Ohio State’s Historic Collapse: Buckeyes Blow 20-Point Lead in Stunning 24-23 Loss to Texas
No. 1 Ohio State led 23-3 entering the fourth quarter but surrendered 21 unanswered points as No. 4 Texas completed one of the biggest comebacks in college football history.
Ohio State spent three quarters looking like the best team in the country, then collapsed in the fourth. The No. 1 Buckeyes led No. 4 Texas 23-3 entering the final period on Saturday night in Austin, only to watch the Longhorns rip off 21 unanswered points and steal a 24-23 win on Hollywood Smothers’ 1-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds left. It is one of the most stunning collapses in recent college football history, and it immediately reshapes the sport’s ranking and playoff picture.
The setup carried plenty of hype heading in, with a revenge rematch angle between two blue-blood programs and a Buckeyes team that had won its previous meeting with the Longhorns. Saturday flipped that script entirely, turning what looked like a comfortable road statement win into the defining moment of Ohio State’s season so far.
According to ESPN Research, Ohio State became the first AP No. 1 team since 2004 to lose after leading by at least 20 points in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes had also won 115 consecutive games when holding a 20-point lead — the sixth-longest active streak in the FBS — before that streak ended in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas, for its part, beat a top-ranked opponent at home for the first time in 76 years.
How the Fourth Quarter Fell Apart
Ohio State controlled the game for most of the night, building a 23-3 lead and forcing a Texas three-and-out midway through the third quarter. The Buckeyes still led 23-10 with 14:19 remaining after Arch Manning connected with Ryan Wingo on a short touchdown pass to open the fourth-quarter scoring for Texas. From there, everything unraveled for Ohio State. The Buckeyes gained just 49 total yards in the entire fourth quarter while their defense allowed three consecutive touchdown drives of 12 or more plays — the first time an FBS team has closed a game that way in 15 years.
Smothers cut the deficit to 23-17 with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 7:14 mark. Ohio State then drove into position for what would have been a clinching field goal, but Connor Hawkins — who had already made three field goals on the night — missed from 45 yards. That miss handed Texas the ball back with new life, and Manning made the Buckeyes pay, leading a 12-play, 73-yard drive that ended with Smothers’ game-winning score with 25 seconds on the clock. Ohio State’s final possession went nowhere, and Texas escaped with the 24-23 win.
What It Means for the Rankings and Playoff Race
The loss drops Ohio State from No. 1 but is unlikely to knock the Buckeyes far outside the top five given the quality of the opponent. Texas, meanwhile, is expected to jump to No. 1 in the next poll after producing the best win of the season so far. Ohio State (1-1) still owns a respected resume and plenty of season left to work with, but the margin for error the Buckeyes hoped to build with an early statement win is gone. The result also shakes up the broader College Football Playoff conversation, with one-loss Ohio State now needing to navigate the rest of a difficult schedule without the cushion a win in Austin would have provided.
Head coach Ryan Day’s program has now dealt with high-profile fourth-quarter letdowns in the past, and this one will draw fresh scrutiny of how Ohio State manages leads in the biggest moments. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, who has chased a marquee win over a blue-blood program since arriving in Austin, called it exactly that after the game, keeping his postgame comments brief before walking off with a simple “Hook ’em. Let’s go.”
Next Up for Both Programs
Ohio State returns home looking to regroup and reestablish itself as a playoff contender, while Texas will try to carry the emotional high of a signature victory into the rest of its non-conference and Southeastern Conference slate. For the Buckeyes, the response over the next few weeks will determine whether Saturday’s collapse becomes a minor blemish on an otherwise strong season or the first crack in a bigger problem. For Texas, the win instantly elevates the Longhorns into the thick of the national title conversation and gives Manning the kind of statement performance that follows a quarterback for the rest of his career.
The two programs had built a heated recent history entering Saturday, and this result only raises the stakes the next time Ohio State and Texas meet. For now, the Buckeyes are left searching for answers after squandering a lead that, by every historical measure, should have been safe.