What in the actual heck just happened in Austin, folks? Ohio State was cruising, absolutely dominating Texas with a 20-3 lead at halftime on Saturday night, looking like world-beaters. Then, the entire second half turned into an epic meltdown, culminating in a 24-23 loss that handed Texas coach Steve Sarkisian his greatest comeback ever. It was a brutal collapse, plain and simple.
The First Half Was Pure Gold, Then It All Went Sideways
The Buckeyes looked amazing early on. They forced two turnovers, capitalized on scoring chances, and even pulled off a clutch 4th down stop just before the break, turning it into another touchdown. Everything was working! It felt like they had total control of the game, setting themselves up for a huge road win. You could feel the momentum, the energy, the sense that this team was truly clicking.
But after the locker room, it was like a completely different team trotted out. Ohio State managed a pathetic three points the entire second half. Their offense took its foot off the gas, and the defense started playing soft, giving Texas all the momentum they needed. Texas quarterback Arch Manning started feeling himself because the Buckeyes went with three-man fronts, giving him all day in the pocket. He found open receivers, and suddenly those running lanes opened up. Texas started chipping away, scoring 21 unanswered points while Ohio State’s conservative playcalling seemed content to let the clock run out. What were they thinking?
The Kicking Nightmare Returns and What It Means Now
This whole mess came to a head in the fourth quarter. Ohio State got a little more aggressive, needing to close things out, but then settled for a 45-yard field goal to seal the deal. Transfer kicker Connor Hawkins, who was brought in specifically for these high-pressure moments, shanked it badly wide left. You gotta be kidding me. You bring in a guy for this exact situation and he misses it? That’s just crushing.
That missed kick opened the door for Manning and the Longhorns, and they walked right through it. Texas marched 73 yards in 12 plays over 3:51, scoring to take their first lead of the day. The Buckeyes made another questionable call trying to pull off a goal-line stand, burning two timeouts they desperately needed. They got the ball back with just 25 seconds and no timeouts left, which was obviously not enough time. There’s so much to learn from this, especially for a coaching staff many call the best in the game. This loss makes their difficult schedule even harder, leaving little room for error if they want any shot at the College Football Playoff. They are home next week against Kent State. Let’s hope they find that gas pedal again, and fast.
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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