ARLINGTON — Quinshon Judkins ran for two touchdowns before Jack Sawyer forced a fumble by his former roommate that he returned 83 yards for a score with 2:13 left as Ohio State beat Texas 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night to advance to a shot for their sixth national title.
The Buckeyes (13-2) got the semifinal victory in the same stadium where 10 years ago they were champions in the debut of the College Football Playoff as a four-team format. Now they have the opportunity to be the winner again in the debut of the expanded 12-team field.
Ohio State plays Orange Bowl champion Notre Dame in Atlanta on Jan. 20
Matthew Bohannon, a Texas fan, told KERA News the results were disappointing, but that Ohio earned the win.
“I think Ohio State’s probably going to win the national championship,” Bohannon said. “Texas definitely bummed out. They just got outplayed.”
He said UT would have stood a better chance if the team turned the ball over less during the game.
Ohio State fan Timothy Metz said he was happy about the win but disappointed that the game wasn’t more exciting.
“It was a little bit lame,” Metz said. “The Buckeyes won, but not as much excitement as I’d have liked to see.”
He said he wanted to see “crazier awesome football plays.”
Sawyer got to Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers on a fourth-and-goal from the 8, knocking the ball loose and scooping it up before lumbering all the way to the other end. It was the longest fumble return in CFP history.
Ewers and Sawyer were roommates in Columbus for the one semester the quarterback was there before transferring home to Texas and helping lead the Longhorns (13-3) to consecutive CFP semifinals. But next season will be their 20th since winning their last national title with Vince Young in 2005.
Texas had gotten to the 1, helped by two pass-interference penalties in the end zone before Quintrevion Wisner was stopped for a 7-yard loss.
Judkins had a 1-yard touchdown for a 21-14 lead with 7:02 left. That score came four plays after quarterback Will Howard converted fourth-and-2 from the Texas 34 with a stumbling 18-yard run that was almost a score.
Howard was 24-of-33 passing for 289 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Ewers finished 23 of 39 for 283 yards with two TD passes to Jaydon Blue and an interception after getting the ball back one final time.
KERA News reporter James Hartley contributed to this report.
