For three quarters Saturday night in Austin, Ohio State looked every bit like the No. 1 team in the country. The Buckeyes had controlled the pace, frustrated Arch Manning, quieted a packed Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and built a 23-3 lead that seemed to have them on the verge of one of the most impressive road victories of the young college football season.

Then came a fourth quarter that could linger for quite a while.

Texas scored 21 unanswered points over the final 15 minutes, capped by Hollywood Smothers’ one-yard touchdown with 25 seconds remaining, to stun Ohio State 24-23. What had looked like a statement road win instead became a painful lesson in just how quickly momentum can flip against an elite opponent.

There were plenty of positives for Ohio State to take from its first major test of 2026. Julian Sayin made several high-level throws, Jeremiah Smith looked every bit like the best receiver in college football, and the defense spent most of the night making life miserable for Manning and the Texas offense. Ohio State walked into one of the toughest environments in the country and, for most of the game, looked like the better team.

That is what makes the loss so difficult to digest.

Ohio State had Texas in trouble. The Buckeyes had a 20-point lead entering the fourth quarter. They had created turnovers, controlled field position and repeatedly made the Longhorns look uncomfortable. What they could not do was finish, and against championship-level opponents, that is often the difference between a memorable win and the kind of loss that hangs around.

FINAL WHISTLE: TEXAS 24, OHIO STATE 23

If you had told Ohio State before kickoff that Texas would enter the fourth quarter with only three points, it would have been hard to imagine the Buckeyes leaving Austin without a victory. Yet that is exactly what happened.

Ohio State led 10-0 after the first quarter and 20-3 at halftime before Connor Hawkins added a 48-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to push the lead to 23-3. At that point, the Buckeyes had controlled nearly every important part of the game. Manning had struggled to find a rhythm, Texas had turned the football over twice, and Ohio State had consistently produced the more dangerous offensive plays.

The Longhorns finally found life early in the fourth quarter. Texas drove 91 yards on 15 plays, with Manning connecting with Ryan Wingo for a three-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 23-10. The next Texas possession covered 72 yards in 13 plays and ended with Smothers scoring from one yard out. Suddenly, what had once been a comfortable Ohio State lead was down to six points.

The Buckeyes then had a chance to create some breathing room. They moved into field goal range but came away empty, and Texas took advantage of the opportunity. The Longhorns went 73 yards on 12 plays, eventually scoring on another one-yard Smothers run with 25 seconds remaining. Three fourth-quarter touchdown drives had erased everything Ohio State had built through the first three quarters.

The Buckeyes received one final possession, but there simply wasn’t enough time left to recover. A holding penalty made the situation even more difficult, and Sayin’s desperation pass on the final play was intercepted.

From 23-3 to 23-24.

A game Ohio State appeared to own had become one it will spend a long time wondering how it allowed to escape.

HOW OHIO STATE BUILT THE LEAD

The ending should not completely erase how well Ohio State played for much of the night. The Buckeyes opened the scoring with a 26-yard Connor Hawkins field goal before putting together one of their best possessions of the young season, driving 81 yards on 10 plays and finishing with an eight-yard touchdown run from Ja’Kobi Jackson.

Texas finally answered with a field goal in the second quarter, but Ohio State continued to control the game. Hawkins connected again from 30 yards to make it 13-3, and the Buckeyes then put together one of the most impressive sequences of the night just before halftime.

With less than a minute remaining, Ohio State covered 49 yards in only four plays. Sayin pushed the ball downfield with confidence and found Jeremiah Smith for a 19-yard touchdown with 14 seconds remaining, giving the Buckeyes a 20-3 halftime lead.

That drive was important because it showed what Ohio State’s offense looked like when it was aggressive. Sayin was not being protected by the play calling. He was being trusted to attack, and he responded.

That same mindset became much harder to find after halftime.

A TALE OF TWO HALVES

The biggest difference between the first three quarters and the final 15 minutes was not simply that Texas started playing better. It was that Ohio State stopped dictating the game.

The Buckeyes had been aggressive early, taking shots downfield and using Jeremiah Smith to stretch the defense. As the game progressed, however, the offense became more conservative. The run game struggled to consistently create favorable down-and-distance situations, and Ohio State began asking its defense to protect the lead instead of continuing to build on it.

For a while, that approach worked. The defense continued to hold Texas in check and the Buckeyes maintained control of the scoreboard. Once the Longhorns finally found a rhythm, though, Ohio State had difficulty responding.

Texas began completing shorter throws, Manning started moving more effectively outside the pocket, and the Longhorns repeatedly converted the types of plays that allowed them to stay on the field. The three fourth-quarter scoring drives were not built around one or two huge plays. They were long, grinding possessions that kept Ohio State’s defense on the field and allowed Texas to slowly regain control of the game.

At the same time, Ohio State’s offense could not generate the response drive it needed. The Buckeyes managed only three second-half points and were shut out in the fourth quarter.

That combination eventually became too much to overcome.

