Ohio State football found the ultimate redemption in their Rose Bowl matchup against Oregon. After the Buckeyes stormed through the first quarter with a 14-0 lead, they kept the foot on the gas for the rest of the game, walking away with the convincing 41-21 win.
Head coach Ryan Day had his team prepared, and they clearly learned a lot from their controversial ending against Oregon in October, where the Buckeyes fell 32-31 against the Big Ten opponent. Day and the Buckeyes were ready for the Ducks this time around.
“When things are going good, you’ve got to hug the guys you love the most, and when things aren’t, you’ve got to hug them even harder. And you just hang in there and you keep swinging. … That’s life. And this team is resilient,” Day said, per Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports.
Ohio State advances to the next round of the College Football Playoff against Texas in the Cotton Bowl on January 10, to decide who will play in the national championship.
Ohio State football is the team to beat in the CFP
While Ohio State ended the regular season on a concerning note, they have now proved the capability of playing at an elite level on both sides of the football. Defense was the primary concern, as the Buckeyes roll deep with the perfect combination of offensive weapons.
Quarterback Will Howard was brilliant in the passing game against Oregon, connecting with wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka for two 40-plus yard touchdown throws in the first quarter. Howard later hit Smith again on a 43-yard score to total three passing touchdowns in the first half. The powerful running back tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins handled things from there, to wind down the clock as much as possible before the Ducks could spark a comeback.
Texas’ defense is also quite exposable. It’s expected to be another shootout performance in the next outing. That said, Day’s Buckeyes are going to be difficult to stop if the Longhorns fall behind early in the Cotton Bowl.