No matter Ryan Day mentioned to his staff after dropping to Michigan clearly labored.
After calls to fireplace their head coach after Thanksgiving due to their fourth straight loss to the Wolverines – and this one simply the worst – the Buckeyes are off to the nationwide championship after Friday evening’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 an enormous 4th down conversion), Texas bought down the sector rapidly in response, largely partly to a 34-yard catch by Gunnar Helm. After back-to-back defensive go interferences ultimately zone, the Longhorns had a recent set of downs on the aim line. It was a matter of time earlier than the sport was tied, however then, a nightmare occurred for Texas.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive finish Jack Sawyer (33) celebrates after a play in the course of the first quarter of the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal in opposition to the Texas Longhorns within the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Pictures)
After getting stuffed on first down, Quintrevion Wisner misplaced seven yards on a second-down toss, placing Texas in hassle. The third down go fell incomplete, and on fourth down, Ewers misplaced a fumble that was pressured, and picked up, by Jack Sawyer, who took it 82 yards the opposite means for a landing.
In what gave the impression to be like one other time beyond regulation sport for the Longhorns, their season flashed earlier than their eyes with the snap of a finger. In hopes of a miracle, Ewers threw a decide on their subsequent drive, and similar to that, it was throughout.
The Buckeyes bought on the board first, scoring a landing proper after stopping Texas on 4th down. The Longhorns offense was stalled all through the primary half, however they tied the sport with 29 seconds left within the half, and had been prepared to enter the locker room with the sport knotted at seven.
Ohio State Buckeyes working again TreVeyon Henderson (32) scores a landing on a 75-yard landing catch and run in opposition to Texas Longhorns within the second quarter of the Cotton Bowl Basic in the course of the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal sport at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025. (Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Pictures)
Ohio State, although, was not. Proper after a touchback, Will Howard dumped a go off to TreVeyon Henderson, who bought some blocks up entrance and scampered 75 yards to the home, giving the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead into the locker room. It is moderately straightforward to level on the two performs that value Texas their season, with hindsight being 20/20.
Each groups exchanged punts for a lot of the third quarter, however with simply over three minutes to go, Ewers discovered Jaydon Blue for his or her second landing connection of the evening, tying the sport. However then got here the Buckeyes rating to make it 21-14.
Previous to the sport, it was revealed the Ewers mentioned he anticipated to be enjoying within the NFL subsequent season, so it will likely be fascinating to see if his plans change.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive finish JT Tuimoloau (44) celebrates a sack of Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) within the first quarter of the Cotton Bowl Basic in the course of the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal sport at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025. (Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Pictures)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Now, it’s going to be the eighth-seeded Buckeyes in opposition to No. 7 Notre Dame on Jan. 20 – rating one for the expanded playoff.
Similar to Ohio State, the Combating Irish suffered an embarrassing lack of their very own this season, dropping a contest at house to Northern Illinois again in September. However, it has been 13 straight wins since then.
Comply with Fox Information Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Source link