This time, Ohio State left little question.
The No. 8 seed Buckeyes (12-2), with their 32-31 October loss to No. 1 seed Oregon (13-1) lingering behind their minds, rose to the event and bludgeoned the beforehand undefeated Oregon Geese 41-21 on the Rose Bowl Wednesday. With the win, Ohio State avenged their regular-season loss and superior to a Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal in opposition to No. 5 seed Texas.
Ohio State freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith set the tone for the Buckeyes on the third play of the sport. On second-and-10, he took a cross within the backfield off a movement, reduce up discipline, made the Geese’ safeties miss as they dove at his ankles and walked into the top zone for a 45-yard landing.
Two possessions later, Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard stood tall within the pocket and threw a 42-yard dart simply out of attain of Oregon’s Brandon Johnson and into the palms of receiver Emeka Egbuka for Ohio State’s second landing. Each early scoring drives spanned one minute.
Howard completed the sport 17-of-26 passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns, constructing on his 311-yard, two-touchdown efficiency within the first-round CFP win over Tennessee.
The Ohio State protection matched the offense’s depth, smothering Oregon’s run recreation and holding the Geese to -26 dashing yards, their fewest in 16 years. The Buckeyes additionally earned 13 tackles for a loss. The cross rush that Dillon Gabriel was capable of expertly elude throughout their first matchup hounded the Geese quarterback with eight sacks.
The proverbial nail within the coffin got here on the 11:13 mark of the second quarter. Oregon, going through fourth-and-three from its 48-yard line whereas trailing 17-0, went for it. The pocket collapsed round Gabriel, who tried to seek out Terrance Ferguson operating throughout the sector, just for his cross to be damaged up by Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon.
Two performs later, Howard linked with Smith once more, this time for a 43-yard bomb to increase the Buckeyes’ result in 24-0.
Simon gained Rose Bowl defensive MVP honors.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard celebrates after throwing a landing cross within the first quarter in opposition to Oregon on the Rose Bowl.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)
Smith ended up with 187 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions, setting a brand new faculty file for single-game receiving yards by a freshman (beforehand set by Cris Carter within the 1985 Rose Bowl) and incomes Rose Bowl offensive MVP honors. It was his fifth 100-yard recreation of the season, making him the twelfth Buckeye receiver in program historical past — and the primary freshman — to perform the feat.
With the sport in hand, the Buckeyes obtained the run recreation going because the duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins mixed for 179 yards and two touchdowns.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly additionally obtained a lift from the win. Day notched his third CFP victory of his profession and fifth win in opposition to a top-five staff amid criticism he struggles to win large video games. After Kelly was roasted for his play calling throughout a loss to rival Michigan, his Buckeyes have been able to overpower the Oregon protection.
Ohio State will face Texas on the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 9 for a spot within the CFP nationwide title recreation.
