ARLINGTON – Sometimes, fate just steps in and two people who were once connected, re-connect in an unbelievable moment.
That’s what happened Friday night in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, where the pivotal play – a fumble returned 83 yards for a touchdown by Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer – would ensure a 28-14 Buckeyes win, and send them to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Jan. 20. They’ll face Notre Dame (14-1), winners of the Capitol One Orange Bowl in Miami on Thursday night. That game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The irony: Sawyer was the roommate of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers at Ohio State, before Ewers transferred to Texas.
Here’s how it happened.
Texas, trailing 21-14, had a first-and-goal at the Ohio State 1-yard-line with just under three minutes left in the game after back-to-back pass interference penalties on OSU.
But the Longhorns would blow it.
A pitch-out to running back Quintrevion Wisner resulted in disaster: a 7-yard loss, all the way back at the 8.
On third-and-goal from there, Ryan Wingo and an Ohio State defensive back were tangled up in the back of the end zone. The ball went incomplete – there would be no pass interference to save Texas this time – and with 2:29 left and trailing 21-14, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was faced with a tough decision: go for it on fourth-and-goal, still from the 8, or kick the field goal.
Kicker Bert Auburn had not appeared in the game all night, on any of Texas’ extra points or kickoffs, instead handled by Will Stone.
But Auburn had handled most of the kicks this season. Sark elected to go for the touchdown on the fourth-and-goal.
That’s when Sawyer made his big play, hitting his former roommate and jarring the ball out and onto the turf. The ball hopped right into Sawyer’s hands, and he raced the 83 yards for the touchdown, the longest fumble return for a score in the 89-year history of the Cotton Bowl, and the longest in CFP history, as well.
With 2:13 left, the Longhorns were now down by two touchdowns, 28-14.
There would be no return on the kickoff, and Texas re-claimed the ball at its own 25.
At the two-minute time-out, the Longhorns had second-and-4 from their own 31. Ewers’ pass to Jaydon Blue was incomplete, leaving the clock stopped at 1:53 and Texas still down two scores.
The third-down pass was picked off by Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, the great transfer from Alabama, who ran about 7 yards and fell down on his own at the Texas 41.
That would seal the deal.
With only 1:44 left, Ohio State took over and quarterback Will Howard handed off to running back Quinshon Judkins, for about 9 yards. Texas, with two time-outs, elected not to take them, as the clock ran under a minute.
On the game’s official last play, it was Howard moving forward up the middle for 2 yards to the 30, and a first down.
That ran out the clock, and Ohio State stormed the field, claiming the Cotton Bowl trophy – and a spot in the CFP national title game – moments later, as Sawyer was interviewed by ESPN’s Rece Davis just before a confetti shower.
It was Texas’ 23rd overall appearance in the Cotton Bowl, but the first since 2003.
Ohio State was making its third appearance; its first was in 1987, the first Big Ten team to play in the Cotton Bowl, and the second and third were last year and this year.
The matchup pitted the third and fourth winningest teams in college football against each other: Ohio State at No. 3 (now 975 wins, all time) and Texas at 4 (961 all-time wins).
There were just north of 74,000 in attendance for the game.
Prior to the game, on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” Ewers all but announced he would declare for the NFL Draft. If that was Ewers’ last game, he finishes his Texas career with a 27-9 record and two CFP appearances.
Ewers, averaging 262 yards passing a game in the CFP, completed pass to Ryan Niblett on the very first play for 4 yards, the Longhorns charged with driving 75 yards on the opening drive.
Ewers found Matthew Golden on a third-and-short for the game’s initial first down, a one-handed catch by Golden at the Ohio State 43-yard-line.
Wingo picked up 6 on a run on first down, and Ewers’ second-round pass was knocked down by Sawyer, who has batted down five passes in the playoffs. Texas was in third-and-4 – third-and-medium – and couldn’t convert.
Sarkisian left the offense on the field for fourth and three, but Ewers’ pass was incomplete, intended for DeAndre Moore, batted down by OSU linebacker Cody Simon. Ohio State took over at its own 36 for the Buckeyes’ first possession of the game.
The first play from scrimmage for the Buckeyes: a run by Judkins, but it got nothing, as he was tripped up by Andrew Mukuba. Second down ended in the same fashion, with a run for not much by Judkins.
But Howard found Emeka Egbuka for a first down on the next play, getting the Buckeyes to midfield. He threaded the needle to Carnell Tate for another first down to the Texas 38, a 14-yard pick-up.
Howard went long, to freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith at the goal line, on first down, but way too high: a leaping Smith couldn’t pull it in, and he was also double-covered. Texas did a nice job defending Smith all night.
Two plays later, on third and 6 from the Longhorns’ 34, Howard and Egbuka hooked up again, this one for 11 yards and a first down, at the UT 23.
Egbuka again on the very next play, a catch at Texas’ 9, for 14 more yards.
Tate dropped the first-and-goal pass, right at the goal line, but on second down, it was Judkins into the end zone on a 9-yard run. That capped a 10-play, 64-yard drive, and Jayden Fielding’s extra point was good. The Buckeyes claimed a 7-0 lead with 7:24 left in the first quarter.
The ‘Horns put together a nice drive on their second possession, but it stalled in a third-and-12 at the Ohio State 39. Ewers was sacked by J.T. Tuimooau, putting the Longhorns in fourth and 16.
A punt was fair-caught, and the Buckeyes would begin at their own 8.
Smith made his first catch of the game on a faked-handoff to Henderson, but only for 3 yards. Tate made up for the drop earlier with a first-down catch to the Ohio State 24, a 13-yard pass play.
The drive would come to a screeching halt, though, near midfield after the Buckeyes hurt themselves with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, then Howard was sacked, leaving OSU in third-and-26. A pass to Jenkins only managed 5 on the final play of the first quarter, ending with coach Ryan Day’s Buckeyes up, 7-0.
Texas fumbled the kickoff, but recovered the fumble, and began at their own 25, anyway. A rush picked up nothing on first down, losing a yard, and then a minimal-gain pass to Jaydan Blue.
Two plays later, Ewers was hit by Sonny Styles and lost the ball – teammate D.J. Campbell recovered, and allowed the ‘Horns to punt it away. Ohio State’s drive would begin at its own 34.
They’d be to midfield in two plays, but on a first-and-10 at their own 46, Howard was pressured by UT defensive tackle Bill Norton, and barely got the ball away for an incomplete pass before Norton got to him.
Smith caught a pass for little gain on second down, and a flag for holding added to the Ohio State fans’ frustrations. It would move the Buckeyes into a second-and-20 situation from their own 35.
Howard got a lot of it back on a 12-yard pass to tight end Will Kacmarek, and on third-and-8, he couldn’t fit it in to Egbuka – Howard’s ball was tipped, and Egbuka was attempting to make the catch in traffic, anyway.
After the punt – and no return by Silas Bolden – Texas would be right back where it started, inside its own 10, with 9:52 left in the first half.
Texas picked up a first down quickly, but Longhorns fans booed Styles loudly after he smacked Texas tight end Gunnar Helm hard to the turf, jarring a pass from Ewers loose from Helm’s hands. It was ruled incomplete, and the boos rained down.
On a second-and-10 at their own 20, Ewers connected with Moore for 4 yards, leaving UT in third-and-4.
Ewers and Wingo weren’t on the same page on a third-down pass, and Texas would have to punt again, still trailing 7-0, with 8:15 left in the half.
Downs, a transfer from Alabama, fair-caught the ball, a 41-yarder by Michael Kern, at his own 35.
A holding call pushed OSU back immediately, to its own 25, and on third-and-13, another flag: a false start on offensive lineman Luke Montgomery. It became third-and-17, and Tate actually caught the ball – but 2 yards short of the first-down marker (the 45).
Golden fair-caught another punt, leaving Texas with 5:22 left in the half, and a first down at its own 15.
A long-ball attempt to Moore downfield failed, leaving UT in third-and-5 at its own 31. A wide-open Isaiah Bond, well beyond the first-down marker, couldn’t hang on to a pass, and again, Texas would punt, and again, Ohio State would have it at its own 25.
