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LGHL The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 41-21 win vs. Oregon
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 41-21 win vs. Oregon
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
The Buckeyes dominated the Ducks in the Rose Bowl.
We weren’t too far removed from Ohio State’s puzzling loss to Michigan, but the Buckeyes’ dominant victory over Tennessee showed everyone what this team could be when they’re playing their best football. The big question heading into the Rose Bowl was whether or not they would be able to maintain that level of play against the No. 1 team in the country — one that they had already lost to earlier this season.
The answer to that question was emphatic, as Ohio State built up an astonishing 34-0 lead over Oregon and coasted to a 41-21 victory to end the Ducks’ undefeated season. Ryan Day deserved a lot of the criticism following the loss to the Wolverines, but now deserves a ton of praise for getting this team back on the right path, as the Buckeyes are now only two wins away from a national title.
Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s victory over Oregon.
Jeremiah Smith/Will Howard
“Good” isn’t nearly strong enough an adjective to describe Jeremiah Smith and what he has done for Ohio State in these first two College Football Playoff games. The freshman’s 103 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Tennessee was only an appetizer for his performance against Oregon, completely dismantling the Ducks’ defense to the tune of seven catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
Smith wouldn’t be able to get the ball in his hands without a good quarterback, and Will Howard himself has been spectacular in these two postseason games as well. After having one of his best games of the year against Oregon in the regular season — one that ended with an infamous slide as time expired — he matched it with another big showing at the Rose Bowl, throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns without a single turnover.
The two were instrumental in Ohio State’s success in Pasadena. Smith, especially, was completely un-guardable the entire game, and was a go-to guy whenever the Buckeyes needed to pick up yards in a pinch — or when they wanted an easy 40-yard touchdown. The five-star phenom was Howard’s favorite target, but he also helped open things up for other guys like Emeka Egbuka, who had a great game in his own right with five catches for 72 yards and a score.
Fast Starts
There was so much talk during the regular season about Ohio State getting off to slow starts. On far too many occasions the Buckeyes allowed their opponents to dictate the flow of the game, playing a slower tempo and letting less talented teams drain the clock and limit their offensive possessions. That script has completely flipped in the postseason, as Ryan Day and Chip Kelly have come out as the aggressor with huge success.
In both of Ohio State’s College Football Playoff matchups, the Buckeyes’ offense put up an avalanche of points immediately out of the gate, putting their opponents behind the eight ball and on their heels the rest of the way. Against Tennessee, it was a 21-0 lead in Columbus with still 3:27 to play in the first quarter. Then, against Oregon, the Buckeyes piled up a 31-0 lead early in the second quarter, expanding that lead as far as 34-0 before the Ducks even got on the scoreboard.
Defense
There was a clear turning point in the season for Ohio State’s defense after that October loss to Oregon. Following another defeat that saw the Buckeyes fail to get pressure on the opposing quarterback, Larry Johnson was finally forced to cede his control of the defensive line, and the reigns of the entire defensive unit as one cohesive group were handed over to Jim Knowles for really the first time in his Ohio State tenure.
The change has led to drastic improvement, and we’ve since seen a complete overhaul of the Silver Bullets and what they are capable of.
In that first meeting with the Ducks, the Buckeyes recorded zero sacks and only two tackles for loss. On Wednesday night, Ohio State EIGHT sacks and 13 (!!) tackles for loss. It was a huge game for many of the seniors on this team, including Jack Sawyer, Cody Simon and J.T. Tuimoloau, all of whom were credited with two sacks apiece. Simon was named the defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl with a game-high 11 tackles, three tackles for loss and a PBU on top of his pair of sacks.
Overall, it was an incredibly impressive display from a defense that allowed 32 points and almost 500 yards of offense to the same Oregon team back in October. This time, the Ducks finished with 276 total yards, including -23 (yes, negative 23) yards rushing.
Jayden Fielding
While it was overshadowed by the rest of Ohio State’s incredible performances on offense and defense, Jayden Fielding deserves a shoutout for his contributions. It has been a rough go for the Buckeyes’ kicker, with a very poor showing in the Michigan game and then a missed 56-yarder against Tennessee that wasn’t remotely close.
Fielding nailed both of his field goals against Oregon on Wednesday night, including a 46-yarder to start the second quarter that tied his career-long. It had to feel good for the junior to see a few go through the uprights, and it could prove valuable for Fielding to have found a little confidence as Ohio State continues its College Football Playoff run.
Middle Eight
Ohio State was in control from the opening kickoff, but they had a bit of a lapse in focus in the ‘middle eight’ of the game. The middle eight spans from the last four minutes of the first half to the first four minutes of the second half. Coaches will always tell you that winning this stretch of a game goes a long way towards winning the game itself, but that isn’t always the case when you find yourself in a 34-point hole.
