No. 3 Football sees season end in College Football Playoff Semifinal

Friday, January 10

Arlington, Texas

6:30 p.m. CT

University of Texas

13-3 , 7-1

Ohio State

13-2 , 7-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Ohio St.

Texas

No. 3 Football sees season end in College Football Playoff Semifinal

01.11.2025 | Football

Box Score

Texas ties for most wins in single season, before bowing out of CFP

By: Chris Allen Brown

ARLINGTON, Texas – As both Texas and Ohio State headed towards the west end of AT&T Stadium to begin the fourth quarter of Friday night's College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, each were looking to break the tie on the scoreboard. But it was the sixth-seeded Buckeyes who capitalized throughout the final 15-minute quarter by scoring two touchdowns to end third-seeded Texas' season 28-14.

Using momentum created by a game-tying, 26-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Quinn Ewers to running back Jaydon Blue with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter, the Longhorn defense forced a second Ohio State punt in the quarter and were on the verge of capitalizing on the opportunity and taking their first lead of the game.

But a 3rd-and-5 pass attempt from Ewers to Matthew Golden fell incomplete, thus giving the ball back to Ohio State with 14:47 remaining in regulation.

Quarterback Will Howard and the Buckeye took the ball at the Ohio State 12-yard line and proceeded to move the ball down the field for a 13-play, 88-yard drive that took 7:45 off the clock and was capped by a 1-yard rushing touchdown by OSU running back Quinshon Judkins with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter. The drive was prolonged courtesy of an 18-yard run by Howard on a 4th-and-2 play at the Texas 34-yard line.

On the following drive, Texas, looking to tie the game for the second time on the night, moved the ball from the Longhorn 25-yard line and into the red zone in just four plays. The four-play sequence was highlighted by a 34-yard pitch-and-catch from Ewers to tight end Gunnar Helm and then a 27-yard reception from Ewers to Matthew Golden.

Two plays later, the Ohio State defense was called for pass interference on a 3rd-and-3 from the 6-yard line to move the ball to the 2-yard line and reset the down marker to give the Longhorns a first down. Following a second consecutive defensive pass interference call against the Buckeyes, Texas had a 1st-and-Goal from the 1-yard line.

On first down, running back Jerrick Gibson was unable to get into the end zone. Quintrevion Wisner was brought down in the backfield for a 7-yard loss on second down. Ewers and receiver Ryan Wingo were unable to connect on a third-down pass attempt as well.

Looking for similar fourth-down magic that occurred last week at the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, Ewers was sacked for a 9-yard loss and lost a fumble that Jack Sawyer returned for a 83-yard touchdown to push Ohio State ahead by two touchdowns.

Texas attempted to rally and cut its deficit, but Ewers was picked off by Ohio State's Caleb Downs on the third play of the ensuring drive to end the opportunity.

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