It's incredible that two of the most historic college football programs had never met until 2005. Old bowl alliances didn't have a great path for the two teams to play in the postseason and '05 was the first time the two schools had scheduled each other as non-conference opponents.
That first meeting was also at the Horseshoe in Columbus and the
The Longhorns, angry about not playing for the national title, played a feisty Ohio State squad in the Fiesta Bowl in 2009. McCoy was the Texas QB and Terrelle Pryor led Ohio State. But it was Texas WR Quan Cosby that was the hero.
Of course, there was Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2024 season, which was the college football playoff semifinal. And last year's baptism by fire for newly named starting quarterback Arch Manning.
All of the history just feeds the hype for Saturday's tilt in Austin.
2005: Texas 25, Ohio State 22 - Columbus, OH
The first ever meeting between the two giants was at Ohio State. The much-hyped Texas Longhorns were ranked No. 2 in the nation. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 4. The game was seen as a major hurdle for a Longhorns team with national title aspirations.
The Buckeyes had never lost a night game at the Horseshoe. ESPN's College GameDay was in town for the game, as well as ABC's pregame studio show. The buildup was massive and the game didn't disappoint.
Texas took an early first quarter lead on a career-long 42-yard field goal by David Pino and a five yard TD pass from Young to Billy Pittman. But the Buckeyes controlled the second quarter and took a 16-13 lead into halftime with three field goals and a Troy Smith to Santonio Holmes TD.
The third quarter saw only field goals, as the Buckeyes extend their lead to 22-16. The fourth quarter started with the UT offense struggling to put drives together against a very solid OSU defense. Ohio State drove into Texas territory last in the quarter, but missed a 50-yard FG.
Limas Sweed 😮💨 — Gage Sheets (@SheetsG23)That set up one of the most epic drives in Texas history. UT took over on their own 33 with 5:07 left in the game. Young drove Texas down to the Ohio State 24 yard line. On second and nine with 2:37 remaining to play, Young tossed a floating ball to the front corner of the endzone over the head of the Buckeyes' defender to UT WR Limas Sweed for the tying touchdown. Texas would take a tenuous one-point lead after the Pino PAT.
Needed to drive the field to set up a game-winning FG, Ohio State QB Justin Zwick fumbled on the drive's first play from scrimmage. The Horns drove the ball to the OSU one yard line but couldn't punch it in to secure the game. After UT turned the ball over on downs, Ohio State inserted Troy Smith again at QB. He would be sacked on the first play for a safety. Texas won the game 25-22.
Texas became the first non-conference opponent to beat The Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium in 15-years, ending a 36-game non-conference home winning streak. The Longhorns also became the first team to ever beat the Buckeyes in a night game at The Horseshoe.
Texas would go onto an undefeated season and a national championship.
2006: Ohio State 24, Texas 7 - Austin, TX
With the departure of Vince Young the the NFL, Mack Brown handed the reigns of the offense to redshirt freshman Colt McCoy. While McCoy would go on to being a Legend at UT with his number retired, facing the No. 1 2009: Texas 24, Ohio State 21 - Fiesta Bowl
Texas was unbeaten and No. 1 much of the 2008 season until that fateful night in Lubbock when Michael Crabtree and Texas Tech upset the Horns on a last second TD.
Instead, the Horns would play in the BCS Fiesta Bowl against No. 10 Ohio State. OSU came in with a 10-2 record after losing a non-conference clash against USC and a low scoring slugfest with Penn State.
McCoy, now a redshirt Junior, was a very different calibre of player than the Buckeyes faced back in 2006. The Horns were 11-1, hoping for a win that would set them up for another title run in the 2009 season.
Ohio State was led by Terrelle Pryor. The first half was won by the defenses. OSU led 6-3 at halftime. In the third quarter, McCoy and the Longhorns offense woke up. McCoy ran for a 14-yard TD and tossed another to Quan Cosby to take a 17-6 lead. But Pryor and the Buckeyes weren't done. Ohio State scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to take a 21-17 with just 1:49 on the clock.
But again a Texas-Ohio State game would end with an epic drive. McCoy marched UT on an 11 play, 78-yard drive that culminated with a 26-yard TD pass to Cosby who broke free of two OSU defenders and dove into the endzone for the winning touchdown with just :16 seconds on the clock.
Texas would indeed go to the national title game the next season, but lost to Alabama after McCoy was hurt on the first drive.
2025: Ohio State 28, Texas 15 - Cotton Bowl
The pivotal moment in the game came with 2:13 left on the cock in the 4th quarter. Texas, threatening at OSU’s 8-yard line, saw their hopes dashed as Jack Sawyer returned a Quinn Ewers fumble 83 yards for a touchdown to seal the OSU victory.
Texas attempted a last-minute effort but it was shot down after Quinn Ewers throw on 1st and 10 was intercepted by Ohio State's Caleb Downs return for 9 yds to the Texas 41. Game over.