That being said, Oregon definitely won the middle eight of the Rose Bowl. The Ducks executed a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive as time expired in the second quarter, culminating in a Dillon Gabriel touchdown pass to Traeshon Holden and a two-point conversion to make it 34-8. Oregon then scored on its opening possession of the third quarter — an 11-play, 75-yard drive — to cut the deficit to 34-15. Suddenly, it was three-score game with basically still two full quarters left to play.
Ohio State didn’t do itself any favors with a quick three-and-out to follow, but the Buckeyes’ defense was able to stand strong and force a punt on the Ducks’ ensuing possession after back-to-back sacks by Sawyer and Simon. TreVeyon Henderson scored one of his two touchdowns on Ohio State’s next drive, and from there order had been restored, but things felt a little shaky for a bit there with Oregon creeping back into it.
Third-and-Long
Speaking of that third quarter touchdown drive for Oregon, it was only possible after Ohio State’s defense failed to get off the field facing a third-and-22. After Noah Whittington ran for no gain on first down, Gabriel was sacked by Sawer on second down to set up the third-and-forever. The Ducks’ QB was able to escape the pocket and find Justius Lowe along the sideline for a 21-yard gain to lead to a fourth-and-1, which Gabriel picked up on a short keeper.
It was one of a few long third downs the Buckeyes failed to stop, including a 3rd-and-16 play that netted 44 yards on Oregon’s first touchdown drive. In fact, all three of the Ducks’ scoring drives included long third down conversions, with Gabriel finding Holden again for a 27-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-13 in the fourth quarter.
It’s tough to complain much about anything Ohio State’s defense did on Wednesday, but you can’t allow great offenses like Oregon’s — and next, Texas — to stay on the field after pushing them backwards on first and second town.
Officiating (again)
It feels silly to complain about officiating after a 20-point victory over the No. 1 team in the country, but the crew in Pasadena was just flat out awful. There wasn’t one specific call that changed the outcome of the game, but Ohio State’s defenders were being held egregiously throughout the contest without a single flag being thrown. Conversely, the Buckeyes’ offensive line was flagged for holding on a play that looked to be a clean pancake block.
This is nothing new for Ohio State, as it has not seen an opponent called for holding since the first quarter against Marshall back on Sept. 21. The Buckeyes went through the entirety of Big Ten play — and now two CFP games — without even so much as a single penalty called on the opposing offensive line for holding. Some of the worst examples on Wednesday night were against Jack Sawyer, who has not seen an offensive lineman called for holding against him since September of 2021 (that is a REAL stat, not hyperbole).
Ohio State’s defense still managed to rack up eight sacks despite being hugged and held all night, but it's at the point where it's no longer just a statical anomaly. Im not quite sure what the Buckeyes are doing so as to not draw holding penalties, but it's become a frustrating trend that could eventually prove costly if not rectified.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
The Buckeyes dominated the Ducks in the Rose Bowl.
We weren’t too far removed from Ohio State’s puzzling loss to Michigan, but the Buckeyes’ dominant victory over Tennessee showed everyone what this team could be when they’re playing their best football. The big question heading into the Rose Bowl was whether or not they would be able to maintain that level of play against the No. 1 team in the country — one that they had already lost to earlier this season.
The answer to that question was emphatic, as Ohio State built up an astonishing 34-0 lead over Oregon and coasted to a 41-21 victory to end the Ducks’ undefeated season. Ryan Day deserved a lot of the criticism following the loss to the Wolverines, but now deserves a ton of praise for getting this team back on the right path, as the Buckeyes are now only two wins away from a national title.
Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s victory over Oregon.
The Good
Jeremiah Smith/Will Howard
“Good” isn’t nearly strong enough an adjective to describe Jeremiah Smith and what he has done for Ohio State in these first two College Football Playoff games. The freshman’s 103 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Tennessee was only an appetizer for his performance against Oregon, completely dismantling the Ducks’ defense to the tune of seven catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
Smith wouldn’t be able to get the ball in his hands without a good quarterback, and Will Howard himself has been spectacular in these two postseason games as well. After having one of his best games of the year against Oregon in the regular season — one that ended with an infamous slide as time expired — he matched it with another big showing at the Rose Bowl, throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns without a single turnover.
The two were instrumental in Ohio State’s success in Pasadena. Smith, especially, was completely un-guardable the entire game, and was a go-to guy whenever the Buckeyes needed to pick up yards in a pinch — or when they wanted an easy 40-yard touchdown. The five-star phenom was Howard’s favorite target, but he also helped open things up for other guys like Emeka Egbuka, who had a great game in his own right with five catches for 72 yards and a score.
