Fiesta Bowl- First quarter Texas down 3-0
Ohio State opened up the game to trick Texas in their two-quarterback offense featuring Todd Boeckman and Terrelle Pryor. Boeckman hit receiver Brian Robiskie open for a first down.
However, the offense tricked itself when they were flagged for illegal substitution making a third-and-two a third-and-seven. Robiskie dropped Boeckman’s pass to force a punt. Texas now has the ball on its own 11.
Texas had a good first play on offense, with Ogbonnaya gaining nine yards. However, Greg Davis’ screen pass call didn’t work on second down and Jordan Shipley lost two yards. McCoy’s pass for Ogbonnaya on third down fell incomplete and the Longhorns had to punt. Davis is wanting the ball in the hands of seniors Ogbonnaya and Shipley it seems like. Ohio State’s defense is all over Shipley and seem to be keying in on him.
Ohio State moved the ball down the field for four first downs, but Sergio Kindle sacked Pryor on third and eight to move Ohio State back to its 33-yardline and force a field goal attempt. Pryor found Robiskie on the first play of the drive and then outjuked a Texas defender trying to sack him for another big completion, this time to DeVier Posey. Linebacker Rashad Bobino moved out of position for Texas and that allowed a big Beanie Wells run down to the Longhorn 28 yardline.
The Texas secondary is getting beat like they stole something everytime in man-coverage.
Aaron Pettery got Ohio State on the field with a 50 yard field goal. Texas has never played a team with a kicker like Pettery. His ability to make long field goals will bring an added dimension to Ohio State’s game and could make the difference in the end. Ohio State has the edge in the kicker position.
Texas is down 3-0 with 7:28 left to play in the first.
The Longhorns moved the ball for two first downs on its next drive, but had to punt after McCoy threw a pass to Shipley on third and short for no gain. The Longhorns elected to punt the ball rather than go for it. Justin Tucker’s rugby-style punt sailed into the endzone for a touchback. Greg Davis’ gameplan seems to be dink and dunk short passes all night. The Longhorns don’t seem to be taking chances against this Ohio State defense by punting it rather than going for it past midfield.
The Longhorn defense couldn’t get a hand on Terrelle Pryor as he gained 13 on a quarterback draw on third and nine.
The Buckeyes went for another long field goal, but Pettery missed from 51 yards out to give the ball to Texas.
The first quarter ends with Texas driving on the Buckeye 30 down 3-0.