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Jake Trotter, Senior Writer, ESPN
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The fourth quarter had just begun when the chants surrounding the horseshoe began.
“We want Oregon.”
In the tunnel beneath Ohio State’s student section, Rose Bowl staff prepared red roses for locker room celebration as Brutus emerged from the catacombs with the first bouquet.
The Ohio State backup still had a few minutes to play before Tennessee was officially called off. But the Buckeyes were already mentally prepared for a rematch with Oregon in the Rose Bowl quarterfinals on New Year’s Day.
Ohio State’s dominant 42-17 win over the Volunteers in the first round of the College Football Playoff set the stage for a second matchup with the Ducks, who beat the Buckeyes 32-31 on Oct. 12 in Eugene. An undefeated regular season, a Big Ten championship and the No. 1 overall seed in the CFP.
The Buckeyes had every opportunity to win their October game. But with Ohio State driving in the final minute, star freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith was flagged for a controversial offensive pass interference call, putting the Buckeyes out of field goal range. Quarterback Will Howard inexplicably slipped as time expired, ending the game at the Oregon 26-yard line.
“We’ve all been looking forward to this game and another crack at these guys,” said Howard, who had a rose stem in his teeth as he congratulated his teammates coming off the field after the win over Tennessee. “I don’t like the way the last episode ended. It still bothers me.”
The Ohio National Guard has been a different unit since their first crack at the Ducks.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State’s talented defensive front failed to sack him once and pressured him only twice. Oregon’s wide receivers also won one-on-one matchups, most notably against cornerback Denzel Burke, which led to big plays. But since then, the Buckeyes have dominated the opposition. After the Oregon game, they ranked first in the nation in fewest yards allowed per game (3.8), yards given up per game (234.4), and points given up per game (11.7).
“It wasn’t a great game for us, so we’re looking forward to our opportunity,” defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said of Oregon’s first outing. “To be honest, they were angry and that made them come at us. They used that game as motivation.”
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Ohio State prepares for Oregon rematch as Tennessee steamrolls
Ohio State earned a berth in the College Football Playoff against Oregon with a resounding 42-17 win over Tennessee.
Ohio State’s explosive offense was motivated Saturday night after a lethargic 13-10 loss to Michigan in the regular season finale. The Buckeyes also showed what they can do when they’re “clicking on all cylinders,” as offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said.
Facing one of the SEC’s top defenses, the Buckeyes produced touchdowns on their first three drives. Tennessee couldn’t cover Smith, who scored a pair of touchdowns and had a game-high 103 receiving yards. The Vols also couldn’t handle running back TreVeyon Henderson, who generated 134 yards of offense with two scores.
“We called this game more aggressive, there’s no question about that,” coach Ryan Day said. “But I also think we’ve done a good job of maximizing our strengths and minimizing our weaknesses.”
Ohio State featured college football’s best receiving duo, Smith and wideout Emeka Egbuka, to maximize Howard and his downfield passing attack. Emeka Egbuka added 81 receiving yards on five receptions.
Howard responded to the challenges and poor play against Michigan by completing 24 of 29 passes for 311 yards. His only interception came on Ohio State’s fourth drive when the Buckeyes were already up 21-0. Howard attempted to zip a pass to Smith in the back of the end zone. Officials could have called defensive pass interference on Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter, who was all over Smith. Instead, Tennessee’s Will Brooks was able to pick off the tipped ball before it went out of bounds.
“I liked the call and I liked how aggressive we were,” Day said. “Similar things happen when you call the game offensively. You have to be willing to live with that.”
The contrast between the last two games highlighted that Ohio State’s offense is at its best when it’s aggressive. Combine this with defensive play just like in college football, and it’s easy to see why the Buckeyes will head to Pasadena with revenge on their hearts. And a national championship is the goal.
“Yeah, I’m really excited.” Howard said. “We’re going to go out and have a good time and get ripped.”
