A 20-Point Deficit, One Quarter
Texas entered the fourth quarter trailing No. 1 Ohio State 23-3 — a 20-point hole that few teams ever escape. What followed was the largest fourth-quarter comeback ever recorded against an AP No. 1 team, per Sportradar's historical database (FOX Sports, AP). Arch Manning's first two possessions of the comeback produced a 15-play, 91-yard drive to Texas' own 42, where a 4th-and-9 conversion pass to Emaree Winston kept the drive alive. Manning then scrambled for 18 yards on the next two snaps, took a deep dive from Jay Timmons on the OSU sideline, and capped the sequence with a touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo, cutting the lead to 23-10 (FOX Sports, AP).
The Fourth Quarter: Two Fourth-Down Calls, One Missed Kick
The fourth quarter followed the same template: Manning went for it on 4th-and-6 at Texas' own 32, completing a pass to Emmet Mosley V — the same aggressive gamble that began the comeback. The ensuing drive ended with a Hollywood Smothers touchdown run that made it 23-17. But the real story was the Buckeyes' own offense: Ohio State's Chris Smith — who had 8 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown over three quarters — was held to zero catches in the fourth by a Texas defense that sealed the back end of the comeback (FOX Sports, AP). And when OSU kicker Connor Hawkins missed a 45-yard field goal — having made kicks of 26, 30 and 48 yards earlier in the game — Manning said, 'When that happened, I knew it was our time' (FOX Sports). Texas scored on the next series to win 24-23.
Steve Sarkisian's Philosophy
The game was as much about the coach as the quarterback. Facing a choice to punt from the Ohio State 41 in the second quarter — trailing 13-3 — Sarkisian went for it and lost 10 yards on a reverse to Ryan Wingo, setting up the Buckeyes' touchdown that made it 23-3. Asked about the gamble, he said: 'That's how losers think. Winners win, baby. You got to go for it… They didn't hire me to keep it close. They hired me to win' (FOX Sports, AP). On Manning's grit: 'His grit started it. It was him kind of saying, Screw it, let's just go make plays'.
Rankings and Playoff Implications
The result is seismic. Texas rises to No. 1 in the AP Top 25, displacing Ohio State, and Manning's Heisman prospects are back in play. Texas earned 'real attention as national title contenders' after the win, per multiple outlets. For Ohio State, a 24-23 loss to an unranked opponent is a résumé problem that could take weeks to shake — and the Buckeyes lost their No. 1 ranking in the same AP poll that crowned the Longhorns (ESPN, NYT, SI, FOX Sports, AP).
Last season's Texas started at No. 1 but a season-opening loss at Ohio State kicked off a 9-3 finish and a CFP miss. Sarkisian, for his part, has already signaled the rematch: 'I told Ryan, I hope we see you again' — a line that lands differently now, given the playoff structure could set up another meeting between the two (FOX Sports, AP).
What This Means for CFB 27
In CFB 27, the 20-point comeback is a Dynasty lesson in QB trust: Manning's two fourth-down conversions — and the willingness to scramble when the pass broke down — are the difference between a 23-3 loss and a No. 1 ranking. For Ultimate Team, the win changes the market overnight: Texas cards were traded as a top-10 team going in, and a No. 1 finish on the week sends Manning's value skyward. Chris Smith's fourth-quarter drought is a market signal too — when the best playmaker gets shut down in the fourth, the game usually ends. For sim players, the takeaway is tactical: two 4th-and-long conversions from your own 40s and 30s are the highest-leverage plays in the game, and the market rewards QBs who go for it. Texas and Manning are now the best team in America — at least for one week.
