Texas Stuns No. 1 Ohio State With Historic 20-Point Fourth-Quarter Comeback

AUSTIN, Texas — No. 4 Texas produced a comeback for the record books Saturday night, scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat No. 1 Ohio State 24–23 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

The Longhorns entered the final period trailing 23–3 after struggling for most of the night against the nation’s top-ranked team. What followed was the largest fourth-quarter comeback ever completed against an Associated Press No. 1 team.

Quarterback Arch Manning began the rally with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Wingo. Running back Hollywood Smothers then scored twice, including a 1-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds remaining that tied the game. Gianni Spetic converted the extra point to give Texas its first lead.

Texas still needed one final defensive stand. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin attempted to move the Buckeyes into scoring position, but cornerback Graceson Littleton intercepted his last pass to seal the victory.

Manning endured a difficult start that included an interception, but recovered to complete 11 of his final 15 passes and finish with 196 passing yards. Smothers led the Longhorns with 74 rushing yards, while Wingo’s fourth-quarter touchdown gave Texas the momentum it had been missing.

Ohio State controlled the first three quarters, building a 20–3 halftime advantage and adding a field goal in the third. The Buckeyes did not score in the fourth quarter, however, and a missed 45-yard field-goal attempt gave Texas the opportunity for its winning drive.

Sayin passed for 278 yards. Star receiver Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown, but Texas’ defense delivered the decisive plays late.

The win moved Texas to 2–0 and ended a two-game losing streak against Ohio State. It also gave head coach Steve Sarkisian one of the biggest regular-season victories of his six seasons leading the Longhorns.

The comeback carried special weight for several of Texas’ young playmakers. Wingo and Smothers supplied all three fourth-quarter touchdowns, while Littleton’s interception ended the Buckeyes’ final hope. Their performances turned a potential blowout loss into an early-season statement heard across college football.

The result is likely to reshape the national rankings and strengthen Texas’ place in the championship conversation. The Longhorns return to action Sept. 19, while Ohio State will try to rebound after falling to 1–1.

Sources: Associated Press, Sept. 13, 2026; Reuters, Sept. 13, 2026; and the University of Texas official game center.

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