What we learned from Ohio State's Cotton Bowl victory over Texas

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- It was unlike the other playoff games Ohio State had played so far this season. We didn't see the early explosive plays on offense. We saw plenty of penalty flags. And the Buckeyes had their backs against the wall until the final 2:13 of the Cotton Bowl.

Turns out, it was a moment that Ohio State had been preparing for all year long.

"I believe that the resilience that we've had to show throughout the entire season and throughout some of these guys' careers has led us to this opportunity to win this game and go play for a national championship," head coach Ryan Day said.

Here's what we learned from the Buckeyes' 28-14 Cotton Bowl win over Texas.

Cool heads prevail on offense

Ohio State was unable to take charge of the game like it had in the previous two playoff contests. Instead, the Buckeyes were forced into a four quarter battle -- plagued by nine penalties -- with the Longhorns. OSU quarterback Will Howard was forced to grind it out against a defense who had largely shut down star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

"We knew they were going to be keying him. Obviously, the first two rounds of the playoffs, (Smith) went off so we knew they were going to try and do something to take him away," Howard said. "That means that we got to be smart and get the ball to other guys."

That's exactly what Howard did. TreVeyon Henderson, who earlier drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, delivered a momentum-changing play at the end of the first half with a 75-yard touchdown to give the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead going into the locker room.

"I don't think anyone thought that that was going for 75 yards," Howard said. "That was a huge play for us. A huge swing."

Then in the fourth, the Buckeyes needed a 13-play, 88-yard drive that took nearly eight minutes to secure the lead. The march down the field included a crucial fourth down conversion where Howard made an 18-yard gain on his own and finished with Quinshon Judkins scoring his second touchdown of the night.

"I fell on purpose. I'm joking. I didn't fall on purpose," Howard said. "It was a great play and a statement drive. We needed that. We had been beating ourselves all day with penalties and just getting behind the sticks. [...] And obviously what the defense did on that next drive sealed it."

Pickerington's Jack Sawyer propels Buckeyes to victory

The Longhorns were one yard away from tying the game late in the fourth quarter. But the red zone defense who had made headlines earlier in the season prevailed when it mattered the most. Lathan Ransom pushed Texas back to the eight yard line on second down. Then on third down, Jack Sawyer forced an incomplete pass. Moments later, the Pickerington native delivered a play that will go down as legendary.

"What happened on fourth down by Jack just symbolizes not only his career but our team in general and who they are," Day said. "The toughness and the clutch play right there was something that I'm sure the whole city of Columbus exploded with all of Buckeye nation during that play."

Sawyer forced Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers to cough up the football. The senior defensive end ends up with the scoop and score, returning it 83 yards the other way to give Ohio State a commanding 28-14 lead and punching the Buckeyes' ticket to the national championship game. The play is the longest defensive return score in CFP history.

So what was Sawyer thinking during that run to glory?

"Just don't fall like Will did," Sawyer said. "I'm kidding but seriously I hit about the 30 and I looked back and said I hope I got some blockers. I'm running out of steam here. They were running with me side by side and that just speaks volumes to who this team is."

No hard feelings from former roommate Quinn Ewers

On the other end of that play was Ewers, who up to that point had thrown for two touchdowns and had not turned the ball over. The Texas quarterback is a former Buckeye who shared a room with Sawyer during his lone season in Columbus.

"I saw Jack running with the ball down the sideline. It sucks man," Ewers said. "He's a great player. Great individual. Great person. Jack's a great player and he made a great play."

Ewers ended up completing 23 of 39 passes for 283 yards and two scores. His late interception to Caleb Downs ended any faint hope the Longhorns had in getting back in the game and instead sparked conversations on Ewers' future with Texas.

"I just said great season. He's a great guy," Sawyer said. "He's had a lot of success and he's a great person you know. I just told him to keep your head up. You played a great game and you got a great future ahead of you."

Buckeyes back in the title game

As Ohio State enjoys its third ever Cotton Bowl victory, attention now turns toward Notre Dame, who stands in the way of the program's ninth national championship. The Buckeyes will have ten days to prepare for the Jan. 20 contest in Atlanta, the final hurdle to the team's ultimate goal.

"We talked about how we want to keep this team together. It's a great team," Day said. "They do everything the right way and so now they get ten more days together."

Atlanta is the final stop on the Buckeyes' redemption tour. It's where Ohio State suffered that heartbreaking Peach Bowl loss in the 2022 CFP semifinals at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. And it's the final piece of the puzzle to putting all of OSU's past demons behind them.

"It's an opportunity to tell their story if they go win one more," Day said. "That's really exciting."