With just 3:54 left in the fourth quarter and trailing 21-14 in the Cotton Bowl semifinal, Texas football found themselves in a critical situation at Ohio State’s 1-yard line, needing a score to tie the game.

The Longhorns were under pressure as the clock ticked down, their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

After three plays, Texas found themselves at fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line. What was supposed to be a scoring opportunity quickly turned into a nightmare as Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer strip-sacked quarterback Quinn Ewers, returning the fumble 83 yards for a touchdown. This became a crucial moment, leading to the Buckeyes’ 28-14 triumph.

The play that preceded this dramatic turn was also significant. How did Texas get pushed back seven yards after starting at the 1-yard line?

Texas opted for a toss to the left sideline, which was chased down by Ohio State’s safety Caleb Downs. While he didn’t make the tackle, he managed to force Quintrevion Wisner back, leading to a remarkable loss of yards.

“That play could have worked if we had executed the blocks properly,” Sarkisian commented post-game. “Unfortunately, we didn’t and ended up losing a lot of yards.”