(Photo by ALEX NABOR – THE FOOTBALL BEAT)
The Buckeyes, with three time-outs and the game’s two-minute time-out to work with, got nothing on a first-down run, and a pass to Judkins was incomplete, tipped before it got there. Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron almost got to the ball before it hit the turf.
Howard was swallowed by Anthony Hill Jr., and the Texas pass rush on third-and-10, leaving us with – another punt.
Before they could, though, the game hit its two-minute time-out, a new feature to college football, whose leadership does NOT want it referred to as a “two-minute warning.”
After a bit of a scuffle at the end of the play, Texas took over (after yet another fair catch) at its own 41. Ewers and the offense came out with 1:52 left to work in the half, and all three time-outs.
No gain on a first-down run, and Ewers lingered a bit before striding to the line of scrimmage. When he did, he faked a pitch to Quintreveon Walker, and then tried to hit him for a pass – no deal, as it fell incomplete.
On the third-and-10 play, Ewers could find no one open, and bolted up the middle of the field, going down right at the first-down marker at the Ohio State 49. It was ruled a first down, and after a review, they ruled he was just short – they spotted the ball at the 50, putting Texas in fourth-and-1.
Arch Manning, the much-heralded back-up quarterback, ran to his right, easily getting the first down. The ball came out at the end, and was picked up by Ohio State defensive lineman Tyliek Williams. Officials said Manning was down, and the Longhorns had a first-and-10 at the Buckeyes’ 42.
On that play, Ewers found Bolden, who caught the ball, used his hand to brace himself as Denzel Burke almost had him, and spun away for a 24-yard gain, all the way to the Ohio State 19.
Before Ewers could take another snap, Ryan Day called time-out for the Buckeyes, with 34 seconds left in the half.
It didn’t help: Blue got by his man (Styles), and snagged the ball in the end zone for a 19-yard score. The extra point was good, and after seven plays and 59 yards, Ewers and the Longhorns had tied the game with 29 seconds left until halftime.
Will Stone – not Auburn, strangely – kicked the extra point, then the kickoff, sending it through the end zone for a touchback.
Ohio State opted for a screen to Henderson – and he caught it behind the line of scrimmage and was gone, a 75-yard touchdown pass that broke the shortest tie ever. Fielding’s extra point was good and in 16 seconds, Ohio State re-claimed the lead, 14-7.
There’d be no kick return – it was fair-caught by Helm. And Texas, with two time-outs and 13 seconds left in the half, handed off to Wisner for a 14-yard gain.
Sarkisian took a time-out with seven seconds left. Ewers’ pass was incomplete downfield, along the UT sideline, but a holding penalty was called on the Buckeyes, giving Texas a first-and-10 at the UT 48, but with just two seconds left in the half.
Ewers threw a pass almost to the end zone on the final play of the half, and it was batted down.
David Gbenda picked off Howard early in the second half, at the Texas 30-yard-line, Texas’ 22nd interception of the season as a team.
But the Longhorns didn’t do much with it: they wound up in fourth-and-7 at their own 43, and having to punt. Punters received a workout Friday night. Ohio State’s Brandon Inniss fair-caught it (how many times has that been written in this story?) at the Buckeyes’ 12.
Egbuka took an end-around from Howard, but was stopped right at the line of scrimmage. Kacmarek caught a pass from Howard and got right to the first-down marker, but was stopped inches short.
On third and inches, it was Judkins who got a pitch-out – and it was Judkins who was thrown for a loss by, of all people, Gbenda.
Bolden took the long punt but his momentum took him out of bounds at the Texas 33.
A false start put the ‘Horns in a first-and-15 hole immediately, and then Ewers’ pass attempt to Wingo one-hopped off the turf in front of him.
On second-and-15 at the 28, Wisner was stopped after a gain of 5, putting UT back in a third-and-long situation, third-and-10 at the 33.
The play: incredible. Ewers, going down in a sack, got the ball out a second before his knee hit to Wisner, who bolted down his own sideline for a first down at the Texas 47, Ewers getting the ball out BARELY before he went down. A review showed that he did, and play resumed.