BY THE NUMBERS

The frustrating thing about this loss is that the overall box score does not look like a game Ohio State should have lost.

The Buckeyes outgained Texas 372-336 and averaged 5.9 yards per play compared with 4.3 for the Longhorns. Ohio State threw for 278 yards, while Manning finished with 195 through the air. The Buckeyes also won the turnover battle before Sayin’s final-play interception.

Those numbers make the result even harder to explain.

Texas, however, won some of the hidden battles that became more important as the night went on. The Longhorns finished with 25 first downs compared with Ohio State’s 19, ran 78 offensive plays compared with 63 for the Buckeyes and controlled the football for more than 31 minutes.

The rushing numbers also told a story. Texas finished with 141 yards on the ground, while Ohio State managed only 94.

That difference mattered most when the game tightened. Texas could stay on the field, move the chains and keep putting pressure on the Ohio State defense. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, could not consistently do the same thing when they needed to protect the lead.

BUCKEYE SPOTLIGHT: JEREMIAH SMITH

For all that went wrong late, Jeremiah Smith once again showed why he may be the most dangerous offensive player in college football.

Smith finished with eight receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown, averaging more than 20 yards every time he caught the football. He consistently created separation, stretched the Texas defense and produced several of Ohio State’s most important plays.

His 19-yard touchdown late in the second quarter was the biggest, but his impact was felt throughout the night. Whenever Ohio State aggressively pushed the football toward Smith, Texas struggled to completely contain him.

That naturally raises a question about the second half.

Did Ohio State go away from its best player too much?

Texas deserves credit for making adjustments, and not every coverage provided the same opportunities. Sayin also missed a few throws that might have changed the game. Still, when you have a player as dominant as Smith, there is always going to be discussion about whether the offense did enough to make sure he remained involved when momentum began shifting.

Smith gave Ohio State a performance worthy of a marquee road victory.

The Buckeyes simply could not turn it into one.

JULIAN SAYIN: ENCOURAGING, BUT UNFINISHED

Sayin’s final numbers were solid but incomplete.

He finished 17-of-32 for 278 yards, one touchdown and one interception, though the interception came on the final desperation play and should not define his performance.

For much of the first half, Sayin looked poised and confident. He handled the crowd noise, pushed the football downfield and made several throws that showed why there is so much belief in his ability.

The bigger concern came after halftime.

Sayin completed only five passes in the second half, and once Texas began cutting into the lead, Ohio State could not create the kind of drive that would have stopped the momentum.

That is part of the next step in Sayin’s development.

Being Ohio State’s quarterback is not simply about playing well enough to build a lead. It is about making the throw or leading the drive that ends a comeback.

Sayin showed Saturday that he belongs on this stage.

Now he has to learn how to finish on it.

THE RUN GAME REMAINS A CONCERN

The Ball State game raised questions about Ohio State’s run blocking even though the final box score showed 237 rushing yards. Texas provided a much more meaningful test, and those concerns did not disappear.

Ohio State finished with only 94 rushing yards on 31 carries, an average of roughly three yards per attempt. Bo Jackson led the Buckeyes with 74 yards on 19 carries, while Ja’Kobi Jackson added 20 yards on five attempts and scored the first-quarter touchdown.

There simply were not enough consistent running lanes.

Ohio State did not consistently create push at the line of scrimmage, particularly when Texas knew the Buckeyes wanted to run. That became especially damaging in the second half when Ohio State was trying to protect the lead.

This is where run blocking becomes more than just a stat-sheet issue. When you’re ahead 23-10 or 23-17 in a hostile environment, being able to line up, run the football and gain four or five yards changes the entire complexion of the game. It allows you to shorten the contest, rest the defense and prevent the opponent from gaining momentum.

Ohio State could not do that consistently enough.

The Buckeyes have talented running backs. That is not the question. The concern is whether the offensive line can create dependable rushing opportunities against quality defensive fronts.

Ball State gave us the first hint.

Texas made it something Ohio State has to address.

DEFENSIVE SPOTLIGHT: GREAT FOR THREE QUARTERS, THEN GONE

Evaluating Ohio State’s defense requires holding two truths at the same time.

For three quarters, the Buckeyes were outstanding. They confused Manning, created turnovers and held a talented Texas offense to only three points. If the game had ended after 45 minutes, this would have been remembered as one of Ohio State’s best defensive performances in years.

Then came the fourth quarter.

Texas scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions, and none of the drives were built around a single fluke play. The Longhorns went 91 yards, then 72 and then 73.

That is what makes the fourth quarter so difficult to explain away.

Ohio State gradually softened underneath, Manning became more comfortable and Texas repeatedly put itself in manageable situations. The Buckeyes had chances to make a stop, but one completion or one short run kept extending the drives.

The defense had been asked to carry much of the game, and eventually the burden became too heavy.

Still, championship defenses have to finish.

Ohio State did not.

