Jack Sawyer had the kind of moment that will live long after his playing days at Ohio State. Of course, one more win would make it that much sweeter.
Sawyer stripped Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers — his former roommate — and returned the fumble 83 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in a 28-14 win over the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night, giving the Buckeyes a shot at their sixth AP national title.
“We talked before the game about how you leave a legacy to become your old legend. And there are some guys on this team today that I think are going to be legends in Ohio State history,” coach Ryan Day said. “Now they get ten more days together, and the chance to tell their story if they win another one.”
Led by Ohio native Sawyer and Quinshon Judkins, who rushed for two touchdowns, the Buckeyes (13-2) captured the semifinal victory in the same stadium where they were champions a decade ago when the College Football Playoff debuted with a team of four teams. format. Now they have the chance to become winners again in the first season with an expanded field of 12 teams.
Ohio State will play Orange Bowl champion Notre Dame on Jan. 20 in Atlanta. It could be quite a finish for the Big Ten Buckeyes after losing to rival Michigan on Nov. 30.
Sawyer got to Ewers on a fourth-and-goal from the 8, knocked the ball loose before scooping it up and trudging all the way to the other end zone with 2:13 left. It was the longest fumble in CFP history.
“I saw the ball jump straight towards me after I tackled it. I just thought, I have to stay on my feet because I almost blacked out when I picked it up and saw a bunch of green grass in front of me. Sawyer said.
Ewers and Sawyer were roommates in Columbus for a semester before the quarterback moved to Texas. Ewers helped the Longhorns (13-3) to consecutive CFP semifinals, but next season will be their 20th since winning their last national title with Vince Young in 2005.
“I felt him. I started drifting away, thinking I could get the ball off before it got there,” Ewers said. “I saw Jack running along the sideline with the ball. … Jack is a good player and made a great play.”
Texas had advanced to the 1, aided by two pass interference penalties in the end zone, before Quintrevion Wisner was stopped for a loss of seven yards. Ewers then threw an incompletion on third down while being pressured by Sawyer on the play before the defensive touchdown.
“He’s everything we could possibly want in a captain,” Day said. “To make a play like that at that moment… He just became a legend at Ohio State.”
Judkins, a transfer from Mississippi, had a one-yard touchdown for a 21-14 lead with 7:02 left, capping an 88-yard, 13-play drive with 7:45 left. That score came four plays after quarterback Will Howard converted a fourth-and-2 from the Texas 34 with a stumbling 18-yard run that probably should have been a score.
“That fourth down was huge. …I fell on purpose. I’m kidding,” Howard said. “A statement drive. We needed that.”
Howard was 24 of 33 passing for 289 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was playing his first game at AT&T Stadium since leading Kansas State to a victory over undefeated TCU in the Big 12 championship two years ago. He was 0-3 as a starter against the Longhorns while at K-State, including an overtime thriller in Austin last season.
Ewers finished 23 of 39 for 283 yards with two TD passes to Jaydon Blue and an interception after getting the ball back one final time. It could have been his last game for the Longhorns since he was able to enter the NFL draft.
Texas won the Big 12 title last season before moving to the SEC.
The Buckeyes went ahead on their opening drive of the game when Judkins scored on a nine-yard run. It looked like they might get off to a fast start again after taking leads 21-0 and 34-0 in their first two playoff games.
But Ohio State then punted on four straight possessions before Texas tied the score at 7 on Ewers’ 18-yard touchdown pass to Blue with 29 seconds left in the first half. Arch Manning, the backup and future starting quarterback, kept that drive alive when he converted fourth-and-1 from midfield with an eight-yard keeper – his only play of the game.
Immediately after Texas’ first TD, Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson turned a screen pass into a 75-yard touchdown, following a wall of blockers before darting through an open gap and sprinting to the end zone.
Blue had a tying 26-yard touchdown with 3:12 left in the third quarter. The drive featured a great play by Ewers, who was pulled by Sawyer on third-and-10 when he managed to underhand scoop the ball to Wisner for a 13-yard gain.
As Ohio State prepares for the CFP title game, Texas awaits a rematch with the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in the previously scheduled 2025 season opener on August 30.