The Texas Longhorns had no answer for Jeremiah Smith in the first half on Saturday.
But then Texas cornerback Bo Mascoe came alive, as he delivered a breakout performance in just his second game with the Longhorns to help shut down Ohio State's star wide receiver in a 24-23 comeback win over the then-No. 1 Buckeyes.
Though Smith ended up finishing with eight catches for 164 yards and one touchdown, most of this damage came in the first half. The advanced stats show that Mascoe locked him up when it mattered most.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a catch during the NCAA football game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
According to PFF, Mascoe allowed zero catches on four targets while guarding Smith.
This impressive performance came despite what Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian admitted wasn't the best first half from Mascoe.
"I thought in the second half, Bo Mascoe, we got was the guy that we were expecting to get," Sarkisian said. "I don't think he had a great first half. Thought he had a much better second half."
This was highlighted by forcing incompletions against Smith on two different third downs in the fourth quarter, one of which stopped a touchdown at the goal line. This led to the missed field goal from the Buckeyes that gave Texas life with a few minutes to play.
"We didn't panic, and the next two third downs, Mascoe's in man coverage against him, and he knocks a slant route down, and then plays him extremely well, squeezes him to sideline on the fade," Sarkisian said. "And so we just we challenged him to go play, and that allowed us, I think, to be a little better against the run, and that allowed us to be put a little more pressure on the quarterback."
Smith had a 43-yard catch down the field in the third quarter after beating Texas cornerback Warren Roberson. The highlight play looked to be the nail in the coffin for the Longhorns, but they held Ohio State to a field goal a few snaps later. It was the final points the Buckeyes would score all night.
Smith may have had some early shine that allowed him to feel confident enough to throw up the "Horns Down" at the end of the first half, but Mascoe and the Longhorns got the last laugh.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/texas as Texas Longhorns CB Locked Up Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith in Second Half .
