whatever Ryan Day He told his team after their loss to Michigan that it had clearly worked.
After calls for their head coach to be fired after Thanksgiving due to their fourth straight loss to the Wolverines — and this one easily their worst — the Buckeyes cruised to the national championship with Friday night's 28-14 win. Classic cotton bowl Win over Texas.
After Ohio State took a 21-14 lead with 7:02 remaining (on a drive that included a huge fourth-down conversion), Texas got down the field quickly in response, due in part to a 34-yard catch by Gunnar Helm. After back-to-back defensive pass interferences in the end zone, the Longhorns had a new set of downs at the goal line. It was only a matter of time before the game was tied, but then a nightmare happened for Texas.
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Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) celebrates after making a play during the first quarter of a college football semifinal against the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. (Photos by Jerome Miron-Imagine)
After being stuffed on first down, Quintrevion Wisner lost seven yards on a second down throw, putting the Texans in trouble. The third down pass fell incomplete, and on fourth down, Ewers lost a fumble that Jack Sawyer forced to pick off, which he took 82 yards the other way for a touchdown.
In what looked like another overtime game for the Longhorns, their season flashed before their eyes with the snap of a finger. Hoping for a miracle, Ewers threw a pickaxe on their next trip, and that's how it was all over.
The Buckeyes got on the board first, scoring a touchdown right after stopping Texas on fourth down. The Longhorns' offense stalled throughout the first half, but they tied the game with 29 seconds left in the first half, and were ready to go to the locker room with the game tied at seven.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Trevon Henderson (32) scores a touchdown on a 75-yard run against the Texas Longhorns in the second quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during a Football League semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in January, 10, 2025. (Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
But Ohio State was not. Immediately after the touchdown, Will Howard threw a pass to TreVeyon Henderson, who got some blocks up front and raced 75 yards to the house, giving the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead going into the locker room. It's easy to point to the two plays that cost the Texans their season, as it was 20/20 in hindsight.
Both teams traded punts for most of the third quarter, but with just over three minutes remaining, Ewers found Jaydon Blue for their second contact of the night, tying the game. But then the Buckeyes made it 21-14.
Before the game, it was revealed that Ewers said he expects to play in the NFL next season, so it will be interesting to see if his plans change.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end JT Tuimolo (44) celebrates a sack by Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) in the first quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the football semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas On January 10, 2025. (Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Now, the Buckeyes will face the eighth seed No. 7 Notre Dame On January 20 – Scored one goal in the expanded playoff.
Just like Ohio State, the Fighting Irish have suffered an embarrassing loss of their own this season, losing a home game to Northern Illinois in September. But, there have been 13 straight wins since then.
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