Ohio State Captures the 2025 CFP Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

ARLINGTON, Texas - It was a reunion of former roommates that ultimately decided the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

With two minutes left and Texas threatening, Ohio State senior defensive end Jack Sawyer crashed into Texas junior quarterback Quinn Ewers, forcing a fumble that Sawyer returned 83 yards for a touchdown. The scoop-and-score was the decisive play in the 28-14 Ohio State victory.

"I almost blacked out when I scooped it and saw nothing but green grass ahead of me," Sawyer said.

Sawyer and Ewers were freshman roommates at Ohio State before Ewers transferred to Texas.

"That's my boy," Sawyer said. "I've got a lot of respect for him and the rest of the Texas team."

The win put eighth-seeded Ohio State (13-2, 7-2 Big Ten Conference) in the CFP National Championship against seventh-seeded Notre Dame. This season marked the first year for the playoff to expand from four teams to 12, and the CFP couldn't have asked for a more dramatic, hard-hitting Semifinal at AT&T Stadium.

The first half ended in a final-minute flurry after the defenses initially grabbed the spotlight. Ohio State scored on its opening possession with a methodical, 10-play drive. Judkins dodged traffic up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown run.

Ohio State followed with several promising drives, but each was scuttled by penalties. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes kept Texas in check by sacking Ewers three times in the half.

Texas appeared to send the game to halftime with a 7-7 tie score when Ewers hit Blue for an 18-yard touchdown with 29 seconds left. Ohio State had other ideas as Howard dropped a screen pass to senior running back TreVeyon Henderson, who put on a burst of speed for a 75-yard touchdown. The score reclaimed the lead, 14-7, for the Buckeyes with just 13 seconds remaining in the half.

Texas had its own memorable moments on defense, highlighted by senior linebacker David Gbenda's interception to thwart Ohio State's drive to start the second half. The Longhorns also held Ohio State's outstanding freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to one reception for three yards. Smith came into the game with 70 catches for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Texas set the stage for the fourth-quarter fireworks when Ewers found junior running back Jaydon Blue for a 26-yard touchdown pass. It was Blue's second touchdown catch and the 12-play scoring drive tied the score at 14-14.

Ohio State took a 21-14 lead with 7:02 remaining after a grueling, 13-play, 88-yard drive. The key moment came when the Buckeyes faced fourth-and-two at the Texas 34-yard line. Graduate quarterback Will Howard kept the ball and powered forward for an 18-yard gain. Howard would go on to be named the Most Valuable Offensive Player and receive the J. Curtis Sanford Trophy.

Four plays later, Buckeyes junior running back Quinshon Judkins slammed into the end zone from the one-yard line.

Then it was Ewers' turn to lead Texas (13-3, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) on a potential game-changing drive, but the Longhorns ran into a Buckeye brick wall after reaching the Buckeyes' one-yard line. A first-down run up the middle went nowhere. A pitch play lost seven yards thanks to the swarming safety duo of sophomore Caleb Downs and senior Lathan Ransom.

On third down, a pass by Ewers was tipped at the line of scrimmage. The ensuing fourth-and-goal from the eight-yard line set the stage for the game's biggest play by Sawyer, who earned Most Valuable Defensive Player honors and the Felix R. McKnight Trophy.

Follow the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok.