Did James Talarico Just Break The Ted Cruz Curse?

Some fans credited James Talarico with showing up at halftime for the amazing comeback.
Did James Talarico Just Break The Ted Cruz Curse?
Credit: Screenshots
By Ed Scarce — September 13, 2026

Down 23-3, the Texas Longhorns staged a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback and rallied to win 24-23 over #1-ranked Ohio State. Some fans credited James Talarico with showing up at halftime.

Some had speculated it would take divine intervention to overcome the Ted Cruz curse, that there is no way a Texas team can win if he shows up.

Source: Pro Football Network

Texas pulled off a stunning 24-23 comeback win over Ohio State on Saturday. As Texas fans celebrate the dramatic win, many are also relieved that the program may have finally broken free from the so-called ‘Ted Cruz curse.’

However, some Longhorns supporters believe Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico deserves the credit for ending the curse.
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Besides the debate surrounding the Protect College Sports Act, the senator’s appearance also frustrated fans because of the infamous “Ted Cruz curse.” The long-running sports superstition suggests that teams or athletes Cruz supports or attends games for tend to suffer losses in important games.

During Saturday’s Texas game, Cruz appeared on ESPN’s “College GameDay” from the stadium to discuss the Protect College Sports Act, legislation aimed at establishing federal guidelines for college athletics. However, he was greeted with a chorus of boos from Texas fans, with the noise occasionally making it difficult to hear him.

However, that narrative seemed to be put to rest Saturday as Texas mounted a stunning comeback, scoring a touchdown with only 25 seconds remaining in regulation to complete the win against Ryan Day’s program.
...
Some fans credited Talarico with finally breaking the curse associated with Cruz.

It's that Talarico Blessing.

It was all too much for the haters on Fox News.

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