Arch Manning and Hollywood Smothers fuel a stunning fourth-quarter comeback as the Longhorns score 21 unanswered points to knock off the top-ranked Buckeyes.
Texas turned a three-quarter struggle into a fourth-quarter classic Saturday night, scoring three unanswered touchdowns in the final 15 minutes to erase a 23-3 deficit and stun No. 1 Ohio State, 24-23. Arch Manning kept the Longhorns alive, Hollywood Smothers finished two drives at the goal line, and Texas completed the comeback with 25 seconds left.
Ohio State wasted little time taking control. Connor Hawkins put the Buckeyes on the board with a 26-yard field goal at the 12:04 mark of the first quarter. Ohio State then found the end zone less than seven minutes later when Ja’Kobi Jackson scored on an 8-yard run, pushing the lead to 10-0.
Texas finally answered on Mason Shipley’s 37-yard field goal with 5:42 left in the second quarter. The Longhorns had an opportunity to make the deficit more manageable, but Ohio State immediately restored its two-score advantage when Hawkins drilled a 30-yard field goal with 1:41 remaining.
Then came the biggest blow of the half. Julian Sayin connected with Jeremiah Smith for a 19-yard touchdown with just 10 seconds left before halftime. Hawkins’ extra point made it 20-3, leaving Texas with a 17-point hole at the break.
The Buckeyes continued to squeeze the life out of the game in the third. Texas could not find the offensive consistency it needed, and Ohio State added another three points when Hawkins converted a 48-yard field goal with 8:09 remaining in the quarter. The kick extended the margin to 23-3.
For three quarters, Ohio State had dictated the game. The Buckeyes finished with 372 total yards and averaged 5.9 yards per play. Sayin threw for 278 yards, while Smith repeatedly gave the Texas secondary problems. Smith finished with eight receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown.
Texas, meanwhile, had managed only 216 total yards through three quarters. Manning was still looking for an answer.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Longhorns. Texas finally broke through with 14:19 remaining when Manning found Ryan Wingo for a 3-yard touchdown. The score cut Ohio State’s lead to 23-10 and, more importantly, gave the Longhorns a reason to believe the game was still within reach.
Texas’ defense then forced Ohio State to give the ball back, and the offense went back to work. Smothers carried the load on the ground, and the Longhorns eventually reached the end zone again. Smothers powered across from 1 yard out with 7:14 remaining, bringing Texas within 23-17.
The comeback was no longer theoretical. Ohio State had a six-point lead and an offense that needed to produce one more scoring drive to regain control.
Instead, the Buckeyes left the door open. Ohio State's next possession ended without points, giving Texas another opportunity. The Longhorns did not waste it.
Manning completed the throws Texas needed and helped move the offense down the field. He finished 23-of-37 for 196 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Emmett Moseley V led Texas with five catches for 65 yards, while Raleek Brown added 10 carries for 54 yards.
With 25 seconds left, Texas reached the goal line. Smothers took the handoff and drove into the end zone from 1 yard out, completing his second touchdown of the fourth quarter. The extra point gave Texas its first lead of the night, 24-23.
Ohio State had one final chance. Sayin and the Buckeyes took the field with the game suddenly in their hands again, but the Longhorn defense held firm. The final possession produced no comeback of its own, and Texas escaped with a victory that had looked impossible less than 15 minutes earlier.
The final numbers showed why the game remained within reach despite Ohio State’s control for most of the night. The Buckeyes had more total yards, 372-336, and more passing yards, 278-196, but Texas ran 78 plays to Ohio State’s 63 and converted 9 of 16 third downs. The Longhorns also converted two of three fourth-down attempts and held the ball for 31:28.
Texas walked away 2-0 after scoring 21 fourth-quarter points against the No. 1 team in the country. Ohio State, which led 23-3 entering the final quarter, left Austin 1-1 with a victory that had been firmly in its grasp until the final minutes.
