By Tiffany Williams –
Texas needed protection, power and time to pull off a stunning comeback against the No. 1 team in the country. Offensive tackle Trevor Goosby delivered all three, helping the Longhorns erase a 20-point deficit and beat Ohio State, 24-23, on Saturday.
The Football Writers Association of America named Goosby the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week for games played during the weekend of September 12. The 6-foot-7, 325-pound senior from Melissa, Texas, anchored the protection as quarterback Arch Manning led Texas on three consecutive touchdown drives to close the game.
Goosby was Texas’ highest-graded offensive lineman and earned the nation’s highest PFF grade at 87.0 on 46 pass blocks. He did not allow a sack and surrendered only one quarterback pressure as the Longhorns completed the first fourth-quarter comeback of at least 20 points against a No. 1 team in 22 years.
The biggest work came when Texas had almost no room left for mistakes. The Longhorns entered their final three touchdown drives trailing Ohio State, 23-3, and each possession required at least 12 plays while covering at least 72 yards.
The first two drives went 15 and 13 plays and included fourth-down conversions in Texas territory. Goosby and the Texas offensive line kept those possessions alive and gave Manning and the Longhorns the opportunity to keep attacking.
Texas exploded for 150 yards of offense in the fourth quarter, including 83 through the air and 67 on the ground. Ohio State managed just 52 yards during the quarter as the Longhorns took control of the game.
Beginning with the final drive of the third quarter, Texas accumulated 236 yards over the final 21 minutes. The Longhorns became the only team in the past 15 years to close a victory with three consecutive touchdown drives of at least 12 plays.
The 24-23 victory was the third-largest comeback by an FBS team against an AP No. 1 opponent this century. Texas also became the first non-conference opponent this century to score at least 21 fourth-quarter points against Ohio State.
Goosby was already on the preseason Outland Trophy watch list, and his National Player of the Week selection keeps him firmly in the award conversation. The FWAA will announce the Outland Trophy semifinalists November 18 before narrowing the field to three finalists November 24.
Texas has produced five Outland Trophy winners, including consecutive winners Kelvin Banks in 2024 and T’Vondre Sweat in 2023. Banks was also the most recent Texas player to earn Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honors, receiving the recognition during the weekend of October 12, 2024, while center Jake Majors also earned the weekly honor during the 2024 season.
The Outland Trophy recognizes the best interior lineman in college football and is limited to eligible offensive and defensive interior linemen. The award dates to 1946 and is celebrating 81 years since its founding.
The 2026 Outland Trophy winner will be announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN on December 11. The official presentation will take place January 27, 2027, at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner in Omaha, Nebraska.
For Goosby, the latest recognition came from a game in which an offensive lineman’s impact could be measured far beyond one individual statistic. Texas needed three long touchdown drives, protection for Manning and enough strength up front to keep moving the football with the game hanging in the balance, and Goosby helped provide the foundation for all of it.