Texas's offense struggles out of the gates
Texas struggled to convert on the plus side of the 50 yard line in the game's first quarter against Ohio State's stout and buttoned-up defense. The game's first two drives for Texas's offense got on the plus side of the 50-yard line after a few nice passing plays from the Longhorns.
But Texas had some key mistakes that caused the offense to sputter out on second and third down, keeping the Longhorns at zero points after getting the ball across the 50 twice to open up the game.
The offensive line penalties, missed throws and avoidable sacks on Ewers, and a lack of an established ground game halted Texas's offense on almost every single first-half drive.
Leaving meat on the bone has been a common theme for Texas's offense for long stretches of games this season. In Texas's two losses coming into the national semis of the CFP at the Cotton Bowl, the Longhorns scored on under 50 percent of drives that crossed the opponent's 50-yard line against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Not being able to establish a consistent ground game, along with some costly penalties on offense and defense late in the first and the second half, hurt Texas's offense and kept them from advancing the ball.
After rushing for just 53 yards and under two yards per carry against Arizona State in the CFP quarterfinals at the Peach Bowl last week, the Longhorns rushed for under 60 yards and two yards per carry against the Buckeyes tonight.
Texas's offense had five drives that got around or across midfield in this game, and they only got points on two of them.