If you told me that Ohio State would have beat Texas by two touchdowns and without Jeremiah Smith scoring, I would have laughed in your face and would have called the paramedics for a wellness check. But here we are. The numbers tell the story of how good Ohio State is and how they beat a great team in Texas. It started with their dominant defense.
The Buckeye defense controlled this game. Texas came into the game averaging 443.9 total yards per game, 17th in the nation. The Buckeyes held them to 341 yards, 102 less than Texas averaged. The Longhorns offense was 21st in points per game with 34.3.
Ohio State, who had the best scoring defense coming into this game (giving up only 12 points per game), held them to 14, 20 less than their average. The Buckeyes, who were 3rd in the nation with sacks with 47, added four more and now have 51 on the season.
While they had their hiccups, the Buckeye offense was successful against a good Texas defense. Texas was 3rd in the nation in yards allowed, allowing only 277.9 yards per game. The Buckeyes gained 93 yards more than Texas usually gives up for 370.
The 2nd ranked passing defense of Texas (166.1 yards per game) who had 2nd most interceptions in the nation (21) was no match for Buckeyes’ passing attack. The Buckeyes only had one interception and 123 more passing yards on the Longhorns than they usually allow for a total of 289. The Texas D was 4th best in scoring only giving up 14.5 per game and Ohio State essentially doubled that (with help from Jack Sawyer).
Quarterback Will Howard once again led the offense. Howard was throwing into tight windows all night and only had it bite him once with an interception. Howard was 24 of 33 for 289 yards, a touchdown, and a big fourth-down run on the drive that would result in the Buckeyes’ go-ahead score. In their playoff games Howard so far is 65 of 88 for 919 yards and six touchdowns through the air.
TreVeyon Henderson went from goat to hero in this game. When the Buckeyes were making progress on their second drive of the game, Henderson gave the man who tackled him a shove after they got up off the turf. It was right in front of a referee, and he got a 15-yard penalty that would stall the drive.
Henderson was smarting on the sideline, but he would redeem himself right before halftime. Henderson would take a simple screen pass 75 yards for a touchdown to give Ohio State the 14-7 lead at halftime. Henderson would add six carries for 42 yards to that critical touchdown. In this playoff run, he has 32 touches for 365 yards and five total touchdowns.
Sonny Styles was on fire for the Buckeye defense. Styles had nine tackles, three tackles for a loss, a pass deflected, a strip sack, and a bone-crushing hit that stopped a Texas drive. But the most impressive was, once again, Ohio State’s book ends J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer.
J.T. Tuimoloau had seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and 1.5 sacks. Sawyer had three tackles, a pass deflection, and the play of the game, with a strip sack of his former roommate Quinn Ewers that he returned 83 yards for a touchdown that would send Ohio State to the national championship game. Tuimoloau has 18 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, and one pass deflection in the postseason. Sawyer has 10 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, six pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery that will make Jack Sawyer an Ohio State legend forever.
But the job is not done. And team captain Jack Sawyer and head coach Ryan Day would be the first to tell you that. They probably looked at some film on their flight back to Ohio and before they went to bed in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Marcus Freeman is a good coach and has had a great year at Notre Dame. He’s in his third year and will have had a game against his alma mater in each of his first three seasons. But none will be bigger than this one. Go Bucks! Beat Notre Dame!