A Late Surge for Texas
The Texas Longhorns defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 24-23 on Saturday at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. The home team overcame a significant second-half deficit to claim the win, finishing the season segment with a 2-0 record. Ohio State dropped to 1-1 after the loss.
The game drew a crowd of 105,044 spectators, setting the stage for a high-scoring affair that swung dramatically in the final minutes.
Buckeyes Build Early Lead
Ohio State established control early in the contest. In the first quarter, Connor Hawkins kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the visitors a 3-0 lead. Ja’Kobi Jackson followed with an 8-yard rushing touchdown, extending the advantage to 10-0.
The Buckeyes continued their offensive pressure in the second quarter. Hawkins added a 30-yard field goal, and Jeremiah Smith caught a 19-yard pass from Julian Sayin for a touchdown, pushing the score to 20-3. Texas managed only a 37-yard field goal by Gianni Spetic during this period.
Entering the third quarter, Ohio State led 23-3 after Hawkins converted another field goal, this time from 48 yards out.
Fourth-Quarter Rally
The momentum shifted entirely in the fourth quarter. Arch Manning connected with Ryan Wingo on a 3-yard pass for a touchdown, bringing Texas within seven points at 23-10. The Longhorns then took the lead with a pair of rushing touchdowns by Hollywood Smothers.
Smothers first crossed for a 1-yard score to make it 23-17. In the final moments, Smothers struck again with another 1-yard run, giving Texas a 24-23 lead that Ohio State could not answer. The final whistle confirmed the 24-23 victory for the home team.
Key Statistical Performances
Arch Manning completed 23 of 37 passes for 195 yards, accounting for one touchdown and one interception. Hollywood Smothers was the game’s decisive factor on the ground, rushing for 74 yards on 21 carries and scoring two touchdowns. Emmett Mosley V added 65 receiving yards on five catches for Texas.
For Ohio State, Julian Sayin completed 17 of 32 passes for 278 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Bo Jackson contributed 74 rushing yards on 19 carries. Jeremiah Smith was the primary receiving threat, hauling in eight passes for 164 yards and one touchdown. Connor Hawkins provided the kicking support, successfully converting four field goals ranging from 26 to 48 yards.
Sources
ESPN
