OTF Premium Burning Question Revisited: Did Texas win the line-of-scrimmage battle against Ohio State?

[Jeff Howe]

AUSTIN, Texas — It’s time to revisit On Texas Football's “One Burning Question,” where we ask a question about the Texas Longhorns heading into a game.

Entering Saturday’s 24-23 win over No. 1 Ohio State, our burning question was:

Can the Longhorns win the line-of-scrimmage battle against the Buckeyes?

They did. In emphatic fashion.

Winning in the trenches played, arguably, the most significant role in the program’s first home victory over the Associated Press’ No. 1-ranked team since a 23-20 win over SMU on Nov. 4, 1950.

From the time Texas took possession after an Ohio State punt with 5:47 to go in the third quarter, the Longhorns had a plus-28 play differential over the Buckeyes. Forty of the Texas offense’s 83 snaps came on the unit’s last three possessions: touchdown drives of 15, 13 and 12 plays, respectively.

Even though Arch Manning sparked the first two scoring marches with a pair of fourth-down conversions (a desperation throw while on the move to Emaree Winston and a dart to Emmett Mosley V), Steve Sarkisian put the 20-point comeback on the shoulders of Kyle Flood’s much-maligned offensive line. Including the 34 yards Manning picked up on the five times he called his own number, the Longhorns toted the rock 22 times for 96 yards on their last three drives, including Hollywood Smothers’ over-the-top, game-winning 1-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left on the clock.

The 22 late-game carries accounted for more than half of Texas' 41 official rushing attempts. After rushing for 140 net yards (3.4 yards per attempt), the Longhorns improved to 23-2 in 40-carry games under Sarkisian.

Texas’ only two games with 40 or more official carries last season came against UTEP (56) and Sam Houston (41). The Ohio State game was the Longhorns' first with 40 or more official rushing attempts against a Power Four opponent since a 48-carry, 292-yard outing in a 2024 College Football Playoff first-round win over Clemson.

Whether it’s been a lack of trust in the position groups responsible for making the running game go (the offensive line, running backs or both) or a desire to hunt big plays through the air, Sarkisian has, more often than not, abandoned the run in big games.

That wasn’t the case against the Buckeyes. The belief in the ground attack can be linked to Sarkisian’s trust in the offensive line and running backs after both groups underwent massive offseason overhauls.

The line is playing well together, Sarkisian said Monday while recapping the win over Ohio State and looking ahead to No. 1 Texas’ non-conference finale against UTSA on Saturday (7 p.m., SEC Network+), because of Connor Robertson’s veteran presence at center. While acknowledging that Robertson’s experience helps communication flow better on game day, Brandon Baker and Trevor Goosby have a full season as starters under their belts and seasoned transfer portal acquisitions Melvin Siani (859 snaps at Wake Forest last season, according to Pro Football Focus) and Dylan Sikorski (444 snaps as a sophomore at Oregon State) have exceeded expectations since joining the program.

“I think there's a lot of experience and I think they're just working cohesively well together, but what I liked was the physicality that they played the game with,” Sarkisian said. “They moved the line of scrimmage and they created running lanes.”

For their part, Smothers (74 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries) and Raleek Brown (10 carries for 54 yards), “didn’t go down on contact," Sarkisian said.

According to PFF, Smothers and Brown combined for 80 rushing yards after contact, with nine missed tackles forced. between them.

“We made guys miss; we ran through safeties,” Sarkisian said. “They were physical.”

The running back group’s toughness translated to much-needed pass protection for Manning, who was pressured on just 11 of his 44 dropbacks, according to PFF. Manning was the sixth-most-pressured quarterback in FBS last season (165 total pressures, on 35.6 percent of his dropbacks), with Ohio State pressuring him on 14 of 34 dropbacks (41.2 percent) in last season’s 14-7 loss in Columbus.

The Longhorns flipped the script in Austin.

