{"id":434749,"date":"2026-09-13T13:36:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T13:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/434749\/"},"modified":"2026-09-13T13:36:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T13:36:17","slug":"texas-longhorns-offseason-gamble-pays-off-in-major-way-in-ohio-state-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/434749\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Longhorns Offseason Gamble Pays Off in Major Way in Ohio State Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

For all the talk about the offensive-minded head coaches Steve Sarkisian<\/a> and Ryan Day, it was the defense that came up big for the Texas Longhorns in Saturday\u2019s thrilling 24-23 win<\/a> over No. 1-ranked Ohio State.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The first true test of the Will Muschamp defense didn\u2019t get off to the best of starts. His unit went into halftime trailing by 17 points, down 20-3, after the ball literally and figuratively didn\u2019t bounce their way in the first 30 minutes of play.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Texas offense sputtered out of the gate with turnovers on each of its first two drives before turning it over on downs after managing a field goal in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes put up 240 yards of offense while converting five of their eight third downs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Boom\"Will<\/p>\n

Georgia Co-Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp looks on during warm ups before the start of a NCAA college football game against Missouri in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s where things changed. The defense that gave Texas trouble in its three prior bouts with Georgia turned the table on Ohio State, delivering a performance that will go down in history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It started from the opening drive of the half; with Ohio State already up three scores, the Longhorns couldn\u2019t surrender ground anymore. Texas stood tall, forcing a quick punt after six plays from the Buckeyes.<\/p>\n

Then, as the Longhorns offense failed to exit the locker room with answers for the Ohio State defense, Muschamp\u2019s unit bent but didn\u2019t break after a 43-yard reception for star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith put the Buckeyes right back into scoring position.<\/p>\n

A Bo Jackson run for no gain and two straight incompletions from Sayin, including a third-down pass to Smith, kept Texas alive as the Buckeyes settled for the field goal.<\/p>\n

Those three points turned out to be all that Ohio State scored in the second-half, as Texas forced two straight three-and-outs before the second-to-last Ohio State drive ended in the ill-fated field goal attempt.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It certainly wasn\u2019t pretty at times for Texas on either side of the ball. Yet, if it wasn\u2019t for the Longhorns’ defense, the story of Texas\u2019s \u201cback from the dead\u201d performance may not even exist.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Buckeyes totaled a mere 132 total yards in the final 30 minutes, as the Texas offense came to life with 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points, delivering arguably the biggest win of the Sarkisian era and a massive springboard for the return of \u201cCoach Boom\u201d to the Forty Acres.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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