Texas overcomes 20-point deficit to defeat Ohio State in Austin
2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 13, 2026, 6:55 AM
Last updated Sep 13, 2026
The No. 4 Texas Longhorns overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes 24-23 on Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Despite a 23-3 disadvantage entering the fourth quarter, Texas executed a methodical comeback driven by quarterback Arch Manning and a revitalized defense. Manning completed 11 of his final 15 pass attempts, including a crucial fourth-down conversion to Emmett Mosley V. Hollywood Smothers secured the lead for the Longhorns with a touchdown leap from the 1-yard line with 25 seconds remaining. The win marks a significant result for head coach Steve Sarkisian, who faced criticism following a lackluster first half. A capacity crowd of 105,044 attended the game.
- •Texas defeated Ohio State 24-23 in front of 105,044 fans in Austin.
- •The Longhorns rallied from a 23-3 deficit heading into the fourth quarter.
- •Arch Manning threw for 101 yards in the final quarter to fuel the comeback.
- •Hollywood Smothers scored the game-winning touchdown with 25 seconds left on the clock.
- •The defense held receiver Jeremiah Smith without significant production in the final period.
- 6:55 AMYahoo Sports — Steve Sarkisian exorcises demons with fourth-down calls in Texas' comeback win over Ohio State
- 6:19 AMYahoo Sports — Steve Sarkisian, Texas flip script, pull off miraculous comeback to topple Ohio State
"Steve Sarkisian has taken heat for some of his play calls, especially against Ohio State and even in Saturday's first half, but he pushed all the right buttons late in the Longhorns' comeback win.
"It's hard enough to make a 20-point comeback happen, let alone against the No. 1 team in the nation. The Longhorns did just that.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsSep 13, 2026, 6:55 AMSteve Sarkisian exorcises demons with fourth-down calls in Texas' comeback win over Ohio State
Steve Sarkisian has taken heat for some of his play calls, especially against Ohio State and even in Saturday's first half, but he pushed all the right buttons late in the Longhorns' comeback win.
- Yahoo SportsSep 13, 2026, 6:19 AMSteve Sarkisian, Texas flip script, pull off miraculous comeback to topple Ohio State
It's hard enough to make a 20-point comeback happen, let alone against the No. 1 team in the nation. The Longhorns did just that.
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