Game slips away from Buckeyes

For the better part of three quarters it seemed impossible Ohio State could lose to Texas on Saturday night. But by the final minute of an amazing comeback in which the Longhorns came back from being 20 points behind in the fourth quarter to stun the Buckeyes 24-23 on Saturday night, it almost started to feel inevitable. OSU led the entire game except for the final seconds before being worn down and maybe worn out by a Texas team which played offense and defense well when it needed it most. Quarterback Arch Manning, whose play in the first three quarters was reminiscent of his erratic game against OSU last season, led scoring drives of 91 yards, 72 yards and 73 yards that produced three fourth-quarter touchdowns that wiped out the 23-3 lead the Buckeyes held when they entered that quarter. Hollywood Smothers' 1-yard touchdown run and Gianni Spetic's extra-point kick with 25 seconds left on the clock gave Texas its improbable win and its only lead in the game. "We had them on the ropes and didn't finish them We won the first three quarters and obviously did not win the fourth. We have to go back and figure out why that was. This one hurts," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said in his post game press conference. "It's on all three phases (offense, defense, special teams). I thought we played solid for three quarters but we were not perfect by any stretch of the imagination," he said No. 4 Texas' first-half troubles started immediately when Ohio State freshman cornerback Jay Timmons caused a fumble and recovered it at Texas' 16-yard line on the Longhorns' first offensive play. Ohio State managed to get only a 26-yard field goal out of that early gift. But more early trouble was ahead for Texas when No. 1 Ohio State built a 20-3 halftime lead and outgained the Longhorns 240 yards to 98 yards in the first two quarters. Texas' second possession of the game also ended in a turnover and this turnover led to an Ohio State touchdown and a 10-0 lead for the Buckeyes. Texas receiver Cam Coleman's attempt to make a diving catch turned into an unusual interception when the football bounced off Coleman to Jaylen McClain at Ohio State's 13-yard line. After a 10-play drive, OSU got a touchdown on an 8-yard run by Bo Jackson. Texas cut the lead to 10-3 on a 37-yard field goal by Giannit Spetic with 5:42 left in the first half. But Ohio State got a 30-yard field goal by Hawkins and a 19-yard touchdown pass from Sayin to Jeremiah Smith in the final 1:48 of the first half to take a 20-3 halftime lead. That lead grew to 23-3 on a 48-yard field goal by Hawkins with eight minutes left in the third quarter. Sayin was 17 of 32 for 278 yards and one touchdown. Smith caught 8 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Bo Jackson rushed for 74 yards on 19 carries.