By Patrick Weider
Ohio State beat Texas 28-14 in a great game between two good teams to win the Cotton Bowl. In a tied game 14-14 in the fourth quarter, Ohio State put together a great drive including quarterback Will Howard rushing for 1st down on 4th and 2. Then, Quinshon Judkins had a rushing touchdown for Ohio State to take a 21-14 lead. After a long Texas drive facing a 4th and goal from the 8 Jack Sawyer had a strip sack of Quinn Ewers and he raced to the end zone to secure a 28-14 win. How did Ohio State win this game? Below are a few of the reasons why:
Two Buckeye big plays
Ohio State’s offense had stagnated, and Texas tied the game at 7-7. With 29 seconds left in the half Ohio State got the ball back at their 25-yard line. Ryan Day and Chip Kelly called a safe play a screen pass to TreVeyon Henderson. It was perfect play at the perfect time, as Henderson caught the ball in front of a bevy of blockers and raced to the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown reception. A great individual play by Henderson and a good call by Day and Kelly combined for a spark.
Additionally, there was the key play that will go down in Buckeye History. Jack Sawyer strip-sacked Quinn Ewers at the 8-yard line on Fourth and Goal and raced 92 yards for the touchdown. An incredible play by Sawyer, the Senior and Central Ohio native who came back to Ohio State to win a National Title. Both plays were the difference in the game for the Buckeyes.
JACK SAWYER OH MY HEAVENS
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 11, 2025
Ohio State’s defense was outstanding
Texas has a good offense and Ohio State largely held them in check by holding them to 14 points on the night. The Longhorns only rushed for 58 yards on the night. On the year, they average 166 yards rushing per game. They also sacked Quinn Ewers four times, including the key strip sack that turned into the touchdown. Plus, he threw an interception on the last drive of the game for Texas to seal the win. Ohio State’s defense was excellent all night as they dominated a good Texas offense.
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Dink and Dunk Offense
Texas’s defense decided to take away Jeremiah Smith and limit the Ohio State offense from having big plays. They largely ran a two-high safety look where they kept everything in front of them. Smith had only one catch for three yards and it was the other skill players who had to make plays in the game to get the win.
Carnell Tate, the unheralded third wide receiver had seven catches for 87 yards, as he caught several big passes on the night. Emeka Egbuka had five catches for 51 yards. Gee Scott had 5 catches for 30 yards. Ohio State was able to spread the passing offense around and dink and dunk themselves into an effective offense.
Will Howard is one tough quarterback
Will Howard had his top target Jeremiah Smith taken away, so he had to throw the ball to his 2nd and 3rd wide receiver options all night. Howard also threw a key interception early in the 3rd quarter, but Howard was able to bounce back and help the Buckeyes win this game.
The big point of emphasis in getting this win was the key 4th quarter drive. The game was tied 14-14 late in the 4th quarter and Ohio State was facing 4th and 2. Chip Kelly dialed up a quarterback power for Howard to get the crucial 1st down. Earlier in the drive, facing a 3rd and long he threw a great pass to Carnell Tate to get the 1st down. Howard showed he is mentally tough and can make plays when his team needs him.
Such a huge play in last night’s game that we can’t forget. Texas decides to blitz and Will Howard calmly moves out of the pocket and delivers a perfect pass to Carnell Tate. This play allowed Quinshon Judkins to cap it off with a touchdown. pic.twitter.com/S8rGlgWdLU
— The Scarlet and Gray Podcast (@TheSG_Podcast) January 11, 2025
Final Thoughts
This was one of those games that every Buckeye fan will remember. Facing a talented team, they found a way to get the big win. Ryan Day deserves a ton of credit for relaying his team after an awful loss against Michigan and now making the National Title game against Notre Dame.
