No. 1 Ohio State suffered a dramatic 24-23 loss to No. 4 Texas on Saturday night in Austin, Texas, after squandering a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns completed an improbable comeback, securing their only lead of the game with 25 seconds left on the clock in the NCAA college football game.
Hollywood Smothers’ 1-yard touchdown run and Gianni Spetic’s extra-point kick gave Texas the 24-23 advantage in the final minute of play, stunning the Buckeyes, who had led for nearly the entire game. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was seen celebrating the victory after the game.
For the better part of three quarters, Ohio State appeared poised for a comfortable victory, holding a 23-3 lead when entering the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes had established a 20-3 halftime lead, outgaining Texas 240 yards to 98 yards in the first two quarters, according to reports.
Ohio State’s early success began on Texas’ very first offensive play when freshman cornerback Jay Timmons caused a fumble and recovered it at Texas’ 16-yard line. This early gift resulted in a 26-yard field goal for Ohio State. The Buckeyes extended their lead to 10-0 after another Texas turnover on their second possession. Texas receiver Cam Coleman’s attempted diving catch bounced off him to Ohio State’s Jaylen McClain at the 13-yard line, leading to an 8-yard touchdown run by Bo Jackson after a 10-play drive.
Texas managed to cut the lead to 10-3 with a 37-yard field goal by Gianni Spetic with 5:42 left in the first half. However, Ohio State quickly rebuilt its advantage, scoring a 30-yard field goal by Hawkins and a 19-yard touchdown pass from Sayin to Jeremiah Smith in the final 1:48 of the first half, taking a 20-3 lead into the locker room. The Buckeyes further extended their lead to 23-3 with a 48-yard field goal by Hawkins with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Longhorns, however, mounted a powerful comeback in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Arch Manning, whose play in the first three quarters was described as "reminiscent of his erratic game against OSU last season," led three crucial scoring drives. These drives, covering 91 yards, 72 yards, and 73 yards, produced three fourth-quarter touchdowns that erased Ohio State’s substantial lead.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day expressed his disappointment in his post-game press conference. Day stated that the Buckeyes "had them on the ropes and didn’t finish them." He acknowledged that Ohio State "won the first three quarters and obviously did not win the fourth," adding, "We have to go back and figure out why that was. This one hurts." Day attributed the loss to all three phases of the game—offense, defense, and special teams—while noting, "I thought we played solid for three quarters but we were not perfect by any stretch of the imagination."
Ohio State’s quarterback Sayin completed 17 of 32 passes for 278 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was a key target, catching 8 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Running back Bo Jackson contributed with 74 rushing yards on 19 carries.