Sawyer Hooks the Horns- Ohio State Tops Texas!

      The Texas Longhorns were one yard away from a tie in the waning minutes of the Cotton Bowl and had four chances to advance that yard.

Three failed plays and seven lost yards later, the game was down to one play.

Jack Sawyer made that play as he swept past his blocker, obliterated Quinn Ewers, separating Ewers from the football, and grabbed the bouncing ball taking it eighty-three yards into Buckeye lore as Ohio State eliminated Texas from the CFP 28-14.

The Ohio State running backs scored all three Buckeye touchdowns as Quinshon Judkins rushed for two scores and TreVeyon Henderson took a Will Howard swing pass seventy-five yards for a touchdown with seconds remaining in the first half.

Will Howard finished with two hundred eighty-nine yards passing with a touchdown and interception with Carnell Tate leading the receivers with seven catches for eighty-seven yards.

Ohio State will meet Notre Dame a week from Monday in Atlanta for the first CFP championship.

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1)  It's so fitting that Jack Sawyer stepped up to make the play of the season.

It was Sawyer, who stopped Michigan's planting of the flag at Ohio Stadium which in hindsight may have been the moment that allowed this team to lock things into place, and who better to run into Ohio State history than Jack Sawyer?

2) On that play, Sawyer blew past Texas tackle Cam Williams untouched and crunched Ewers to force the fumble, yet had the agility to not go to the ground by moving past Ewers, grabbing the ball on one hop and into the history books.

Sawyer has made himself move up draft boards with his late and post-season play but even more, he's made himself a Buckeye legend.

3) The play of the drive came two plays before the Sawyer sack/score on second and goal from the one after stuffing the first down run up the gut.

Texas calls a toss to Quintrevion Wisner but Caleb Downs is there almost before the pitch and while Wisner avoids Downs, he cannot elude Lathan Ransom for a seven-yard loss.

That play forced Texas to throw on third and fourth down and took away any chance of running the ball.

Downs didn't make the tackle but he made the play.

4) Texas dealt with freshman wunderkind Jeremiah Smith by always sending two defensive backs to Smith.

As a result, Smith was thrown to only three times, catching one for a measly three yards.

5) And since someone had to get the ball, if Smith wasn't, Carnell Tate was the main target, but Gee Scott was also thrown to more than usual.

Ohio State didn't complete a pass longer than eighteen yards other than the seventy-five-yard catch and run by TreVeyon Henderson.

6) Will Howard avoided the big mistake that could have kept Texas in the game, and other than one interception in the third quarter (that resulted in no damage), Howard resisted the temptation to force the ball to Jeremiah Smith in double coverage.

That's what a veteran quarterback does, avoid the big mistake.

7) The Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back was won by Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron, who is an excellent player, but through my admittedly biased eyes, Caleb Downs was the more deserving candidate.

Downs was all over the field against Texas and was making plays that didn't make the stat sheet as he caused Texas to try to avoid Downs at all costs.

8) The Ohio State defense did more than only turn Texas away at the end of the game.

Ohio State made Texas work for their two scores with long demanding drives and controlled the run and pass equally.

Ohio State sacked Quinn Ewers four times, knocked down six passes, and held the run game to fifty-eight yards for a two-yard per carry average.

9) Ohio State's quick strike at the end of the first half with a swing pass that TreVeyon Henderson took to the end zone shortly after Texas had tied the game at seven allowed the Buckeyes to avoid the dreaded halftime blues.

Henderson has played well recently and is living up to his five-star recruit status with his size and speed.

10)  Ohio State may have played its toughest opponent considering that Notre Dame will be waiting in the finals but I'm not taking the Irish lightly.

Notre Dame's defense is rugged and they run the ball well but they aren't going to scare anyone through the air and I think the Ohio State receivers are too gifted physically for the Irish to handle.