Ohio State’s natty win in 2024 had many heroes, but every Buckeye fan remembers one play in particular. Surprisingly, that didn’t come in the national championship game. Jack Sawyer’s strip-sack against Texas in the semifinal was straight out of a Hollywood script. Not only because it guaranteed a spot in the final, but also because he sacked his freshman-year roommate, Quinn Ewers.

“Yeah. Against Quinn, against the former roommate, which was funny because Quinn’s a funny guy. And earlier in the game, I had an opportunity. I thought I sacked him, and he kind of got the ball out late and flipped it out,” said Sawyer, the Steelers LB, during his June 10 appearance on the Under Further Review podcast.

“And I thought his knee was down. I’m sitting there on the ground, holding him after I tackled him. I was like, ‘Man, there’s no way you got that ball out.’ Like laughing. I was like, ‘We’re about to challenge,’ and he started laughing. He’s like, ‘No, you can’t get me, buddy. Thought I told you that.’ And then a couple quarters later, it finally got.”

Ewers started his college life at Columbus before transferring to Austin. During that time, the QB developed a close connection with former Buckeye Sawyer. And with Ohio State holding a slim 21-14 lead late in the 4th quarter of the Cotton Bowl, the QB had an opportunity of a lifetime to spoil things for his former program. However, Sawyer had other plans.

In a bid to tie the game, the Longhorns had marched to the 1-yard line of the Buckeyes. Their first three attempts to get a touchdown were unsuccessful. One even led to a 7-yard loss. On fourth and goal, Ewers dropped back to pass, but Sawyer got a clean look at the QB. He not only sacked his former roommate but also picked up the dropped ball and ran it back 83 yards for a TD. That longest fumble recovery TD led the Buckeyes to 28-14, sealing OSU’s victory.

The DE admitted in the postgame conference that he “blacked out” while running toward the end zone at the last minute. Interestingly, after Sawyer’s incredible play, when Ewers was walking off the field, he made a playful comment.

“He [Quinn Ewers] was walking off, and he said, ‘Scr-w you.’ That’s my boy,” said Ewers to ESPN’s Holly Rowe after OSU’s win in the 2024 Cotton Bowl. However, Sawyer’s scoop-and-score was a full-circle moment for Ewers.

“Yeah, I mean, how crazy is that? Just a complete full-circle moment for everybody—me and Jack especially, just getting up to Ohio State and being roommates with that guy, and then him finishing off kind of our career like that,” said Ewers at the NFL Combine, as reported by Eleven Warriors. “I’m super proud of him and the team. But, you know, it’s tough on our end whenever you lose a game like that.”

Healthy rivalry between OSU star and Quinn Ewers

Though former Texas QB Quinn Ewers stayed a single season at OSU before transferring back home to Texas, his bond with OSU DE Jack Sawyer became a lasting friendship. There was a mutual respect between these two despite the collegiate rivalry. Even after beating Texas in the 2024 CFP, when Sawyer was asked about Ewers, he was candid.

“Quinn was my roommate when he was here. So me and Quinn, we have a good friendship, and I’m excited to play against him. He’s a great player, had a great year, had a great career at Texas,” said Sawyer to ESPN that season.

Meanwhile, Ewers had praise for his former roommate following that scoop-and-score play.

“He’s a great player. He was fun to play against. He definitely made a good play there,” said Ewers in February 2025, as reported by Eleven Warriors. “It’s such a big play. It seems like that play was our entire season.”