While Texas kept Manning relatively clean, Will Muschamp’s in-game adjustment to play man coverage against Jeremiah Smith and put another defender in the box to bolster the run defense paid off with a winning effort against the run (94 yards and three yards per attempt by the Buckeyes, who didn’t have a run from scrimmage longer than 11 yards) and more consistent, effective pressure on Julian Sayin. After the Longhorns only pressured Sayin on five of his 20 dropbacks last season, Muschamp’s defense pressured the 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist on 15 of his 36 dropbacks (41.7 percent), mirroring what Indiana (pressured Sayin on 12 of 34 dropbacks in the Big Ten championship game) and Miami (pressured Sayin on 17 of 40 dropbacks in the Cotton Bowl) did last season in wins over the Buckeyes.

When Texas faced critical downs and needed a defensive player to step up and make a play, Alex January, Hero Kanu, Maraad Watson and Ian Geffrard won must-win battles at the point of attack. Muschamp went with heavier fronts featuring three and sometimes four tackles on the field, the latter being the case when January led the charge to stuff Ja’Kobi Jackson on fourth-and-2 from the Longhorns’ 13-yard line early in the second quarter.

Winning the rushing yardage battle, providing adequate protection for Manning and bringing the heat on Sayin more than Ryan Day and Arthur Smith wanted (Sayin overthrew Devin McCuin on a potential game-clinching touchdown in the third quarter, with Justin Cryer forcing a hurried throw as an unblocked rusher coming off the edge) added up to the Longhorns winning the trench battle and the game. They won the way Sarkisian hoped they could against elite opponents after spending the offseason trying to get Texas to play with more of a physical edge by putting the fulcrums of the running game through competitive, intense inside-run periods in practice.

With the trench battles sharpening both lines of scrimmage, Texas delivered when and where it mattered against the No. 1 team in the country.

“As a coach, you get what you emphasize, right? And we've been emphasizing being a more physical football team, being a more physical offensive team and running the football when they know you're going to run the football and having the ability to do that and having the ability to have confidence to call it that way,” Sarkisian said. “At the end of that game, when we were down there first-and-goal, it was like, 'We're running it, man.' And they knew we were running it. There wasn't a secret. We weren't going to call a bootleg or a tight end corner route or something. The ability to get that ball in the end zone is gratifying as a coach that your players have bought into what you're asking of them to get accomplished."

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[Jeff Howe]

Forty carries might be an arbitrary number of official rushing attempts (sacks are included). Still, it's been a significant number for Texas under Sarkisian.

Sark clearly didn't trust the running game last season. That wasn't the case against Ohio State. He was either going to win with physicality on Saturday or die trying.

[thatdude2]

The extended replay was enjoyable to watch.  Hopefully they are physical this weak and also fundamentally sound.

[AusMOJO]

If Arch needs to get hit early, run a QB draw to start the game so we can get 4th quarter Arch for the entire game lol. 

 

To your point Jeff, the fact that with the game on the line, he kept pounding it up the middle was great to see. Normally he would try some funky stuff there (like a toss play). I was impressed on that last TD with the G, C, G. They all pushed their guys back into the end zone. That on top of WInston meeting the LB in the gap are what allowed that to be a TD. A far cry from where we've been. 

[SuperDave0805]

Refreshing to see the line not torpedo drives with penalties 

[Califashorn75]

That 4th quarter demoralized the Buckeyes. 

[Jeff Howe]

1 hour ago, AusMOJO said:

If Arch needs to get hit early, run a QB draw to start the game so we can get 4th quarter Arch for the entire game lol. 

 

To your point Jeff, the fact that with the game on the line, he kept pounding it up the middle was great to see. Normally he would try some funky stuff there (like a toss play). I was impressed on that last TD with the G, C, G. They all pushed their guys back into the end zone. That on top of WInston meeting the LB in the gap are what allowed that to be a TD. A far cry from where we've been. 

The push the line got on the game-winner was almost poetic. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen that at Texas.

Also, it’s awesome that we’re not having to talk about stuff like this after a big game:

 

[Jeff Howe]

50 minutes ago, SuperDave0805 said:

Refreshing to see the line not torpedo drives with penalties 

Indeed!

[Jeff Howe]

39 minutes ago, Califashorn75 said:

That 4th quarter demoralized the Buckeyes. 

It’s refreshing to watch Texas impose its will on people when it matters.

[AusMOJO]

3 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

The push the line got on the game-winner was almost poetic. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen that at Texas.

