Here is the result in plain text:
Jack Sawyer stood on the stage after winning the Cotton Bowl with a smile on his face and a hand holding up one side of Ohio State’s infamous “Ohio Against The World” flag. Quarterback Will Howard held the other end as coach Ryan Day celebrated a 28-14 win against Texas next to them.
It was a shared stage, but make no mistake: This was Sawyer’s moment. And nobody deserved it more.
He was just 20 minutes removed from the 83-yard strip-sack touchdown that sealed Ohio State’s College Football Playoff semifinal victory, sending the Buckeyes to the national championship game against Notre Dame.
And it had to be Sawyer, because he is Ohio State football.
The senior defensive end is from Pickerington, just a half hour from Ohio Stadium. He grew up an Ohio State fan, was the first player to commit in the highly regarded 2021 recruiting class and became one of many in this senior class to publicly announce he was coming back for one more year to try to beat Michigan and win the national title.
The Buckeyes failed in their attempt to end their rivalry angst, but the Playoff has offered a shot at redemption. Now a championship is within reach. Sawyer’s passion for the program is unmatched, and it’s no coincidence that when Ohio State needed a play the most, he was the one to make it.
“He’s the heart and soul of what we are,” defensive line coach Larry Johnson said. “He puts everything into it. He wants this in the worst way.”
