Arch Manning Closes Three Long Drives as Texas Erases 20-Point Hole

Arch Manning did not need a highlight-reel throw to finish No. 1 Ohio State. He needed patience. On Saturday night in Austin, Manning directed three fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 15, 13 and 12 plays as No. 4 Texas climbed out of a 23-3 hole and beat the Buckeyes 24-23 on Hollywood Smothers' 1-yard run with 25 seconds left.

ESPN Research noted Texas is the only team in the past 15 years to close a win with three straight touchdown drives of 12 or more plays. That methodical stretch, more than any single deep ball, flipped a game that had looked finished after three quarters.

Halftime shock, then a different quarterback

Texas' first snap was a screen to Raleek Brown that ended in a fumble recovered by Ohio State's Jay Timmons. Manning's first throw caromed off Cam Coleman and was intercepted by Jaylen McClain near the goal line. Both turnovers became Buckeye points, and the Longhorns finished the first quarter with 5 yards to Ohio State's 119, ESPN reported.

Coach Steve Sarkisian told ESPN he did not believe his team could have played a worse first half. He challenged Manning to stop chasing the perfect throw. "Part of the driving force was kind of his grit," Sarkisian said, describing how Manning began checking the ball down and using his legs instead of "seeing ghosts."

Converting the downs that mattered

Late in the third, Manning hit Emaree Winston for 9 yards on fourth-and-9 from the Texas 42. Early in the fourth, he found Emmett Mosley V for 12 yards on fourth-and-6 from the Texas 32. Those conversions kept Texas in four-down territory and set up the 15-play, 91-yard march that ended in a 3-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo.

Smothers then capped a 13-play drive with a 1-yard score at 7:14. After Ohio State kicker Connor Hawkins missed a 45-yard try with 4:16 left, Manning said he knew it was Texas' time. The final 12-play, 73-yard push ended with Smothers again from a yard out.

The line that matched the night

The Associated Press, in a game story carried by CBS Sports, had Manning at 196 yards passing after completing 11 of his final 15 throws. ESPN's longer feature listed him 23-of-37 for 195 yards with 24 rushing yards on eight carries. Either reading fits the same picture: volume short throws and designed runs that ate clock and yards after the early disaster.

Texas improved to 2-0 and hosts UTSA on Sept. 19. Ohio State fell to 1-1 and hosts Kent State the same day. For Manning, the night was less about a single throw than about surviving the first half long enough to run three long scores when the Buckeyes finally stopped answering. ## Ohio State's late stall

Julian Sayin still finished with 278 yards, the AP reported, and Jeremiah Smith had eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. After Smith's last grab in the third quarter, though, Ohio State managed only a field goal the rest of the way. That offensive stall gave Manning the possessions he needed.

When Hawkins missed from 45, the door stayed open long enough for the final 12-play march.

Sources

ESPN

CBS Sports

ESPN