TEXAS BEATS OHIO STATE 24-23 IN FOURTH-QUARTER COMEBACK

Texas beat Ohio State 24-23 on Saturday night, overturning a 23-3 deficit with three touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Arch Manning led the comeback, completing 23 of 37 passes for 195 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Manning said afterwards that he had had "nightmares" about Texas's defeat to Ohio State the previous year. He told reporters he had not wanted to face criticism after a second consecutive home defeat to Ohio State. One report said the win was Texas's first over Ohio State since the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.

A year earlier, Texas began the season ranked number one, with Manning regarded as a Heisman Trophy contender, before losing to Ohio State. Ahead of Saturday's game, Urban Meyer said on his programme The Stampede that Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith should not be left in single coverage, calling him "a big play waiting to happen." Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns against Ball State in Ohio State's season opener. Manning also missed some open receivers during the game, one report said. He described Saturday's win as "not very pretty," adding: "That's what good teams do."

Manning is now the favourite to be the first overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft, according to one report. Texas has previously limited Smith's impact with a defensive scheme that placed a safety over him and a cornerback, often Jahdae Barron, underneath. Will Howard, who was Ohio State's quarterback in the teams' previous meeting, said Texas had "found different ways to get two guys over the top of" Smith. In that game, Smith was held to one catch for three yards on three targets.