ARLINGTON, Texas – Ohio State senior defensive end Jack Sawyer earned the Felix R. McKnight Trophy after being named the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

Sawyer tallied three tackles, a sack, a pass break up and two quarterback hurries but he sealed the Buckeyes victory with 2:13 remaining on the clock by sacking Texas junior quarterback Quinn Ewers, causing a fumble and taking it 83 yards in for the score.
 
"Like I said, they're a great team, and we knew they had a lot of good stuff, and they were going to land some punches as well," said the senior from Pickerington, Ohio. "The team who executed the most and prepared the best in the game was going to win. We were able to – we were fortunate enough to execute. God is great and He's put this team in such a great spot. I'm so fortunate to be playing in the National Championship my last year here."
 
Sawyer's 83-yard live fumble touchdown return set a Cotton Bowl Classic record for the longest miscellaneous return.

Ohio State advances to the CFP National Championship, where the Buckeyes are set to face seventh-seeded Notre Dame on Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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