Well, it wasn’t the smooth ride like the first two games were, but maybe a little more meaningful. After embarrassing Tennessee and Oregon, Ohio State found itself in a dogfight with Texas in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. A game the Buckeyes would ultimately win with late heroics.

It was unlike the other playoff games Ohio State had played so far this season. We didn’t see the early explosive plays on offense. We saw plenty of penalty flags. And the Buckeyes had their backs against the wall until the final 2:13 of the Cotton Bowl.