TURNING POINT: THE MISSED CHANCE TO CREATE SEPARATION

After Texas cut the lead to 23-17, Ohio State finally responded with a drive that looked like it might stabilize the game. The Buckeyes moved into field goal range and gave Hawkins an opportunity to push the lead back to two scores.

He missed from 45 yards.

Texas took over and eventually drove for the winning touchdown.

The missed field goal will naturally receive attention, but placing the loss entirely on Hawkins would ignore everything that happened before it. Ohio State had once led 23-3. The Buckeyes had numerous chances to make sure a missed kick never became the defining moment.

The kick mattered because Ohio State had already allowed the game to become close enough for it to matter.

WHAT NEEDS WORK: FINISHING HAS TO BECOME A SKILL

The most obvious lesson from Saturday is that Ohio State has to learn how to finish.

There are several individual areas that will receive attention during film review. The offensive line needs to improve its run blocking. The second-half passing game needs to remain aggressive. The defense has to adjust when an opponent finds a rhythm, and the offense has to provide more help when the defense is spending too much time on the field.

But all of those things fit under one larger problem.

Ohio State stopped playing like the team that had built the lead.

The Buckeyes scored a touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in the first half because they attacked. They trusted Sayin, pushed the ball downfield and played to add points rather than simply protect what they already had.

That mindset faded in the second half.

There will also be questions about the final Texas possession, particularly whether Ohio State should have allowed the Longhorns to score earlier and preserve more time for Sayin and the offense. Ryan Day instead trusted his defense to make a goal-line stand.

It is understandable.

If the defense makes one play, Ohio State wins.

But the larger issue is that the Buckeyes should not have needed that decision at all.

A 23-3 fourth-quarter lead should not require a miracle at the goal line.

Ohio State needed to finish the game long before it reached that point.

PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS: PAINFUL, NOT FATAL

This loss hurts, but it does not end Ohio State’s season.

That distinction matters.

Losing by one point on the road against the No. 4 team in the country is not the type of defeat that destroys a College Football Playoff résumé. Texas is expected to remain one of the better teams in college football, and Ohio State spent most of Saturday night showing that it belongs in the same conversation.

The loss does, however, shrink the margin for error.

Ohio State is now 1-1 and will likely fall from the No. 1 spot in the rankings. The Buckeyes can no longer count on carrying an undefeated record into the heart of Big Ten play.

The good news is that there will be plenty of opportunities to rebuild the résumé. Ohio State still has major games remaining against some of the best teams on its schedule, and a successful run through the Big Ten would quickly change the conversation.

If the Buckeyes win those games and remain in contention for the conference championship, the loss in Austin becomes a September scar rather than a season-defining blow.

But Ohio State has used some of its room for error.

A one-point road loss to Texas is understandable.

Stacking another loss or two on top of it would make the playoff picture much more complicated.

The season is far from over.

The path simply became narrower.

THE BUCKEYE50 TAKEAWAY

This will be one of those games Ohio State fans replay in their heads for a while, and not because losing to Texas is some kind of embarrassment.

It is because Ohio State had the game.

The Buckeyes spent three quarters showing that they could be the better team. They led by 20 points in Austin, Jeremiah Smith looked unstoppable, Sayin made several impressive throws and the defense had Manning searching for answers.

Everything Ohio State wanted was sitting right in front of it.

Then it disappeared.

That is what makes this loss different from simply coming up short against another top-five team.

Ohio State did not leave Austin wondering whether it was talented enough to beat Texas.

The Buckeyes already proved that.

They left wondering why they stopped doing the things that had put them in control.

There is still plenty to be encouraged about. Smith looks like a player capable of taking over any game. Sayin showed that he can handle a difficult road environment. The defense demonstrated that it can suffocate an elite offense for long stretches.

There is a championship-caliber team in there.

But championship teams finish.

They turn 23-3 into 30-3.

They get the first down that kills another two minutes.

They create the defensive stop when momentum starts to change.

They respond when an opponent makes its run.

Ohio State did not do those things Saturday.

The Buckeyes now have the rest of the season to prove that this loss was a lesson and not a defining weakness.

Because the biggest question coming out of Austin is no longer whether Ohio State can compete with the best teams in the country.

We already know the answer.

The question is whether the Buckeyes can finish them.

NEXT UP: TIME TO RESPOND

Ohio State returns home next Saturday to face Kent State, and the final score of that game probably will not tell us much about whether the problems from Austin have truly been corrected.

The response will.

Does the offensive line generate more consistent movement in the run game? Does Ohio State stay aggressive after building a lead? Does the defense play with the same edge for four quarters instead of three? Does the offense find ways to sustain drives when the opponent knows it wants to run?

Those are the things worth watching.

Ohio State’s championship goals are still in front of it.

But Saturday provided an early reminder that controlling a game is not enough.

You have to finish it.

Final: No. 4 Texas 24, No. 1 Ohio State 23

Ohio State Record: 1-1

Next: Kent State at Ohio State — Saturday, September 19