Ryan Day: Ohio State considered letting Texas score, but decided we'd…

With 1:23 remaining in the fourth quarter on Saturday night, Ohio State led 23-17, but Texas had first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. What Ohio State coach Ryan Day did from there will be one of the most-scrutinized decisions of this college football season.

Day could have called Ohio State's final timeout as soon as Texas got to first-and-goal, and then allowed Texas to score. That would have given Ohio State the ball back, down 24-23, with well over a minute remaining to mount a game-winning drive.

Instead, Ohio State stopped Texas on first and second down before Texas scored the game-winning touchdown on third down, with just 25 seconds left. Ohio State's desperation final drive lasted just two plays. amunra.help

Day said after the game that letting Texas score was a consideration but he and his team ultimately thought they could play for a goal-line stand.

"I considered it, but I felt like at that point we were gonna go play defense and see if we could get off the field, but it didn't work out," Day said.

Day said he ultimately decided to have faith in his defense.

"We did, we talked about it, and decided that we were gonna play defense," Day said. "When we got that stop right there we said, alright, we're going to take our chances, put the ball down for one yard and see if we can stop them."

Ohio State couldn't stop them, and by the time Ohio State got the ball back, the Buckeyes were almost out of time — even though Ohio State also benefited from Texas snapping the ball too fast before scoring, when the Longhorns could have run even more time off the clock. Day decided to give his defense a chance to win the game, and that cost his offense the time to win the game.

A year ago, Texas entered the college football season ranked No. 1 and quarterback Arch Manning was viewed as a strong candidate to win the Heisman Trophy and be the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. A loss to Ohio State derailed that. So when Manning and his Longhorns fell behind Ohio State 23-3 on Saturday night, it felt like déjà vu.

This time, however, things were different: Manning and the Texas offense marched down the field on three fourth-quarter touchdown drives to beat Ohio State 24-23.

"I couldn't lose to them again. I had nightmares about that game last year. So, we're glad to win tonight," Manning said on the field immediately after the game.

By the postgame press conference, Manning had settled down a bit, but he told reporters it was the same emotion about desperately wanting to beat the Ohio State team that had given him nightmares.

“I did not want to come in here after a loss at home, to Ohio State again, and have y'all tell me we’re not good, all that stuff. I could not let that happen," Manning said. "So that was going through my mind, let's not let that happen. Had to get something going. I always knew we were going to be in it at the end, we just had to get something going, and whatever it takes at the end of the game. I'm so glad we won."

Manning made some excellent throws but also missed some open receivers. He finished completing 23 of 37 passes for 195 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

"It wasn't very pretty, but we found a way to win. That's what good teams do," Manning said.

Manning is now the favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft. He still has a lot of football to play before then, but he's now earned his biggest win as a college quarterback, and put his biggest nightmare behind him.