The Ohio State Buckeyes fell just one-point shy of the Texas Longhorns in the premier game of the college football weekend, but the former No. 1 ranked squad’s fall in the polls was a bit steeper.
Ohio State is now No. 6 in the newest AP Top 25 poll. Meanwhile, Texas leapt into the top spot after erasing a 20-point deficit in Austin on Saturday night, September 12. The Longhorns entered the contest as the nation’s fourth-ranked team.
Rounding out the top five behind Texas is Georgia (No. 2), Notre Dame (No. 3), Indiana (No. 4) and Miami (No. 5).
The Buckeyes have a couple of home contests against unranked opponents in Kent State and Illinois to get back on track before heading to Iowa City to take on the 18th-ranked Hawkeyes on October 3.
Ohio State will play four more ranked teams after Iowa before the season is over, including contests on the road at defending champion Indiana and USC, as well as home games against Oregon and Michigan.
Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day Says He Doesn’t ‘Know Why’ Buckeyes Blew 4th-Quarter Lead to Longhorns
It is certain to prove a long week in Columbus after Ohio State let what looked like a solid grip on the top-five matchup in Texas slip from its grasp by way of a three-touchdown fourth quarter for quarterback Arch Manning and the Longhorns.
Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day spoke to the loss in the aftermath.
“I think today we really played well for three quarters, and then didn’t play well enough in the fourth quarter. That’s the bottom line,” Day said.
“I thought we had them on the ropes and didn’t finish. So we gotta go back and figure out why that was,” Day continued. “I can’t sit here and tell you I know why that happened, but we all gotta take accountability and get this thing corrected.”
Ohio State Fell Apart on Both Sides of Football During Disastrous 4th Quarter at Texas
Texas out-gained Ohio State with 236 yards in the fourth quarter, while the Buckeyes produced just 49 yards of total offense.
The Buckeyes also missed a field goal with just over four minutes to play while holding a six-point lead.
Ohio State finished the game with a desperation interception.
How Far Did Ohio State Fall in Rankings? Buckeyes Assume New Spot in Polls