Horns Rally in Fourth to Edge Buckeyes 24-23 in Austin Thriller

A Dramatic Fourth-Quarter Turnaround

The Texas Longhorns defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 24-23 on Saturday at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, completing a stunning comeback in the final period. The contest, which drew a crowd of 105,044, saw Texas overcome a significant deficit to secure the victory. The Longhorns improved their record to 2-0, while the Buckeyes fell to 1-1.

The decisive factor was Texas's ability to generate sustained offensive pressure when the game was on the line, turning a seemingly lost cause into a narrow win.

Early Buckeyes Dominance

Ohio State controlled the first two quarters, building a 20-3 lead. Connor Hawkins opened the scoring with a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter. Ja’Kobi Jackson extended the lead with an 8-yard rushing touchdown, followed by a successful extra point by Hawkins.

In the second quarter, Gianni Spetic kicked a 37-yard field goal for Texas, but Ohio State responded with a 30-yard field goal from Hawkins. Jeremiah Smith then caught a 19-yard pass from Julian Sayin for a touchdown, putting the Buckeyes ahead 20-3 at halftime. Hawkins added another field goal, this time from 48 yards out, in the third quarter to make it 23-3.

Manning and Smothers Lead the Charge

The fourth quarter belonged to Texas. Arch Manning, who finished with 195 passing yards on 23 of 37 attempts and one touchdown, connected with Ryan Wingo on a 3-yard pass to cut the deficit to 23-10. Hollywood Smothers, who rushed for 74 yards on 21 carries, then scored on a 1-yard run to make it 23-17.

With the game hanging in the balance, Manning and Smothers combined for the final blow. Smothers scored again on a 1-yard rushing touchdown, giving Texas a 24-23 lead. Both teams recorded one interception each in the game, with Manning and Sayin both throwing one.

Statistical Breakdown

Julian Sayin led Ohio State with 278 passing yards on 17 of 32 attempts. Bo Jackson matched Smothers in rushing yards with 74 on 19 carries. Jeremiah Smith was the primary target for Ohio State, catching eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown.

For Texas, Emmett Mosley V contributed 65 receiving yards on five catches. The final score of 24-23 reflects the tight competition throughout the game, with the fourth quarter scoring of 21-0 for Texas proving decisive.

Sources

ESPN