Fast Starts
There was so much talk during the regular season about Ohio State getting off to slow starts. On far too many occasions the Buckeyes allowed their opponents to dictate the flow of the game, playing a slower tempo and letting less talented teams drain the clock and limit their offensive possessions. That script has completely flipped in the postseason, as Ryan Day and Chip Kelly have come out as the aggressor with huge success.
In both of Ohio State’s College Football Playoff matchups, the Buckeyes’ offense put up an avalanche of points immediately out of the gate, putting their opponents behind the eight ball and on their heels the rest of the way. Against Tennessee, it was a 21-0 lead in Columbus with still 3:27 to play in the first quarter. Then, against Oregon, the Buckeyes piled up a 31-0 lead early in the second quarter, expanding that lead as far as 34-0 before the Ducks even got on the scoreboard.
Defense
There was a clear turning point in the season for Ohio State’s defense after that October loss to Oregon. Following another defeat that saw the Buckeyes fail to get pressure on the opposing quarterback, Larry Johnson was finally forced to cede his control of the defensive line, and the reigns of the entire defensive unit as one cohesive group were handed over to Jim Knowles for really the first time in his Ohio State tenure.
The change has led to drastic improvement, and we’ve since seen a complete overhaul of the Silver Bullets and what they are capable of.
In that first meeting with the Ducks, the Buckeyes recorded zero sacks and only two tackles for loss. On Wednesday night, Ohio State EIGHT sacks and 13 (!!) tackles for loss. It was a huge game for many of the seniors on this team, including Jack Sawyer, Cody Simon and J.T. Tuimoloau, all of whom were credited with two sacks apiece. Simon was named the defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl with a game-high 11 tackles, three tackles for loss and a PBU on top of his pair of sacks.
Overall, it was an incredibly impressive display from a defense that allowed 32 points and almost 500 yards of offense to the same Oregon team back in October. This time, the Ducks finished with 276 total yards, including -23 (yes, negative 23) yards rushing.
Jayden Fielding
While it was overshadowed by the rest of Ohio State’s incredible performances on offense and defense, Jayden Fielding deserves a shoutout for his contributions. It has been a rough go for the Buckeyes’ kicker, with a very poor showing in the Michigan game and then a missed 56-yarder against Tennessee that wasn’t remotely close.
Fielding nailed both of his field goals against Oregon on Wednesday night, including a 46-yarder to start the second quarter that tied his career-long. It had to feel good for the junior to see a few go through the uprights, and it could prove valuable for Fielding to have found a little confidence as Ohio State continues its College Football Playoff run.
The Bad
Middle Eight
Ohio State was in control from the opening kickoff, but they had a bit of a lapse in focus in the ‘middle eight’ of the game. The middle eight spans from the last four minutes of the first half to the first four minutes of the second half. Coaches will always tell you that winning this stretch of a game goes a long way towards winning the game itself, but that isn’t always the case when you find yourself in a 34-point hole.
That being said, Oregon definitely won the middle eight of the Rose Bowl. The Ducks executed a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive as time expired in the second quarter, culminating in a Dillon Gabriel touchdown pass to Traeshon Holden and a two-point conversion to make it 34-8. Oregon then scored on its opening possession of the third quarter — an 11-play, 75-yard drive — to cut the deficit to 34-15. Suddenly, it was three-score game with basically still two full quarters left to play.
Ohio State didn’t do itself any favors with a quick three-and-out to follow, but the Buckeyes’ defense was able to stand strong and force a punt on the Ducks’ ensuing possession after back-to-back sacks by Sawyer and Simon. TreVeyon Henderson scored one of his two touchdowns on Ohio State’s next drive, and from there order had been restored, but things felt a little shaky for a bit there with Oregon creeping back into it.
Third-and-Long
Speaking of that third quarter touchdown drive for Oregon, it was only possible after Ohio State’s defense failed to get off the field facing a third-and-22. After Noah Whittington ran for no gain on first down, Gabriel was sacked by Sawer on second down to set up the third-and-forever. The Ducks’ QB was able to escape the pocket and find Justius Lowe along the sideline for a 21-yard gain to lead to a fourth-and-1, which Gabriel picked up on a short keeper.
It was one of a few long third downs the Buckeyes failed to stop, including a 3rd-and-16 play that netted 44 yards on Oregon’s first touchdown drive. In fact, all three of the Ducks’ scoring drives included long third down conversions, with Gabriel finding Holden again for a 27-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-13 in the fourth quarter.
It’s tough to complain much about anything Ohio State’s defense did on Wednesday, but you can’t allow great offenses like Oregon’s — and next, Texas — to stay on the field after pushing them backwards on first and second town.
