Texas football had a chance to tie the game in the Cotton Bowl semifinals with a first-and-goal from Ohio State’s 1-yard line with 3:54 left in the fourth quarter, trailing 21-14.
With the season at stake in the College Football Playoff semifinals, the Longhorns were in a situation where they needed to score.
Three plays later, Texas was facing fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line. The Longhorns’ scoring chance ended with Jack Sawyer strip-sacking Quinn Ewers and returning a fumble 83 yards for a touchdown, resulting in a disastrous 14-point swing for Ohio State. This was arguably the most important play in the Buckeyes’ 28-14 victory.
Must read: Texas’ Steve Sarkisian loses to Ohio State in Cotton Bowl after interesting play call
The second most important play may have come before second down. After all, how did the Longhorns fall back seven yards after going first and goal?
Texas and coach Steve Sarkisian took a toss up the left sideline, which was knocked down by Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Although he didn’t make a tackle, he pushed Quinleveon Wisner far enough back that Ohio State was able to make a tackle and suffer a big loss.
“That was one of those plays, if you block it well you can get into the end zone,” Sarkisian said after the game. “We didn’t and we lost a lot of yards.”
Here’s the social media reaction to Texas’ play call at the key moment:
Social media reacts to University of Texas vs. Ohio State toss play
Here are the best reactions to Texas’ toss play call late in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game against the Buckeyes.
They called for a toss on second down because their goal line plan is made from film they watch all year…@OhioStateFB had the best goal line defense in America, Oregon State, Nebraska , just ask Penn State… Texas’ plan is likely to be on the perimeter once the big teams take the field.
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) January 11, 2025
Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler talk about SVP and the Texas toss play on second and goal from the 1-yard line that resulted in a 7-yard loss (two plays leading up to the game-clinching TD for Ohio State). 🏈🎙️#CFP pic.twitter.com/P5nhEq2c9x
— Awful Announcement (@awfulpayment) January 11, 2025
Thanks for running the toss sweep at the Texas goal line. thank you.
— Canaan Smith-Njigba (@CanaanSmith_) January 11, 2025
You make it second and score from 1, and you toss it 6 yards back…one of the worst play calls I’ve ever seen from Texas and Steve Sarkisian.
— MattBeGreat (@mattbegreatyt) January 11, 2025
Heck, Texas ran a toss play from the goal line and lost like 5 yards. How do you pitch it against either of these defenses?
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) January 11, 2025
As puzzling as the toss play was from the 1-yard line…the reality is Texas wouldn’t have gotten back into that game if Sark hadn’t dished on his play-calling in the second half.
All of Texas’ season experience wrapped up in one half of football
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) January 11, 2025
It’s kind of crazy the chain reaction that happens when a team becomes elite at something. Ohio State’s defense is dominant up front and near the goal line. That forced Texas to toss and perform multiple passes near the end zone, which ultimately led to the game-clinching TD.
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) January 11, 2025
Texas’ fourth-and-goal debacle that resulted in a strip sack of Jack Sawyer and a scoop-and-score for Ohio State.
A sideline camera shows Steve Sarkisian’s soul being crushed in real time on the Pat McAfee broadcast. #CFP pic.twitter.com/VipP5Ska1s
— Awful Announcement (@awfulpayment) January 11, 2025
That Texas goal line series was the biggest of Hugh Freeze’s ass play calls where I half expected the defensive lineman to go under center and run the option.
— Bunkie Perkins (@BunkiePerkins) January 11, 2025
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas, social media reacts to Steve Sarkisian’s goal-line toss against OSU
