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Texas Longhorns kicker Gianni Spetic (44) kicks the winning score against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 12, 2026. Texas Longhorns wins over Ohio State Buckeyes<\/p>\n
Ricardo B. Brazziell\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n
As the Texas football<\/a> completed an improbable comeback on Saturday night, Arch Manning, Hollywood Smothers and members of the Texas defense did their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n All that was left was for\u00a0Gianni Spetic to do his.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n More: Subscribe to the Statesman’s Texas sports newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n Spetic\u2019s extra point following a Smothers touchdown run with 25 seconds left was the difference in No. 4 Texas\u2019 24-23 win over No. 1 Ohio State<\/a> at Royal-Memorial Stadium. In its first win over the Associated Press poll\u2019s top-ranked team since 2008, Texas outscored the Buckeyes by a 21-0 margin in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n “You dream of playing in games like this, hosting the number one team in the country,” Manning said. “And how about that? Getting the win by one point? Let\u2019s go, baby.”<\/p>\n Gianni Spetic ensures that Texas doesn’t miss another pivotal extra point<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns kicker Gianni Spetic (44) score the first points for Texas Longhorns in the first half of the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 12, 2026.<\/p>\n Ricardo B. Brazziell\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Ahead of his game-winning kick,\u00a0Spetic had made 139 of the 141 extra points that he had attempted during a collegiate career that had included one season at Memphis and a two-year stint with the\u00a0Ohio Bobcats<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n A senior who joined the Longhorns after spending the 2025 season at Memphis,\u00a0Spetic had to that point\u00a0made 139 of the 141 extra points that he had attempted during a collegiate career that also included two years with the Ohio Bobcats. As a team, Texas had last missed an extra point in 2021.<\/p>\n Yet, the 20-yard kick that Texas needed to win\u00a0could not have been assumed. Longtime fans of the Longhorns\u00a0know this. After all, Saturday came nearly 11\u00a0years to the day after a missed extra point by Nick Rose<\/a> spoiled Jerrod Heard\u2019s attempt to rally UT back from a 21-point deficit against Cal.<\/p>\n More: Celebrities turn out for Texas vs Ohio State game in Austin<\/a><\/p>\n Staring down the same goal post in the north end zone at Rose, Spetic took three steps back, lined up his kick and shuffled two steps to his left. After holder Mac Chiumento then called for the snap from Trey Dupuc, Spetic easily split the uprights.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n “You have to keep it the same as you’re kicking a regular field goal,” Spetic said. “You try not to change anything to make it a bigger kick than what it is.”<\/p>\n On the Texas sideline, running back Raleek Brown said “I was real confident in (Spetic). I don’t even think I looked at it.” But what was going through the head of Spetic?<\/p>\n Explained Spetic: “It’s actually pretty funny. Working with (Texas analyst) Matt Moran, he had a little saying that I always say to myself: ‘Like a teacup.’ It’s kind of just placing the cup in your head, and you’ve got to be smooth to the ball. It’s what I say to myself before each kick. It helps me stay tall and be smooth.”<\/p>\n Texas kicker Gianni Spetic (44) lines up an extra point during the game against Texas State at Darrell K Royal\u2013Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sep. 5, 2026 in Austin.<\/p>\n Aaron E. Martinez\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Who is Gianni Spetic?<\/p>\n Spetic was among the first transfers to commit to Texas this offseason, and he said was lured to Austin by the connection he made with special teams coordinator Jeff Banks and the chance to\u00a0“play for a winning team.” The Longhorns’ transfer class also included Chiumento (Florida State) and Dupuc (New Mexico)<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The grandson of Croatian immigrants, Spetic is proud of his heritage. In fact, Spetic’s online bio at Ohio once stated that he was “100% Croatian.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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