A win over Ohio State has always been a huge accomplishment for any team. That certainly was the case for Texas, which overcame a 20-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat Ohio State 24-23 on Saturday for the first time in three tries.
The Longhorns suffered defeats to the Buckeyes in each of the last two seasons, including a season-ending 28-14 loss in the Cotton Bowl in 2024 and a 14-7 loss to start the season last year.
After the game, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained why it meant so much for his team to earn a win over the Buckeyes.
“I have a ton of respect for Ohio State,” Sarkisian said after the game. “I said this going into the game, and I’ll say it after. They’re a really good program. Ryan has a very talented roster, he’s got really good coaches. They play the game the right way, they’re tough. Beating a team like that is, in essence, a win for the season, but I also think it serves as a little bit of a barometer for the program this season. They’re not going anywhere. I told Ryan after the game, I hope we see you again. That’s a good sign for both of us if we get a chance to see them again. They’re a heck of a team.”
Sarkisian and redshirt junior quarterback Arch Manning had plenty of problems going against the Ohio State defense last year. Working against Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Manning failed to find a rhythm in the Longhorns’ seven-point loss. He completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
For three quarters on Saturday, it seemed as though Patricia’s defense had stumped Manning and Sarkisian again. The Longhorns scored just three points in the first 45 minutes of the game.
However, Manning caught fire in the fourth quarter. He led the Longhorns on three touchdown drives and went 8 of 11 for 83 yards and a touchdown.
According to Sarkisian, Texas’ comeback was the result of Manning’s resilience after early struggles.
“Part of the driving force was kind of (Manning’s) grit,” Sarkisian said. “I felt like his grit started it, and then the running backs’ grit and then the receivers’ grit, it all started to kind of work together. But I just thought it was with him kind of saying, ‘Screw it, let’s just go back to letting it rip, and I’m going to trust these guys to go make plays.'”
