WATCH: Ohio State HC Ryan Day shares a special moment with Jack Sawyer’s mom following heroic performance

Ryan Day led Ohio State to an impressive victory over Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night. The Buckeyes sealed a 28-14 win at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington to secure their place in the national championship game where they will face Notre Dame on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

It was a thrilling and hotly contested playoff game between the two teams on Friday. However, Ohio State sealed the win with a pick-six from Jack Sawyer. The defensive end rushed 86 yards to the end zone after Quinn Ewers had fumbled the ball on a 4th and goal situation.

It was a proud moment for Sawyer and family as he etched his name in the Buckeyes folklore with his heroic performance. Following the game, his mother shared a special moment with Ryan Day on the field. The two hugged each other before having a brief chat.

Here's the video:

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Ryan Day praises Jack Sawyer for his amazing performance

In his postgame press conference on Friday night, Ryan Day commended defensive end Jack Sawyer for his game-sealing play against Texas. Sawyer's critical turnover and touchdown proved pivotal in securing the win and a spot in the national championship game.

On a fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line, Sawyer surged past the Longhorns' offensive line to strip quarterback Quinn Ewers of the ball. He recovered the fumble and rumbled the length of the field for a touchdown with 2:13 remaining, sealing the game in dramatic fashion.

“I can't say enough about Jack Sawyer," Day said following the victory. "He's a guy who loves being a Buckeye, he loves his teammates. He's done everything we've asked him to do.

“He's a captain. He's everything that we could possibly ask for in a captain. To make a play like that in that moment. We talked about it before the game, you wanna leave a legacy behind? You become a legend. He just became a legend at Ohio State.”

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A memorable touchdown for Jack Sawyer

For Jack Sawyer, it was more than just a game-sealing touchdown. He got it off a fumble from close friend and former teammate.

He and Ewers were briefly roommates in Columbus during Ewers’ one semester at Ohio State before the quarterback transferred back home to Texas.

“I saw the ball pop out right to me after I tackled him, I was just thinking, I’ve got to stay on my feet, because I almost blacked out when I scooped it and saw a bunch of green grass ahead of me,” Sawyer said.

“Just walking off, he said, ‘Screw you,’ and started laughing. Obviously that’s my boy.”

Sawyer will hope to play a crucial role in sealing the national championship game for Ohio State at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

Ryan Day will count on Sawyer and a host of top players in the team to deliver their best against Notre Dame.