Arch Manning leads Texas past Ohio State in comeback win.
Texas defeated No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 on Saturday, scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter after trailing 23-3. Hollywood Smothers' 1-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds remaining sealed the comeback.
- Ohio State led 20-3 at halftime; Texas managed just 97 yards of offense.
- Julian Sayin completed 17 of 32 passes for 278 yards, one touchdown, one interception.
- Arch Manning went 23 of 37 for 196 yards, one touchdown, one interception.
- A missed 45-yard Ohio State field goal opened the door for Texas' winning drive.
Why it matters: The result ends Texas' three-game losing streak against Ohio State and hands Sarkisian his biggest regular-season win since arriving in Austin. Manning had entered with unmet Heisman Trophy expectations after struggling in earlier high-stakes games.
- Texas spent roughly $40 million on its roster this season, making the early deficit particularly damaging to its national title case.
How 25 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage agrees on the facts but divides on emphasis: whether the story is Texas' character comeback or Ohio State's collapse from a position of control.
Center coverage, 15 sources: The center splits attention between the on-field comeback and the off-field subplot — Texas fans not storming the field to avoid a $500,000 SEC fine — treating both as equally newsworthy.
Left coverage, 5 sources: The left frames this as a nuts-and-bolts upset: precise stats, sequence of key plays, and Manning's steady fourth-quarter execution rather than narrative drama.
Right coverage, 5 sources: The right leans into the spectacle and program-defining stakes, casting the win as a long-awaited identity moment for Texas and Sarkisian after years of underachieving in big games.
What’s next: Texas could move to No. 1 in next week's polls.
- Both teams face non-conference opponents before returning to SEC and Big Ten play.
- Did Ohio State's second-half offensive shutdown reflect a Texas defensive adjustment or Buckeye fatigue — and which matters more going forward?
- How does Sayin's 17-of-32 performance in a near-win factor into his Heisman and NFL draft standing relative to Manning's comeback numbers?