Ewers did it again, getting the ball out right before the pass rush got to him, on the next play to Blue, but only for a 5-yard gain.
Downs’ second-down tackle on Moore left UT in a third-and-3 at the Ohio State 46. Wisner took the hand-off and got exactly 3 for a new set of downs.
Ewers dumped it off to Wisner in a check-down, and Wisner got close to the marker. On third and 1, Wisner, on the hand-off, converted again, ANOTHER first down at the OSU 29. Ohio State’s defense can’t get off the field.
The ‘Horns wound up in a third-and-7 at the 26 after a run that went nowhere and a ball batted down by Williams.
But on that third down, a 26-yard touchdown to Blue, who was wide open when he caught it, and the defender couldn’t catch up. It was a 12-play, 67-yard drive, eating up just over five minutes of clock, and tied the game at 14.
The third quarter was just evaporating as a result: 3:12 left in the quarter, as the Buckeyes were getting the ball back.
Howard was thrown for a loss on a sack by Vernon Broughton, and almost lost the ball. Instead, he fell on it at the 15, but on the next play, a second-and-20, Henderson got maybe 5 yards.
On the third-down play from the 25, Howard’s pass was knocked down at the line of scrimmage.
After the punt, Texas took over at its own 39, with right at a minute left in the third quarter. Wisner picked up 7 on a first-down run, then lost 2 yards on a pass, giving Texas a third down and 5 at its own 44.
That would be the last play of the third, with the game tied at 14 as the fourth quarter began.
The third-down attempt would fail, and Texas’ Michael Kern hit a 44-yard punt. There was no return, and Ohio State claimed the ball at their own 12.
A pass interference penalty moved it up 15 yards (to the 23), although Howard’s first-down pass was caught for a loss, and the second-down pass netted 4. On third and 8 at the 27, Howard, whose line bought him time, found Tate for a big gain to their own 47.
A deep ball to Egbuka was over everyone’s head, and fell incomplete, but the Buckeyes managed to get all the way to Texas’ 36 before the drive stalled. A false start put them in third-and-9 at the 41.
The third down gained 7, caught by Gee Scott, and then on fourth and 2 at the 34, after a time-out by Texas, Howard faked dropping back to pass and ran up the middle, getting 18 yards – to match his number – all the way to the Texas 19.
Egbuka gained 8 to the Texas 8 on first down, and Judkins took the handoff to the 2 for a first-and-goal.
Safety Michael Taaffe kept Howard from going in to the end zone on the next play, but he was ruled down at the 1.
Judkins scored on the next play from a yard out, the go-ahead score with 7:02 left to cap a 13-play, 88-yard drive that took OSU over 7 ½ minutes. Fielding hit the very-important extra point to put the Buckeyes up, 21-14. It was the second-longest drive resulting in a touchdown in the brief history of the CFP (Notre Dame had one longer in 2021).
Helm caught an 8-yard pass on first down, from the Longhorns’ 25, giving UT a second-and-2 that was easily converted for a new first down on an 8-yard run by Blue.
With a first down at the 41, Helm – running wide open somehow – caught a pass and took it 34 yards to Ohio State’s 25. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play, and moved the ball back to the Buckeyes’ 40.
But Ewers found Golden for a huge gain, all the way to the 13, to give the ‘Horns a first down there.
On second and 8, Ewers hit Wisner again, this time for 5, to the 6-yard-line. A third-and-3 was incomplete to Wingo in the back of the end zone – but Ohio State’s Lathan Ransom was called for pass interference, giving Texas an automatic first-and-goal at the 2.
The next play, Jermaine Matthews was flagged for pass interference, and he plays for Ohio State, as well. Texas had another first-and-goal, this time at the 1, but Jerrick Gibson was stopped at the goal line.
That’s when Ewers made the pitch out to Wisner that resulted in a 7-yard loss, and set up game’s final meaningful sequence: the play by Sawyer that clinched the win for the Buckeyes.
Texas finished the season 13-3: two losses to Georgia, one in the regular season and one in the SEC Championship Game.
Ohio State (13-2) accepted the Cotton Bowl trophy and now moves on to the ultimate stage: playing Notre Dame for the national championship.
