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The Texas Longhorns had four chances to score a touchdown and tie the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. They were so close but kept moving backwards instead of forwards. On their last try, they had to throw the ball, and Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer took it away and scored, ending the game.
Everyone’s talking about that play, the one that dashed Texas’ hopes for a national championship. But let’s rewind a bit—two plays before, Coach Steve Sarkisian called for a sweep play from the one-yard line, losing seven crucial yards.
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That play call was baffling. With all the talent on the team, why not stick to what worked all season? Sarkisian often used clever plays to confuse opponents. So why abandon that strategy at such a critical moment?
There were plenty of options available to the Longhorns during that drive. Running a sweep against Ohio State’s formidable defense was arguably the worst choice possible.
The most puzzling part of this scenario is the decision to attempt a toss play on the one-yard line when Texas had other tricks up their sleeve. Bringing in Arch Manning could’ve been a game-changer.
It seemed like an obvious choice: Quinn Ewers was starting quarterback, yet creativity was key with everything on the line. Sarkisian had previously used Manning to successfully convert a fourth down earlier in the game.
Using Manning as a decoy or running alternative plays could’ve thrown off Ohio State’s defense. A pitch play from the one-yard line seemed reckless. It backed them up even further, leaving them eight yards to cover instead of just one.
Sarkisian explained post-game that if executed perfectly, it would’ve been a touchdown. “That’s one of those plays if you block it all right, you get in the end zone,” he said in a USA Today story. “We didn’t.”
But Ohio State was ready for it. Caleb Downs revealed they anticipated that exact move. The Buckeyes outsmarted Sarkisian, costing Texas their biggest win of the season.
This loss fed into the narrative that SEC schools struggle to break into the College Football Playoff scene. Sarkisian missed his chance to elevate Manning to legendary status and secure a spot in the national title game.
In the end, Sawyer seized the spotlight and snatched away Texas’ dream of reaching another national championship since 2005.
