Jack Sawyer Left No Doubt, Sends Buckeyes To National Title Game

Jack Sawyer left no doubt this time.

The last time Ohio State’s senior defensive end made a game-saving play when his team absolutely needed to have it was an interception against Michigan down at the goal line in a 10-10 game midway through the fourth quarter back in late November. He only returned the interception 12 yards, however, and OSU eventually punted and Michigan was able to drive for a game-winning field goal.

This time around, Sawyer cut out the middle men and handled the entire deal on his own.

With Texas facing a fourth-and-goal from the Ohio State 8-yard line in Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal in the 2025 Cotton Bowl, Sawyer took off past right tackle Cameron Williams and hit quarterback Quinn Ewers before he could get the ball off. The football bounced on the ground, and then right into Sawyer’s hands. He then raced 83 yards for a touchdown to give the Buckeyes a 28-14 lead with just over two minutes to play.

The Longhorns marched right down the field in the plays leading up to that one, needing just a touchdown to tie — or possibly take the lead. But Sawyer’s sack and scoop-and-score negated it all. It created a Texas-sized silence from the Longhorn faithful, which was broken by an Ohio-sized explosion of cheers from the thousands of Buckeye fans hanging on every last snap.

This was not the first time they saw Jack Sawyer save a game. And it won’t surprise anybody if he’s got one more in him as he prepares for his last game as a Buckeye when Ohio State meets Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game in Atlanta on January 20th.

After the game, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was seated next to Sawyer and quarterback Will Howard for the Buckeyes’ postgame press conference.

“Yeah, I couldn’t be prouder,” Day said of Sawyer. “I just love stories of guys who go through difficult times, stay loyal, defend the people they love the most, and then come out the back end. I just love that in life.”

And for Sawyer, after making one of the great plays in Ohio State football history, it was the opportunity to defend those people one more time that was at the forefront of his mind.

“I’m just so thankful to be able to play for this coach and this team each and
every week,” Sawyer said. “You know, we get 10 more days with each other, and that’s what means the most to me, is we’re going and competing for a national championship now, which is something I’ve always dreamed of bringing back to Columbus since I was a little kid, throwing the football in the backyard with my dad with an Ohio State jersey on. I’m just really looking forward to that.”

But it wasn’t just the people up on the stage talking about Jack Sawyer.

It was also his teammates in the locker room.

His brothers.

With reporters surrounding senior receiver Emeka Egbuka, Sawyer walked past and yelled his name. Egbuka stopped the interviews briefly to acknowledge Sawyer.

“Buckeye legend,” he yelled. “You’re the number one Buckeye of all-time. Captain Buckeye!”

When the yelling died down, Egbuka spoke more on Sawyer.

“I think no one deserves it more,” he said. “He bleeds Scarlet and Gray. The guy is just incredibly selfless. He’s a true captain, a true leader. It doesn’t surprise me that he makes that type of play on this type of stage. That’s just who he is. So he’s going to go down in Buckeye history as one of the greatest to ever do it.”

Sawyer is from Columbus. This may be his senior season but he’s always been a Buckeye.

“The culture of our class runs through him,” Egbuka said. “He just created that standard and us knowing how important everything is. I’m just so incredibly grateful to be his teammate.”

Leaving the locker room and headed out to meet family, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was asked about Jack Sawyer and the play call on fourth down. He paused and smiled.

“Starting last year, I joked with him and said he was ‘Mr. November,’ then I said he was ‘Mr. December,’ and now it’s ‘Mr. January,'” he said. “What’s going through my mind is that I had called some blitzes that didn’t quite land, so at that point, you’re just trying to get your best player in a one-on-one. That’s really it.”

The Buckeyes got the matchup they wanted. Sawyer went around the right tackle and went right through Quinn Ewers. The ball bounced into Sawyer’s hands and he never let it go until he needed his hands to hold the Cotton Bowl’s Defensive MVP trophy.

The Buckeyes were facing first-and-goal from the 1-yard line — and 90 seconds later, Sawyer was crossing the goal line, clinching a 28-14 Cotton Bowl win over the Texas Longhorns.

“This guy was never stronger than when we needed him the most during difficult times,” said Ryan Day.

Jack Sawyer left no doubt.

And has certainly left a legacy.

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