The Cotton Bowl fever is on! Looks like Ryan Day got too serious about protecting his job. The Ohio State Buckeyes come off as an indomitable force with a 7-0 lead at halftime. Poor Texas Longhorns! Steve Sarkisian might be looking for a place to hide until his boys make a gigantic comeback. But it’s too early to predict whether they will be able to do that or not. For now, it’s time to shed the spotlight on the half-time performers. Who’s been the hero so far in this first half of the game?

It’s not one but two Buckeyes players—RB Quinshon Judkins and QB Will Howard. Sadly, the worst performer belongs to Sarkisian’s squad. Well, looks like the Texas fans are no longer surprised to find out how their QB Quinn Ewers had a hard time. Even though he later tried to manage with a heroic act.

Quinn Ewers’ slow start leaves Steve Sarkisian in the hot seat

Sarkisian was aiming to make the Cotton Bowl play out in their favor. Before the big semifinal matchup, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian got candid during the press conference, revealing that his star QB, Quinn Ewers, hadn’t been “100% healthy” in any game this season. Still, Sark couldn’t hold back his praise, saying he’s “super proud” of what Ewers has accomplished. He even called him “the new era of college football,” adding, “Here’s a guy that goes to one school, transfers to another, and ends up playing that school in the semifinals.”

Despite the glowing endorsement, Ewers struggled when it mattered most. The Longhorns found themselves in an early 7-0 deficit, and the offense couldn’t gain traction. Sark’s squad punted on four straight first-half drives, unable to break through. Ewers had a rocky start, completing just eight of his first 16 passes and losing nine yards on four carries.

To further add to his woes, Day’s defense had already racked up three sacks by halftime. That’s when calls started to mount for Sarkisian to replace Ewers with Arch Manning.

However, Ewers then picked up the steam after a disastrous first quarter. The Longhorns signal-caller, 30 seconds into the second quarter, was able to tie the game heading into halftime. He gifted the fans a big-time 18-yard touchdown pass to running back Jaydon Blue. Now what about the star half-time performers?

Ryan Day blessed with two tough players 

While Sarkisian’s boys left Texas Longhorns fans regretting their trip to Arlington in the cold, the Buckeyes sent their fans home in high spirits. After all, not one, but two players took the oath to turn the game their way. Day’s squad was able to cast magic on the gridiron. All thanks to their veteran RB Judkins. We know how Ohio State has been on a streak of hot starts in the 2024 College Football Playoff, and Judkins carried forward the legacy. 

His rushing touchdown in the Cotton Bowl marked the third straight game where Day’s offense scored on the first drive. This time, he unlocked their run game early in the contest, coming off with four carries for 20 yards. His opening score somehow softened the blow that came with Carnell Tate dropping the pigskin that would have otherwise been a touchdown. Judkins is not the only one who deserves the credit.

The Ohio State quarterback Will Howard too has been truly impressive. Even though pictures have gone viral, raising concern over his left hand having a large knot over his middle knuckle, he didn’t fail to deliver. The quarterback came up with 13 of 18 passing for 125 yards. With the phenoms on his boat, will Ryan Day save his job preying on Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns?