Even if you’re the granddaddy of them all, there’s no way you can stay the same in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
No. 1 Oregon State and No. 6 Ohio State arrived in Southern California just three days before Wednesday’s showdown in the 111th Rose Bowl Game. And both teams flatly announced that they were on the road for this beloved postseason event. Now it’s the CFP quarterfinals and I hope there will be two more games.
No stern photos for the Ducks (13-0, No. 1 CFP seed) and Buckeyes (11-2, No. 8 CFP seed) because they didn’t have time to make the traditional trip to Disneyland for Rose Bowl teams . – faced soccer coach shaking hands with Mickey Mouse. Nor is the annual Beef Bowl to the famous Beverly Hills restaurant, where thousands of pounds of prime rib have been shoved into the bottomless stomachs of hungry linemen since 1956.
The pregame extravaganza may be scaled back, but some things about the oldest bowl games can’t be changed. New Year’s Day still begins with the historic Rose Parade, followed by football at the famous sunset.
“When you’re in the Rose Bowl, you’re on sensory overload,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Tuesday. “The grass is getting greener. The sky is bluer. The sun is more yellow. It’s just a beautiful environment. But when your foot hits the ball, it’s time to play. Anyone who knows playoff football , the intensity will continue to increase. The electricity in that stadium will be special.”
In a lucky coincidence for Pasadena traditionalists, the game, which has pitted the Big Ten and Pac-12 champions against each other for decades, is once again the perfect geographic matchup.
And in this rematch of one of the best games of 2024, Oregon and Ohio State hope to start 2025 by producing a classic matchup in the CFP’s most anticipated quarterfinal matchup. That’s what I think.
Many observers consider the Ducks and Buckeyes to be the two best teams in the nation, and the frustration of the undefeated Ducks in drawing such a difficult matchup so early in their bid to win their first national title. is canceled out by excitement.
“It’s certainly different this year because of the way bowl games work, but the Rose Bowl was top-notch in every way,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “Ever since you’re a kid, you want to be in a game like this. This is something we’re really excited to compete in.”
second chance
Until the 12-team playoffs began, teams rarely had a chance to correct mistakes or avenge heartbreaking losses in the second half of the season. This postseason format increases the possibility of a rematch, and that’s exactly what the Buckeyes got.
One Ohio State player in particular still remembers the 32-31 loss in Eugene. Quarterback Will Howard forced the Buckeyes downfield in the final 1:47 and scrambled into field goal range, but did not slip away before time expired.
“It’s about how much you focus on it and don’t let it affect you,” Howard said. “I mean, I still have nightmares about that play. I still think about it in my head. What could I have done better? Now I go out there and try to right the wrongs that happened in that game. I got a chance. There are so many second chances in life. I’m grateful to even have the opportunity to go out and play against them again. Just keep in mind, it’s a new game. We’re both a completely different team than we were back then. But I couldn’t get it out of my head.”
Oregon State won the Big Ten championship in its debut season, but Ohio State lost to Michigan State and missed the league title game. That means the Buckeyes had three weeks off before losing in the CFP opener to Tennessee, while the Ducks have had three and a half weeks off since their first-round bye.
large production
Both teams boast formidable defenses, but no one will be surprised by the offensive shootout led by experienced quarterbacks Howard and Dillon Gabriel. Ohio State is averaging 36.0 points per game while Oregon State is averaging 35.9 points per game.
The Ducks’ offense relies on an improved offensive line to clear the way for top rusher Jordan James and give Gabriel time to find top receiver Tez Johnson amid the Buckeyes’ shaky secondary. dependent. Oregon’s line has improved dramatically since moving Iapani LaRoll to center in September.
“He’s really the glue up front,” Oregon State offensive coordinator Will Stein said. “I think the presence up front in center in Poncho (LaHeure’s middle name) really solidified us and brought back the physicality of the center that Jackson (Powers-Johnson) had last year for us. They’re ready. they are ready. ”
big shoes to fill
Buckeyes freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith is already one of the nation’s top playmakers and will face Oregon’s formidable defense in his first bowl game. He will also do it in the same stadium where Ohio State’s Jackson Smith-Nijiva set the Rose Bowl record three years ago with 15 catches for 347 yards and three touchdowns, the most in FBS history.
familiar enemy
Oregon and Ohio State will meet for the third time in the Rose Bowl, with the Buckeyes winning in 2010 when Terrelle Pryor quarterbacked the Buckeyes. Ohio State also defeated Oregon State in the first CFP Championship Game in 2014, but the Ducks have since defeated the Buckeyes in 2021. And this season too.
advance
The winner will play either Peach Bowl participant Texas State or Arizona State in the Cotton Bowl on January 10th.
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