AUSTIN
More than 105,000 were inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday night, but more than 405,000 will claim they were there to see something that may never happen again.
You can watch college football for the rest of your life and never see what Texas did to Ohio State when the Longhorns scored 21 fourth-quarter points to beat the Buckeyes 24-23. It is the first time Texas beat the top-ranked team in the country in Austin since 1950.
Saturday night in Austin for No. 4 Texas against No. 1 Ohio State is one of the times when college football proves it can do whatever it wants, shoot itself in the foot and face, treat the fans like garbage, and it doesn’t matter. There is nothing else like a big-on-big college football game, and we will deal with anything to watch it.
“You dream of playing in games like this,” Texas quarterback Arch Manning said.
Texas defensive end Colin Simmons (1) celebrates with teammates after they defeated Ohio State on Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Scott Wachter IMAGN IMAGES
After the game, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian called it the best win at home he’s enjoyed in his tenure.
“I know what football means to this state, and this university, and when you can win a game like this for these people I appreciate it,” Sarkisian said. “Is this the biggest win? I don’t know. This one is special. To beat the No. 1 team in the country in the fashion we did, to represent the name on our chest, means a lot.”
Sarkisian is fine, and safe, but he needed this. So did Manning. So did Texas.
The University of Texas board of regents and UT athletic director Chris Del Conte rescued Sarkisian’s head coaching career with an opportunity that his past said he may never receive; their trust and faith has been rewarded by an era that is better than those of Tom Herman and Charlie Strong.
An era that is very good. Not great. Not Ohio State great. Texas under Sark isn’t even Indiana great.
Ohio State running back Ja’Kobi Jackson scores on an 8-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Texas on Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Scott Wachter IMAGN IMAGES
For a team that did not make college football’s postseason invitational last year, this was a game Texas needed to win for morale more than the actual standings. Texas knows it’s good; good is not the problem.
Great and a national title are the goal. Texas has too much money just to be good.
It’s only September and the second week of the season, but Texas had to beat Ohio State to prove to itself it can. UT had lost back-to-back games to the Buckeyes, and Brutus had been Bevo’s daddy. With multiple national titles in the playoff era, Ohio State is the standard that Texas aspires to achieve.
“We could have played Jones Junior High and won 66-0, but I don’t know what that does for us,” Sarkisian said. “We found out that we can [beat Ohio State]. We’ve been close. We’ve been knocking on the door.”
Texas running back Hollywood Smothers (2) scores the game-winning 1-yard touchdown against Ohio State on Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Adam Cairns USA TODAY NETWORK
When Texas running back Hollywood Smothers scored on a 1-yard run with 25 seconds remaining in the game it was the first time UT led Ohio State since the 2009 Fiesta Bowl when Colt McCoy was the quarterback.
Speaking of Colt McCoy, the retired NFL quarterback and resident of Aledo was in the house on Saturday night in Austin. So was Kevin Durant, Gov. Greg Abbott, Woody Harrelson and first ballot-hall-of-fame freeloader Matthew McConaughey to watch UT put up a giant F in the first half.
There was a Ted Cruz sighting earlier in the day near DKR, but no word if he stepped inside to watch the game; for the entire first half, it felt like the Cruz curse was working on the Longhorns.
Texas should never have been down 20-3 at the half. Texas had four game-changing screwups that allowed Ohio State to take the lead.
“I don’t know if we could have played a worse first half,” Sarkisian said.
Probably not.
Ohio State defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (2) tackles Texas quarterback Arch Manning during the first half Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Scott Wachter IMAGN IMAGES
Texas turned the ball over twice on its first five plays; the second came on a bizarre bounce after Manning’s deep ball for receiver Cam Coleman, which should have been a touchdown, turned into an interception. Manning’s throw was about 2 feet too far for Coleman, who had to extend himself rather than catch the ball close to in stride.
Late in the second quarter and trailing 10-0, Manning had receiver Ryan Wingo wide open in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown. Naturally, Wingo dropped the ball.
Down 13-3 and facing a fourth-and-1 at the Ohio State 41 late in the first half, Sarkisian went for it with a play call that looked so similar to one of the worst in his tenure in Austin. Sarkisian went cute and ran an end-around to Wingo, who was stuffed for a loss after a brilliant read-and-tackle by defensive back Jermaine Matthews Jr.
It was not the exact same play call that helped doom UT in its Cotton Bowl playoff loss against Ohio State in 2025 at AT&T Stadium, but it was close enough.
Ohio State led 23-3 late in the third quarter before Texas made history. Three touchdowns in the final quarter, one big missed field goal by Ohio State, and the Longhorns did something that created faint echoes of the days when Vince Young was the quarterback.
