The Buckeyes will face the Fighting Irish in the championship
Whatever Ryan Day said to his team after losing to Michigan obviously worked.
After calls to fire their head coach after Thanksgiving because of their fourth straight loss to the Wolverines – and this one easily the worst – the Buckeyes are off to the national championship after Friday night's 28-14 Cotton Bowl Classic win over Texas.
After Ohio State took a 21-14 lead with 7:02 to go (on a drive that included a huge 4th down conversion), Texas got down the field quickly in response, largely 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 fresh set of downs at the goal line. It was a matter of time before the game was tied, but then, a nightmare occurred for Texas.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) celebrates after a play during the first quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
After getting stuffed on first down, Quintrevion Wisner lost seven yards on a second-down toss, putting Texas in trouble. The third down pass fell incomplete, and on fourth down, Ewers lost a fumble that was forced, and picked up, by Jack Sawyer, who took it 82 yards the other way for a touchdown.
In what seemed to be like another overtime game for the Longhorns, their season flashed before their eyes with the snap of a finger. In hopes of a miracle, Ewers threw a pick on their next drive, and just like that, it was all over.
The Buckeyes got on the board first, scoring a touchdown right after stopping Texas on 4th down. The Longhorns offense was stalled throughout the first half, but they tied the game with 29 seconds left in the half, and were ready to go into the locker room with the game knotted at seven.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) scores a touchdown on a 75-yard touchdown catch and run against Texas Longhorns in the second quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025. (Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Ohio State, though, was not. Right after a touchback, Will Howard dumped a pass off to TreVeyon Henderson, who got some blocks up front and scampered 75 yards to the house, giving the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead into the locker room. It's rather easy to point at the two plays that cost Texas their season, with hindsight being 20/20.
Both teams exchanged punts for most of the third quarter, but with just over three minutes to go, Ewers found Jaydon Blue for their second touchdown connection of the night, tying the game. But then came the Buckeyes score to make it 21-14.
Prior to the game, it was revealed the Ewers said he expected to be playing in the NFL next season, so it will be interesting to see if his plans change.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end JT Tuimoloau (44) celebrates a sack of Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) in the first quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025. (Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Now, it'll be the eighth-seeded Buckeyes against No. 7 Notre Dame on Jan. 20 – score one for the expanded playoff.
Just like Ohio State, the Fighting Irish suffered an embarrassing loss of their own this season, dropping a contest at home to Northern Illinois back in September. But, it's been 13 straight wins since then.
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