tossed up an interception to boot. The players he was throwing to let simple catches slip away, and none of his teammates could provide any meaningful support. Yet despite the rough start, he refused to doubt himself once the game moved into its final stretch.
Many of his completions came in clutch situations to keep drives alive, and he finished 16 for 23 with 135 yards and a touchdown. His biggest throw was a fourth-down conversion to Emaree Winston in the third quarter.
Hawkins Missed the Kick
With just 4:16 to go in the fourth quarter, Ohio State’s offense finally started to show some life. Connor Hawkins stepped up for a field goal attempt from 45 yards out, but he hooked his kick to the left. That miss kept Texas in the game.
The defeat isn’t solely Hawkins’s burden to carry. He likely owes far less of the fault than the rest of his squad. Still, if that field goal had sailed through, would the conversation turn toward an Ohio State collapse instead?
What We Made of It
It took a group effort, but the Buckeyes were the ones who got it done. Their run game simply wasn’t there, and Sayin struggled to get comfortable throwing the ball in the second half. Texas, however, found a way to come through with big plays when the game was on the line.
Manning’s late surge was the difference. He overcame his first-half mistakes and became the hero. The Longhorns’ defense deserves credit for slowing down Ohio State’s offense.
A remarkable recovery rounded out the contest, ranking as the fourth-biggest in franchise annals. The conclusion was nothing short of astonishing.
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