How Will Ohio State's Defense Perform Against Texas QB Quinn Ewers?

How will the Ohio State's defense perform against former Buckeyes' quarterback Quinn Ewers in the Cotton Bowl?

Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) passes the ball against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After a dominant 41-21 victory over the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl, the Ohio State Buckeyes are now set to take on the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl.

Despite the defensive woes in Week 7 of the 2024 college football season against the Ducks, the Buckeyes held strong against Oregon's offense in the second go-around. Ohio State finished with eight sacks and 13 tackles for losses, along with nine pass deflections.

Now, head coach Ryan Day and his red-hot squad must square off against a familiar face in former Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Ewers has a tough challenge ahead of him, as Ohio State's defense is the No. 1 team in points allowed and yards allowed per game this season. In addition to that, Texas has missed star running back CJ Baxter this season, as he suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason.

But luckily for the veteran gunslinger, the Longhorns' have combination of speedy playmakers in Matthew Golden and Isiah Bond, along with head coach Steve Sarkisian calling plays. Texas' head coach does a phenomenal job of creating misdirection in his offense through a great run-pass option system. His ability to use speedy wideouts at all levels of the field allows him to simultaneously expand and condense the field.

So how does Ohio State contain Ewers and the Longhorns offense? It's simple: defensive coordinator Jim Knowles must use the same game plan from the Oregon and Tennessee games.

Ever since the Buckeyes' Week 7 loss to the Ducks, the defensive line has been significantly better at getting after opposing quarterbacks, which leads to less pressure on Ohio State's secondary. Knowles' dynamic duo of defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau combined for 7.5 sacks in the team's last two games.

While Sawyer and Tuimoloau continue to dominant in the pass rush, linebacker Cody Simon has been the perfect "glue guy" that holds together the defense. Simon is coming off a stellar performance against Oregon, as the senior finished with three tackles for losses and two sacks in the Rose Bowl. With how well Ohio State's front seven has played throughout the College Football Playoffs, the Buckeyes' defense could be due for another big-time performance against the Longhorns.