Historic Fourth-Quarter Comeback
Texas Rallies From Twenty-Point Deficit to Stun Top-Ranked Ohio State
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Key Points
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Ohio State opened the game by forcing and recovering a fumble at Texas’ 18-yard line, but settled for a field goal rather than a touchdown. On Texas’ next possession, Jaylen McClain intercepted Arch Manning, and Ja’Kobi Jackson’s eight-yard touchdown run gave the Buckeyes a 10-0 lead after the first quarter.
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Ohio State built its halftime advantage after a late Texas turnover gave the Buckeyes possession at the Longhorns’ 19-yard line with 49 seconds remaining; Julian Sayin needed only three plays to find Jeremiah Smith for a 19-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left, making it 20-3.
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Texas’ comeback began with sustained possessions: Arch Manning led a 15-play, 91-yard drive capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo, followed later by a 13-play, 72-yard march that ended with Hollywood Smothers’ one-yard touchdown run.
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Texas largely neutralized Ohio State’s rushing attack, holding the Buckeyes to 94 yards on the ground, although Ohio State remained efficient in the red zone by converting four of five trips.
No. 4 Texas completed the largest collapse in Ohio State history on Saturday, rallying from a 23-3 fourth-quarter deficit to stun No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 in Austin. The Buckeyes dominated three quarters behind Julian Sayin's 278 passing yards and Jeremiah Smith's eight catches for 164 yards, but Texas scored 21 unanswered points, with Hollywood Smothers' go-ahead touchdown coming with just 25 seconds left Cincinnati.com.
Arch Manning orchestrated the comeback with sustained, lengthy drives that wore down Ohio State's defense. Coach Ryan Day's decision to defend rather than intentionally allow a touchdown in the final moments became the pivotal choice that cost the Buckeyes their undefeated season The Dispatch.
Ohio State's Dominant Three Quarters Unraveled Fast
The Buckeyes controlled the game early through two turnovers. Jaylen McClain intercepted Manning in the first quarter, setting up Ja'Kobi Jackson's eight-yard touchdown run for a 10-0 lead The News-Messenger. Late in the first half, another Texas turnover gave Ohio State the ball at the Longhorns' 19-yard line with 49 seconds left. Sayin found Jeremiah Smith for a 19-yard touchdown with 10 seconds remaining, pushing the lead to 20-3 at halftime.
Ohio State added a field goal early in the fourth quarter to reach 23-3, seemingly in control. But a three-and-out possession became the turning point. The conservative approach returned the ball to Texas with momentum shifting, and Ohio State never scored again Bucyrus Telegraph Forum.
Manning Led Three Massive Scoring Drives in Fourth Quarter
Texas' comeback was not a fluke—it was methodical execution. Manning directed a 15-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo. A second drive covered 13 plays and 72 yards, culminating in Smothers' one-yard touchdown run. These sustained possessions kept Ohio State's defense on the field, grinding down resistance and building momentum The Daily Record.
The Longhorns' offense relied heavily on the run game, holding Ohio State to just 94 yards rushing while Texas pounded the ball inside. Manning's ability to manage time and move the chains transformed Texas from a team that had managed only 3 points into an unstoppable force in the game's final moments.
Ryan Day's Goal-Line Gamble Failed at the Worst Moment
With Texas threatening at Ohio State's one-yard line and about 1:20 remaining, Coach Ryan Day faced a critical choice. He decided to defend the goal line rather than allow an intentional touchdown, hoping to preserve time for a potential comeback. The strategy backfired when the Buckeyes failed to stop Smothers from reaching the end zone Cincinnati.com.
That decision left Ohio State fewer than 30 seconds to respond—not nearly enough time. Day's reasoning made sense in the moment: stopping Texas would save clock and give the Buckeyes a chance. But the failed execution turned what might have been a calculated risk into the defining failure of Ohio State's season, costing the team a playoff spot and damaging Heisman momentum The Dispatch.
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