Ohio State just choked away a massive lead against Texas, going up 20-3 at halftime, extending it to 23-3 in the third quarter, and somehow losing 24-23. That’s not just a bad loss, it’s a monumental collapse.
The Meltdown Was Real
What happened in Austin was brutal, plain and simple. The Buckeyes owned the first half, but after going up by twenty in the third, Texas ripped off touchdowns on three straight possessions. Ohio State sputtered, completely collapsed, and ended up losing 24-23. It’s gotta be one of the worst losses of the Ryan Day era, right up there with that 13-10 defeat to Michigan back in 2024. How do you let that happen?
The numbers in the second half are just jaw-dropping. Ohio State mustered a measly three points and only 132 total yards in the entire second half. After looking solid and scoring on four of their first five drives, their last five possessions were a total disaster: three punts and two field goal attempts. That second one? A 45-yard kick that could’ve iced the game with 4:21 left? Not even close. You just can’t make that up.
The Same Old Story
Here’s the kicker: while not every Ryan Day loss has been this dramatic, almost all of them have shared at least two of three major problems. This Texas game had all three, loud and clear.
First, red zone shortcomings. Texas practically handed Ohio State a red zone trip right off the bat with a fumble. What did Day’s crew do? Managed 11 yards on six plays and walked away with a 26-yard field goal. That was a theme! They only got 13 points on their first four red zone trips, including another 30-yard field goal and a turnover on downs at the Texas 12-yard line. It felt eerily similar to that 2016 Clemson College Football Playoff loss where red zone struggles turned a potential blowout into a gut-wrenching defeat.
Then there’s the clock management, which was just as baffling. With Texas at the Ohio State 1-yard line with 1:23 left, Day should’ve called his last timeout. Let Texas score, give the offense more than a minute to try for a field goal and the win. Instead, they made Texas run three more plays, leaving Ohio State with 25 seconds, zero timeouts, and absolutely no chance for a miracle drive. We’ve seen this before, too, remember the 2022 Georgia College Football Playoff game? They got the ball with 51 seconds left, botched the possession, and missed a 50-yard field goal with three seconds left. Unbelievable.
Special Teams Disaster
And finally, special teams. It’s been an absolute mess throughout Day’s time in Columbus, and Saturday was no different. That missed 45-yard field goal in the second half would’ve sealed the game, but it wasn’t even close. A missed field goal played a huge factor in that Georgia loss, and a missed chip-shot contributed to another one. How long can this keep happening? Day needs to find some serious answers, and he needs to find them fast. The cracks are showing, and they’re getting harder to ignore.
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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