Ohio State wins 6th national title after 28-14 win over Texas in CFP Semi Cotton Bowl

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Quinshon Judkins ran for two touchdowns before Jack Sawyer forced his former roommate’s fumble return 83 yards for a TD as Ohio State beat Texas 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night and advanced to within a shot of his sixth national title.

Led by Judkins and Sawyer, the Buckeyes (13-2) celebrated in the semifinals in the same stadium where they were champions in the College Football Playoff’s debut four-team format 10 years ago. Now they have a chance to be victorious again in the debut of an expanded 12-team field.

Ohio State is playing the Orange Bowl champion Lady in Atlanta on January 20. It could be quite the finish for the Buckeyes after losing to rival Michigan on Nov. 30.

“About a month ago, a lot of people counted us. And these guys went to work, this team, these leaders, the captains, the staff,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “Everyone in the building believed. And because of that, I believe we won the game in the fourth quarter.”

Sawyer got to Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on fourth-and-goal from the 8, throwing the ball away before taking it all the way to the other end zone with 2:13 left. It was the longest comeback in CFP history.

“I saw the ball come right after I hit it, I was just thinking, I’ve got to stay on my feet because I almost passed out when I caught it and saw a bunch of green grass in front of me,” Sawyer said. “He just went, said, ‘Fuck you,’ and started laughing. It’s obviously my son.”

Ewers and Sawyer were roommates in Columbus for a semester before the quarterback transferred back home to Texas. Ewers has helped the Longhorns (13-3) reach back-to-back CFP semifinals, but next season will be their 20th since winning their last state title with Vince Young in 2005.

Texas moved to the 1, aided by two pass interference penalties in the end zone, before Quintrevion Wisner was stopped for a 7-yard loss. Ewers threw for a third down while Sawyer pressured him on the play before the defensive touchdown.

“He’s everything we could ask for in a captain,” Day said. “To make a play like that at that moment, we were talking before the game, if you want to leave a legacy behind, you become a legend. He just became a legend in the state of Ohio.”

Judkins had a 1-yard touchdown run for a 21-14 lead with 7:02 left. That score came four plays after quarterback Will Howard converted a fourth-and-2 from the Texas 34 with an 18-yard fumble that was a near-goal.

Howard was 24 of 33 passing for 289 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He played his first game at AT&T Stadium since leading Kansas State to a win over undefeated TCU in the Big 12 Championship two years ago. He was 0-3 as a starter against the Longhorns while at K-State, including an overtime thriller in Austin last season.

Ewers finished 23 of 39 for 283 yards with two TD passes to Jaydon Blue and an interception on his last possession. It may have been his last game for the Longhorns since he was eligible to enter the NFL draft.

The Buckeyes went ahead on the first play when Judkins scored on a 9-yard run. It looked like they could get off to another fast start after jumping out to 21-0 and 34-0 leads in their first two playoff games.

But Ohio State then tied the game on four straight possessions before Texas tied it at 7 on Ewers’ 18-yard touchdown pass to Blue with 29 seconds left in the first half. Arch Manning, the backup and future starting quarterback, kept that drive alive when he converted a fourth-and-1 from midfield with an 8-yard keeper – his only play of the game.

Immediately following Texas’ first TD, Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson turned a short pass into a 75-yard touchdown, following a wall of blockers before kicking through an open gap and sprinting to the end zone.

The Blues had the tying run 26 yards for a TD with 3:12 left in the third quarter. The drive featured a great play by Ewers, who Sawyer was trailing on third-and-10 when he was able to hook the ball under the arm of Wisner for a 13-yard gain.

The Buckeyes went ahead on the first play when Judkins scored on a 9-yard run. It looked like they could get off to another fast start after jumping out to 21-0 and 34-0 leads in their first two playoff games.

But Ohio State then tied the game on four straight possessions before Texas tied it at 7 on Ewers’ 18-yard touchdown pass to Blue with 29 seconds left in the first half. Arch Manning, the backup and future starting quarterback, kept that drive alive when he converted a fourth-and-1 from midfield with an 8-yard keeper – his only play of the game.

Immediately following Texas’ first TD, Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson turned a short pass into a 75-yard touchdown, following a wall of blockers before kicking through an open gap and sprinting to the end zone.

Blue had the game-tying 26-yard TD catch with 3:12 left in the third quarter. The drive featured a great play by Ewers, who Sawyer was trailing on third-and-10 when he was able to hook the ball under the arm of Wisner for a 13-yard gain.

Next

While Ohio State heads to the CFP National Championship, Texas awaits a rematch with the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in the previously scheduled 2025 season opener on Aug. 30.