The Texas Longhorns turned a rough afternoon into a statement win Saturday in Austin, erasing a 20-3 halftime deficit to knock off No. 1 Ohio State, 24-23.
The finish belonged to Hollywood Smothers, who jumped over the goal line for the game-winning touchdown with 25 seconds left. By then, Texas had already spent the second half clawing back possession by possession, and the crowd got to watch one of the program’s most memorable comebacks unfold in real time.
Arch Manning was shaky early, especially with his accuracy, but he settled in after halftime and kept Texas moving. His final line - 23 of 37 for 196 yards, one touchdown and one phantom interception - doesn’t leap off the page, but the second half told a different story. Manning looked composed when it mattered, and his biggest throw came on fourth-and-6 from the Texas 32-yard line, when he hit Emmett Mosley for a 12-yard gain in traffic.
If that pass falls incomplete, the game is basically over. Instead, Manning delivered, and Texas stayed alive.
Steve Sarkisian drew plenty of heat for some of his first-half play-calling, and there was one end around call for Ryan Wingo that ended with an Ohio State touchdown. But he answered with the kind of decisions that can define a game. The aggressive fourth-down call to Mosley stood out, and so did the decision to keep leaning on the backs.
That was the real backbone of the comeback. Outside of the opening fumble from Raleek Brown, Texas’ running backs kept churning out enough positive plays to keep the Longhorns in striking distance. Smothers’ touchdown was the headline, but he and Brown helped string together steady gains without needing anything flashy.
Instead of trying to get fancy at the goal line, Sarkisian kept it simple and trusted Smothers up the middle for the winner.
When it was over, the victory belonged right alongside the biggest of the Sarkisian era at Texas. Outside of the Longhorns’ two College Football Playoff wins in 2024, this was the best one yet, even ahead of the win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Now the challenge is carrying it forward. But for one Saturday in Austin, Texas looked every bit like a title contender.
In Other News...
Arch Manning Added To Texas Wildest Postgame Controversy Yet
The aftermath of Texas 24-23 comeback win over No. 1 Ohio State did not stay focused on the field for long. Steve Sarkisians postgame interview became a talking point after he cut off reporter Holly Rowe, and the moment quickly spilled into the kind of strange, over-the-top discourse that follows a marquee victory when the stakes are already sky high. The result itself mattered plenty, lifting Texas to No. 1 in the updated AP poll, but the tone around the celebration shifted almost immediately.
Arch Manning soon found himself dragged into the chatter after weighing in on an AI-generated video that falsely showed Sarkisian slapping Rowe. His reaction made clear he was not treating the situation with much gravity, even as the clip added another layer to an already messy postgame scene. For Texas, the football part of the night was the headline it wanted, but the strange side story around its coach and quarterback is the one still hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Sarkisian's Awkward Ohio State Moment Took A Strange Turn Online
Steve Sarkisians postgame exchange with Holly Rowe after the Ohio State game was already unusual enough to draw plenty of attention, with Texas fans and onlookers replaying the moment as soon as it hit social media. The Longhorns coach abruptly cut off the ESPN interview and sprinted away, turning a routine TV hit into one of the first viral oddities of the season for a program that tends to live under a microscope.
The story took an even stranger turn when Arch Manning said he had seen AI-generated videos making it look as if Sarkisian slapped Rowe, a fabrication that quickly circulated online after his comments. It was a reminder of how fast a bizarre real-life clip can get distorted once the internet grabs hold, and how little room there is for nuance once a strange moment from a marquee Texas game becomes meme material. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Gets One Last Real Test Before Big 12 Play
TCUs final tune-up before Big 12 play brings a familiar face to Fort Worth, with Arkansas State visiting for what should be a useful barometer for both teams. The Red Wolves have shown a balanced offense so far, leaning on multiple running backs and receivers, while mixing in enough defensive looks to keep an opponent honest. For a Horned Frogs team trying to sharpen itself before the conference grind begins, its the kind of late-September game that can reveal more than the matchup on paper suggests.
The most interesting wrinkle is under center, where Arkansas State is being led by Trey Owens, a transfer quarterback with Texas ties and a chance to settle in after a bumpy start to his career path. The Red Wolves also bring a strong secondary and a defense that changes structure, but their run defense has been a vulnerability through the first two games, which gives TCU a clear area to press. Before Big 12 play arrives, this one offers the Horned Frogs a final look at a team with enough moving parts to make the afternoon matter. [Read more 🡒]