Also, it’s awesome that we’re not having to talk about stuff like this after a big game:

 

If I never have to see a toss play again, It'll make me so happy. It still gives me nightmares lol. 

[watty7796]

Every bit of what you wrote was spot on.  A few other thoughts tho...

Arch with his legs is a plus 1 running threat.

With the weapons Texas has at wideout defenses have to pick their poison.  Cam Wingo Mosely...and now throw in solid play from the TEs both blocking and as receivers.  

The offensive portal players are stepping up and in turn forcing some of the home grown guys to grow up.  Not in a negative way but they are seeing the way tjese guys work study and carry themselves.  Thats huge.

Texas new additions to the coaching staff have infused a bit more discipline and toughness.  Taking no plays off relentless hustle which showed up covering up what could have been disastrous mistakes.

The Horns now have experienced leadership.  Last year some of the stars still jad a lot of growing up to do and had to sort out their own demons before they could be critical of others.  The difference between a boss who tells you to do something and a leader who will be right beside you in the fire is showing up on the sidelines picking each other up pr chewing someone butt for mistakes.  

 

Just my humble opinion.   Hook Em

[Jeff Howe]

8 minutes ago, AusMOJO said:

If I never have to see a toss play again, It'll make me so happy. It still gives me nightmares lol. 

Fire it into the sun!

[Jeff Howe]

8 minutes ago, watty7796 said:

Every bit of what you wrote was spot on.  A few other thoughts tho...

Arch with his legs is a plus 1 running threat.

With the weapons Texas has at wideout defenses have to pick their poison.  Cam Wingo Mosely...and now throw in solid play from the TEs both blocking and as receivers.  

The offensive portal players are stepping up and in turn forcing some of the home grown guys to grow up.  Not in a negative way but they are seeing the way tjese guys work study and carry themselves.  Thats huge.

Texas new additions to the coaching staff have infused a bit more discipline and toughness.  Taking no plays off relentless hustle which showed up covering up what could have been disastrous mistakes.

The Horns now have experienced leadership.  Last year some of the stars still jad a lot of growing up to do and had to sort out their own demons before they could be critical of others.  The difference between a boss who tells you to do something and a leader who will be right beside you in the fire is showing up on the sidelines picking each other up pr chewing someone butt for mistakes.  

 

Just my humble opinion.   Hook Em

Good stuff! 🤘

[AusMOJO]

18 minutes ago, watty7796 said:

Every bit of what you wrote was spot on.  A few other thoughts tho...

Arch with his legs is a plus 1 running threat.

With the weapons Texas has at wideout defenses have to pick their poison.  Cam Wingo Mosely...and now throw in solid play from the TEs both blocking and as receivers.  

The offensive portal players are stepping up and in turn forcing some of the home grown guys to grow up.  Not in a negative way but they are seeing the way tjese guys work study and carry themselves.  Thats huge.

Texas new additions to the coaching staff have infused a bit more discipline and toughness.  Taking no plays off relentless hustle which showed up covering up what could have been disastrous mistakes.

The Horns now have experienced leadership.  Last year some of the stars still jad a lot of growing up to do and had to sort out their own demons before they could be critical of others.  The difference between a boss who tells you to do something and a leader who will be right beside you in the fire is showing up on the sidelines picking each other up pr chewing someone butt for mistakes.  

 

Just my humble opinion.   Hook Em

Not only do teams have to worry about our WR's, they have worry about run game with Smothers, Brown and Manning. Some great points man. 

[HonkEm]

@Jeff Howe ---Had to do a double read on your post. the trench dominance you highlighted from late in the third quarter through the end is absolutely correct -- Texas took control of the LOS during the decisive stretch, and the numbers back that up.

The only clarification I’d add is that Texas didn’t control the trenches for the entire game. Ohio State had the early advantage, and Texas asserted itself later. The outcome was shaped by when Texas won the LOS, not by a full‑game trench victory.

Strong analysis overall, just a bit wide in the framing to me.

[NothinButDaHorns34]

I was beyond shocked to see holes created in the run game from tackle to tackle. I am used to seeing ours backs having to bounce after outside of the tackles. 

Edited 36 minutes ago by NothinButDaHorns34