Texas Shocks Ohio State With Massive Fourth Quarter Comeback

The Shocking Comeback in Austin

No. 4 Texas pulled off a stunning victory on Saturday night in Austin, Texas. The Longhorns came back from a 20 point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat No. 1 Ohio State 24-23.

For the first three quarters of the game, the Buckeyes seemed to be in complete control. Ohio State put on a dominant performance to build a 23-3 lead. Very few people in the stadium expected Texas to find a way back into the game after falling so far behind.

Manning and Smothers Lead the Charge

The fourth quarter belonged to Texas. Quarterback Arch Manning started the comeback with a touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo early in the final period. The score gave the Longhorns new life.

Hollywood Smothers then cut the deficit further with a 1 yard run with 7:14 left to play.

Ohio State had a golden opportunity to put the game away. They drove down the field to set up a potential game-clinching field goal. Connor Hawkins, who had already made three field goals earlier in the game, missed the 45 yard attempt.

That missed kick gave Texas the ball back for one final drive. Smothers capped off the winning drive with another 1 yard run, leaping over the pile to score with only 25 seconds remaining on the clock.

The victory is a massive milestone. It is arguably the biggest regular season win in six seasons for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian. It is also a signature moment for Manning, who has struggled early in his career to live up to heavy Heisman Trophy expectations.

What it means for the next game

Kent State Golden Flashes at Ohio State Buckeyes (College Football, Sat, 19 Sep): Ohio State Buckeyes win 99%, Kent State Golden Flashes win 1%; projected score Ohio State Buckeyes 41, Kent State Golden Flashes 13. Our safest pick: Over 43.5 points.

UTSA Roadrunners at Texas Longhorns (College Football, Sun, 20 Sep): Texas Longhorns win 84%, UTSA Roadrunners win 16%; projected score Texas Longhorns 35, UTSA Roadrunners 21. Our safest pick: Texas to win.