As confetti rained down, Jack Sawyer raised his arms, lifted his head, and closed his eyes, soaking in the moment he had long dreamed of as a boy in a Columbus suburb. Wearing a scarlet and gray jersey while playing catch with his dad, Sawyer had always envisioned becoming an Ohio State hero. On Friday night, against the Texas Longhorns in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl, that dream came true.
With just over two minutes remaining, Texas faced a fourth-and-goal, needing a score to tie the game and potentially force overtime. Instead, Sawyer delivered a game-changing play that ended the Longhorns’ season and sent the Buckeyes to the CFP National Championship game, where they will face Notre Dame.
Sawyer burst past right tackle Cameron Williams and collided with Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, his former roommate at Ohio State. The ball popped loose, and Sawyer scooped it up, racing 83 yards for a touchdown that will forever be etched in Buckeyes history.
“I almost blacked out when I saw nothing but green grass ahead of me,” Sawyer said.
With that play, Ohio State sealed a 28-14 victory over Texas, and Sawyer cemented his legacy.
“To make a play like that in that moment… You want to leave a legacy? You become a legend. He just became a legend at Ohio State,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day told ESPN after the game.
Sawyer’s decision to return for his senior season, foregoing the NFL, was driven by his desire to win a championship after three losses to Michigan and no Big Ten titles. The disappointment of the 2023 season, which ended with a loss to Missouri at the Cotton Bowl, fueled his determination.
“I wanted to go to the NFL and chase my dream, but I haven’t won a championship. Walking around the Woody [Hayes Athletic Center], all you see are championship banners. Not having contributed to one weighed on me and motivated me every day,” Sawyer shared with ESPN.
Sawyer came close to a defining moment six weeks prior when he intercepted Michigan’s Davis Warren, but the Buckeyes couldn’t capitalize, losing to Michigan in a heartbreaker. The loss, coupled with Michigan planting their flag at midfield, led to a heated exchange on the field, highlighting the intense rivalry.
Despite the setback, the expanded 12-team playoff gave Ohio State’s seniors one last chance. Sawyer’s scoop-and-score brought the Buckeyes within reach of their first national championship since 2014.
“The resiliency of this team from a month ago has been incredible,” Sawyer said. “We heard a lot of things, but we kept swinging.”
The underdog Longhorns fought valiantly. Ewers led Texas to the Ohio State 1-yard line late in the game, but a crucial tackle by safety Lathan Ransom pushed Texas back. On fourth-and-goal, Ewers thought he had time to throw, but Sawyer was too quick.
“Obviously, I didn’t try to give him the game,” Ewers said. “Jack’s a great player and made a great play.”
Sawyer’s fumble return set records as the longest in CFP and Cotton Bowl history. As the game ended, Day embraced Sawyer, celebrating the pivotal moment.
“I don’t know if there’s a guy who loves being a Buckeye more,” Day said. “He’s always wanted a moment like this. He’s like family to me.”
While Sawyer and Day acknowledged the magnitude of the moment, they remain focused on the ultimate goal: winning the national championship. For Sawyer, playing in the title game in his final year at Ohio State is a dream come true.
“I love Columbus, I love the state of Ohio, I love Ohio State football,” Sawyer said. “And I’m so fortunate to be playing in the national championship my last year here.”
