The strip sack, fumble return touchdown by Jack Sawyer will be remembered as one of the best plays in Ohio State football history.
Jack Sawyer will be remembered as one of Ohio State’s all-time heroes after the play he made in Arlington. In the College Football Playoff semifinal at AT&T Stadium, with just over two minutes remaining, the Buckeyes held a slim 21–14 lead over the Texas Longhorns. Texas drove to Ohio State’s one-yard line, with the potential game-tying touchdown in sight. Then, Sawyer struck.
On fourth-and-goal, Sawyer chased down former Ohio State roommate and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, stripping the ball just before reaching the end zone. Sawyer scooped the loose ball and raced 83 yards down the sideline for a touchdown, sealing a 28–14 win and sending Ohio State to the national championship game.
That play instantly entered legend. It set the record for the longest fumble return in College Football Playoff history and broke Cotton Bowl Classic records too. For many viewers, Sawyer’s hustle and awareness from strip to scoop to sprint captured everything fans love about Ohio State football.
Coach Ryan Day called Sawyer’s play legendary. He said, “To make a play like that in that moment you become a legend at Ohio State.” It wasn’t just a play; it was a declaration. Sawyer had delayed his move to the NFL specifically to make moments like this—and he delivered.
Reddit fans agreed without hesitation. One thread called it “THE best play of my lifetime” and compared it to other classics like “85 yards through the heart of the South,” saying Sawyer’s strip amounted to a defensive dagger. Another simply exclaimed: “Some will say this is the greatest play in Ohio State history.”
What made that moment so powerful wasn’t just the outcome it was the journey of Sawyer and the context. He had roomed with Ewers at Ohio State, then watched Ewers thrive at Texas. To strip him and run it back for a touchdown in that moment on national stage, in front of nearly 80,000 fans, with the CFP on the line was poetic and symbolic.
Even Ewers had to acknowledge its impact. He called Sawyer “a great player, great person,” then admitted, “It sucks” to watch him run down the sideline. Their shared history made it hurt—and made it unforgettable.
Sawyer’s reaction was equally telling. He admitted he nearly blacked out when he saw nothing but green grass ahead and had to brace himself for the full sprint. But he stayed on his feet and scored, completing a sequence of game-defining plays under immense pressure.
Analysts agree: this belongs among Ohio State’s defining moments. One outlet listed Sawyer’s play among the most incredible Buckeye defensive plays since 2000, alongside classics like “Holy Buckeye” and “Block Six.” ESPN called it the moment that punched Ohio State’s ticket to the National Championship
From a career perspective, it transformed Sawyer’s legacy. As he prepared for the NFL Draft and was eventually selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft Sawyer’s reputation soared. He became a symbol of Ohio State pride, clutch performance, and leadership under fire.
That touchdown didn’t just win a game it sealed a championship berth. OSU went on to beat Notre Dame in the title game and claimed its sixth AP national title. But Sawyer’s play in the semifinal cast the rest of the season into sharp relief: without that moment, there would have been no opportunity.
His teammates recognized it instantly. Even Will Howard, the backup quarterback who converted a key fourth-and-two earlier in the drive, called Sawyer’s play priceless. It was a team moment that lifted everyone offense, defense, coaches toward closing the deal in Atlanta.
Beyond the buzz, Sawyer’s play shows how a single defensive sequence can shift momentum and define legacies. It was a strip, a scoop, and a score but more than that, it was a statement about Ohio State’s identity: aggressive, opportunistic, relentless.
For fans, replaying the clip brings chills from Sawyer’s initial hit to the sideline sprint to the eruption of the band and crowd. It instantly joined “Block Six,” “Holy Buckeye,” and other iconic plays in the program’s history. Reddit users described it as a life highlight, unbelievable in real time and destined to become a classic.
Looking ahead, that play will define Sawyer’s own legend and Ohio State’s defensive legacy for years to come. It serves as a recruiting tool, a highlight reel staple, and a replay in highlight packages each October when Texas or playoff dreams return. It’s a play that years later reminds fans how one sequence can change everything.
Even Washington Post and ESPN retrospectives described it as the turning point of Ohio State’s championship run. It wasn’t just a sack it was execution, opportunism, and stamina under pressure that set champions apart. Jack Sawyer’s strip sack and 83‑yard fumble return touchdown against Texas will be remembered as one of the best plays in Ohio State football history. It captured the drama, the stakes, and the essence of what Buckeye football is meant to be. A defining defensive moment under the brightest lights forever etched in memory, legend, and the lore of Columbus.
