Texas Rallies Past No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 as Sarkisian Defends Tough Scheduling
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 14
Texas Rallies Past No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 as Sarkisian Defends Tough Scheduling
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 14
Summary
A 24-23 comeback over top-ranked Ohio State gave Texas an early signature win and immediate breathing room in the 2026 College Football Playoff race.
Steve Sarkisian credited the result to an aggressive approach, highlighted by two successful fourth-and-long conversions in the second half that helped Texas erase the deficit.
Afterward, Sarkisian argued teams should be rewarded for scheduling elite opponents, saying Texas learned more from hosting Ohio State than from beating a weak opponent 66-0.
The stance marks a turn from late 2025, when Sarkisian said Texas might re-evaluate tough nonconference scheduling after missing the playoff at 9-3 despite opening at Ohio State.
The win also landed amid a chaotic Week 2 that included Oregon losing at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma falling at Michigan, reshaping the early playoff picture.