Number 4 Texas pulled off an absolutely wild comeback Saturday night, storming back from a 23-3 deficit against Number 1 Ohio State for a stunning 24-23 win in Austin. Quarterback Arch Manning led the Longhorns to their most impressive victory to date. But the real headline after the game? U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who was right there in the crowd with over 100,000 other fans at Darrell K Royal,Texas Memorial Stadium, immediately declared his infamous sports curse officially dead.
The “Ted Cruz Curse” Has a Rough History
For nearly a decade, folks on social media have been chatting about the “Ted Cruz Curse,” a theory that a Texas sports team is doomed any time the Republican senator shows up for a major event. And honestly, the claim isn’t totally without merit. Cruz was there for some brutal losses, like the Houston Cougars’ men’s college basketball national championship loss to the Florida Gators in April 2025. He also saw the Longhorns’ College Football Playoff loss to the Washington Huskies in January 2024. Can you believe that? The curse allegedly dates all the way back to the last decade, with Cruz attending the Houston Rockets’ 2018 Game 7 NBA Western Conference Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors, and the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ 2019 NCAA men’s basketball national title game loss to Virginia. That’s a pretty rough track record if you ask me.
“Ted, You Suck” and a Recent “Hot Streak”
In fairness to the Senator, he has been on a bit of a college football hot streak lately. Last year, Cruz was present for victories for both UT and the Texas A&M Aggies. But before Texas beat Ohio State on Saturday, Cruz appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay for about 10 minutes to discuss the Protect College Sports Act, a pending Congressional Bill he sponsors that establishes requirements for NIL agreements for college student-athletes. He sat there, explaining his position to host Rece Davis in front of hundreds of Texas students and fans. Many of those fans weren’t having it though, booing him and chanting a hearty round of “Ted, you suck.” Talk about an awkward moment before a huge game!
So Cruz gets to breathe a sigh of relief for now, escaping blame for another major loss. But come on, do we really think the “Ted Cruz Curse” is gone for good? Houston’s Astros are still lined up for home postseason games in October at Daikin Park, and both the Longhorns and Aggies have huge college-football matchups throughout the fall, including their rivalry showdown on November 27 in Austin. This “curse” theory is definitely getting another test soon enough, whether the Senator likes it or not.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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