It’s only September, and it was just the second game of the season, but Texas finally proved it can beat Ohio State.
Game schedule dates, times, locations Sept. 8 Rangers 10, Seattle 5 Sept. 9 Seattle 3, Rangers 2 Sept. 10 Seattle 4, Rangers 3 Sept. 11 Arizona 9, Rangers 1 Sept. 12 Rangers 6, Arizona 2 Sept. 13 at Arizona, 3:10 p.m., RSN Sept. 15 vs. Boston, 7:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 16 vs. Boston, 7:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 17 vs. Boston, 7:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 18 vs. Toronto, 7:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 19 vs. Toronto, 6:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 20 vs. Toronto, 1:35 p.m., RSN Aug. 17 Golden State 78, Wings 70 Aug. 20 Wings 91, Indiana 85 Aug. 23 Wings 92, Seattle 70 Aug. 25 Wings 96, Portland 78 Aug. 30 Wings 97, Connecticut 71 FIBA World Cup break Sept. 17 vs. Los Angeles, 7 p.m., KFAA, USA Sept. 19 vs. Phoenix, 12 p.m., CBS, Paramount+ Sept. 21 at Phoenix, 9 p.m., KFAA, USA Sept. 23 at Seattle, 9 p.m., KFAA, USA, CNBC End of regular season Sept. 13 at N.Y. Giants, 7:20 p.m., NBC Sept. 20 vs. Washington, 3:25 p.m., Fox Sept. 27 vs. Baltimore (at Rio de Janeiro), 3:25 p.m., CBS Oct. 4 at Houston, 12 p.m., Fox Oct. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video Oct. 18 at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m., NBC Oct. 26 at Philadelphia, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC Nov. 1 vs. Arizona, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 8 at Indianapolis, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 15 vs. San Francisco, 3:25 p.m., Fox Nov. 22 vs. Tennessee, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 26 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., Fox Dec. 7 at Seattle, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC Dec. 20 at L.A. Rams, 3:25 p.m., CBS Dec. 27 vs. Jacksonville, 7:20 p.m., NBC Jan. 3 vs. N.Y. Giants, 12 p.m., Fox Jan. 9 or 10 at Washington, TBA Aug. 29 North Carolina 15, TCU 10 Sept. 12 TCU 63, Grambling State 7 Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, 7 p.m., ESPNU Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA Nov. 6 at Arizona, 9:15 p.m., ESPN Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA Nov. 26 at Texas Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN Sept. 5 Indiana 52, North Texas 16 Sept. 12 North Texas 44, UNLV 6 Sept. 19 at Texas State, 11 a.m., USA Sept. 26 vs. Houston Christian, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ Oct. 1 at Tulsa, 8 p.m., ESPN Oct. 10 vs. Charlotte, TBA Oct. 24 at Navy, 2:30 p.m. CBSSN Oct. 29 vs. Florida Atlantic, 6:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2 Nov. 7 vs. Rice, TBA Nov. 14 at UTSA, TBA Nov. 21 at Tulane, TBA Nov. 28 vs. UAB, TBA All home games at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium Aug. 27 Central Oklahoma 59, Texas Wesleyan 7 Sept. 5 McNeese State 52, Texas Wesleyan 0 Sept. 12 Texas Wesleyan 56, Texas College 20 Sept. 26 vs. Nelson, 6 p.m. Oct. 3 at Arkansas Baptist, 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at Louisiana Christian, 2 p.m. Oct. 17 vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor, 1 p.m. Oct. 24 at Langston, 2 p.m. Oct. 31 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State, 2 p.m. Nov. 7 at Ottawa (Arizona), 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at Wayland Baptist, 2 p.m. Aug. 22 Vancouver 5, FC Dallas 0 Aug. 30 FC Dallas 3, St. Louis 3 Sept. 5 FC Dallas 4, Kansas City 3 Sept. 9 FC Dallas 2, Minnesota 1 Sept. 12 FC Dallas 2, Portland 1 Sept. 19 vs. Austin, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Sept. 26 vs. LAFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 10 at Charlotte, 6:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 14 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 17 at Houston, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Sept. 19 Black Light Run Sept. 25-26 Dumpster Expo Oct. 1-3 Dirt Track Championship Oct. 2-3 Goodguys Lone Star Nationals Oct. 14 Tony Stewart Bowling Tournament Oct. 16-17 High Limit Racing Championship Oct. 29-31 POWRi Racing
This story was originally published September 12, 2026 at 11:26 PM.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Mac Engel is an award-winning columnist who has covered sports since the dawn of man; Cowboys, TCU, Stars, Rangers, Mavericks, etc. Olympics. Movies. Concerts. Books. He combines dry wit with 1st-person reporting to complement an annoying personality.
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