For most of the game, Ohio State's performance against Texas in the Cotton Bowl much more resembled their loss against Michigan than the two ass-beatings of playoff teams that came after it. Mental errors stunted an already fitful offensive effort, and while the defense was doing everything it could to keep the Buckeyes in the game I was pretty well convinced by the fourth quarter that Ryan Day's team was in serious danger of running out of gas.
But emotions are powerful things. When this team says that they love each other, I believe it. When they say that they're fighting for another week to spend with each other, I believe it. When player after player keeps talking about how much they want to win for their coach because of all the criticism he's had to endure, I believe it. That's earned; most of the time when you hear that kind of stuff from athletes it's easy to write it off as pablum, but not this team. Not after seeing what they accomplished last night.
Will Howard was FIRED UP after Jack Sawyer's defensive TD pic.twitter.com/kv1QR6fTu8
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 11, 2025
So here's a bunch of fun tweets from last night's win, but more than anything I think it's important to take a close look at how Jack Sawyer and Will Howard and Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom and TreVeyon Henderson and Ryan Day and Jim Knowles and the whole damn team talk about and celebrate with each other. Because that's real.
BUCKEYES
BUCKEYES!!!
— Jk dobbins (@Jkdobbins22) January 11, 2025
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!
— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) January 11, 2025
LEGENDARY!!
The journey continues!!
BUCKEYES!!
THE
— Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) January 11, 2025
Lets goooooooooooo OH dont ever forget it
— Dawand Jones (@dawandj79) January 11, 2025
— JAY RICHARDSON (@JayRichardson99) January 11, 2025
Go bucks !!! What a great day to be a Buckeye !! Congrats to the @OhioStateFB Let go !!!
— DeVier Posey (@DPo8) January 11, 2025
What An amazing play!!!! Love that for @jacksawyer33!!!! #CFPlayoffs
— Beanie Wells (@BeanieWells26) January 11, 2025
See you there! #GoBucks https://t.co/RfrOYDrGXZ
— Doran Grant (@AkronsVO_21) January 11, 2025
Plant Jack a tree anyway man
— Teradja Mitchell (@teeraaw__) January 11, 2025
1 RT and I get Jack Sawyers face tatted on my stomach
— Seth Towns (@219setty) January 11, 2025
— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) January 11, 2025
WOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! Legendary play right there. I cant think of a better play in my life!! JACK SAWYER!!! Shoutout to the whole defense on that stop, too. Its beautiful to see the guys playing like they are for each other!! Go Bucks mannnnn
— Jordan Fuller (@j_fuller4) January 11, 2025
GOD IS GOOD!!!
— Carson Hinzman (@HinzmanCarson) January 11, 2025
See you in Atlanta!!
1 More
— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) January 11, 2025
I love this team https://t.co/sKqEpLmVCy
— JSN (@jaxon_smith1) January 11, 2025
THE LORD LOVES A VINE DEEP CUT
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) January 11, 2025
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Meet Grayson Niemi, a Buckeye band member who marched out of cancer treatment and into a successful tryout for @TBDBITL. https://t.co/slfKPLOb8N
— The James (@OSUCCC_James) January 10, 2025
60 minutes to kickoff. Join us for @TheFeverABC6 at 7pm on @wsyx6! pic.twitter.com/2vVPcEossp
— Dave Holmes (@DaveHolmesTV) January 10, 2025
.@PatMcAfeeShow did the Horns down to pick Ohio State pic.twitter.com/6JcxGmfo18
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) January 11, 2025
Nothing like Script Ohio! pic.twitter.com/2679oyfg8z
— Jim Lachey (@JimLachey64) January 11, 2025
Matthew McConaughey showing TBDBITL some love after their performance. pic.twitter.com/7E12w9BAlc
— Dave Holmes (@DaveHolmesTV) January 11, 2025
Jack Sawyer making an early impact on the passing game. pic.twitter.com/LkcF5lLl4b
— Tom Orr (@TomOrr4) January 11, 2025
Bevo pic.twitter.com/m6UCl7pvl0
— Kevin Noon (@Kevin_Noon) January 11, 2025
TOUGH RUNNING BY JUDKINS
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) January 11, 2025
Another look at his TD for @OhioStateFB #B1GFootball x #CFBPlayoff
pic.twitter.com/SYed3iq416
Ohio State drove down the field on its first drive, then committed a penalty of 10+ yards on each of its next three to get way behind the chains.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) January 11, 2025
UNREAL
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) January 11, 2025
OHIO STATE RESPONDS RIGHT AWAY WITH A 75 YARD HOUSE CALL pic.twitter.com/vYLHl0A4li
JUST LIKE THAT!!!! Right back at cha!! @OhioStateFB O-H!!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 11, 2025
TreyZONE. pic.twitter.com/sBuHtPyarl
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) January 11, 2025
Quasi, by Ronnie van Hout, 2016 pic.twitter.com/qU58I6GxIi
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) January 11, 2025
TBDBITL takes the traditions to Texas#GoBucks | @TBDBITL | @CottonBowlGame pic.twitter.com/wo8GWJD1J4
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) January 11, 2025
Quinn Ewers BARELY got this throw off before getting tackled pic.twitter.com/qWRTcSGJJD
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 11, 2025
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) January 11, 2025
— dubs408 (@dubsvidstouse) January 11, 2025
Nature is healing
— Ramzy Nasrallah (@ramzy) January 11, 2025
4TH AND GOAL RESULTS IN A TOUCHDOWN!!!
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 11, 2025
I hope Ryan Day kept every damn receipt.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) January 11, 2025
— Tyler Buchanan (@Tylerjoelb) January 11, 2025
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) January 11, 2025
Bevos gone. pic.twitter.com/CIlDikQ65U
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) January 11, 2025
Local TV news having a normal one tonight pic.twitter.com/JRTV5qokr0
— Tyler Buchanan (@Tylerjoelb) January 11, 2025
This moment between Ryan Day and Jack Sawyer pic.twitter.com/tedn2lArIL
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 11, 2025
The moment Ohio State advanced to the CFP National Championship game pic.twitter.com/oFVJr9AUb9
— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2025
cryin pic.twitter.com/D6NOPuqXC7
— beat ND (@noribsnorice1) January 11, 2025
Best in Texas leave Texas
— Devin Sanchez (@Devin2416) January 11, 2025
O-H!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/MbQAbYTxJA
Donovan Jackson vs Texas in 38 pass pro snaps at LT:
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) January 11, 2025
0 pressures
0 hurries
0 QB hits
0 sacks allowed
Sensational outing for a rock solid Day 1 pick in a few months.
Ryan Day: "The story of this team is yet to be told. No great accomplishments are ever achieved without going through adversity."
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) January 11, 2025
Mood. pic.twitter.com/scfAvWPxrR
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) January 11, 2025
Natty Bound pic.twitter.com/sAzJztkJWl
— The Ohio State University Marching Band (@TBDBITL) January 11, 2025
I've been doing two of these for each of the Playoff games and I might as well keep it rolling! Stay tuned for more reactions later in the day!