The Ugly
Officiating (again)
It feels silly to complain about officiating after a 20-point victory over the No. 1 team in the country, but the crew in Pasadena was just flat out awful. There wasn’t one specific call that changed the outcome of the game, but Ohio State’s defenders were being held egregiously throughout the contest without a single flag being thrown. Conversely, the Buckeyes’ offensive line was flagged for holding on a play that looked to be a clean pancake block.
This is nothing new for Ohio State, as it has not seen an opponent called for holding since the first quarter against Marshall back on Sept. 21. The Buckeyes went through the entirety of Big Ten play — and now two CFP games — without even so much as a single penalty called on the opposing offensive line for holding. Some of the worst examples on Wednesday night were against Jack Sawyer, who has not seen an offensive lineman called for holding against him since September of 2021 (that is a REAL stat, not hyperbole).
Ohio State’s defense still managed to rack up eight sacks despite being hugged and held all night, but it's at the point where it's no longer just a statical anomaly. Im not quite sure what the Buckeyes are doing so as to not draw holding penalties, but it's become a frustrating trend that could eventually prove costly if not rectified.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State’s dominant Rose Bowl showing not only keeps its goals alive, but helps in recruiting too
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- 0 Replies
Ohio State’s dominant Rose Bowl showing not only keeps its goals alive, but helps in recruiting too
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes showed out in front of millions watching in person and on television, proving how powerful their brand really is.
Rose Bowl champions has an incredible ring to it, and while the job is only half way finished, you cannot say enough about how stellar Wednesday’s game against Oregon was — and the previous game against Tennessee too, for that matter.
An Ohio State team that is clicking in all three phases of the game and seemingly peaking at the right time, Ryan Day and this coaching staff have to be praised for the work they are doing to prepare a team that is hitting their stride at the perfect point of the season. A credit to the players as well, of course, they are responding in a way that this fanbase dreamt of seeing, but I’m not sure anyone could have predicted or expected the team to look this good.
Either way, Texas is now on the clock, and there’s not a single team right now that has to be wanting to see this Ohio State squad if the current trends continue.
The most exciting piece to winning the Rose Bowl is being able to play on and keep their ultimate goals of a national title alive, but there’s another area that has to be mentioned as well because of the importance it has on the overall state of the program: Recruiting.
When a team looks as good as the Buckeyes have and are playing once again on the national stage, commanding all of the attention as they tend to do, recruiting has to come to mind. Not only with the top prep targets this staff is after, but the transfer portal targets as well, the Buckeyes are showing why Columbus can be the best place to spend your college career.
It’s no secret the power of Ohio State’s football brand. The Buckeyes are routinely atop of the college football landscape when it comes to viewership for their games. Certainly the opponent matters in many cases for sure, but it’s no secret as to why FOX continued slating the Buckeyes in their Big Noon Kickoff, and why many times Ohio State is the premier televised game of the day.
This program is always being watched, and whether it be by their massive fanbase or even their haters, all eyes are on Ohio State more times than not. Last night was no different, and you better believe top high school prospects from around the country saw what the Buckeyes did to Oregon and had to come away rather impressed.
A tip of the cap to Oregon, they had some sort of momentum streak going for them through signing day with how much NIL money they have backing their program. While that won’t change thanks to Phil Knight and Nike, beating them on the field is one way to help your cause when many of these recruiting battles are literally going head-to-head with the Ducks.
Dan Lanning is a heck of a recruiter, and honestly a very good football coach, so Oregon isn’t going to go away easy, but last night helped the Buckeyes keep their brand at an all-time high and show they’re not just going to hand over control of the Big Ten to the Ducks.
Seeing the Buckeyes lose five-star corner Na’eem Offord to Oregon on signing day, this win has to make the staff feel great about where they can go from here when it comes to pitching their program in recruiting battles against Oregon. In addition, thinking of in-state safety Trey McNutt and of course Dorian Brew, these are all players Ohio State was seriously in the mix for. Whether it was a “loss” or not, Oregon signed each one of them, showing there’s a real threat in the conference for top targets the Buckeyes want.
Down the road, Ohio State sits in great position for several of their key in-state 2026 targets, but recently even Elbert Hill has taken to his social media to share Oregon related posts. The No. 1 player in Ohio per the 247Sports Composite in the next cycle, seeing Ohio State’s secondary lock down the Oregon passing attack basically all night shows the a player like Hill that he can stay right at home to be developed and can compete at the highest of levels if he chooses Ohio State in the end.
Several more examples could be pointed out, but the point is this: Ohio State winning head-to-head on the field means at least something in recruiting.
It’s shocking to believe he has two more collegiate seasons before he’s even draft eligible, but Jeremiah Smith continues to be the best receiver in the country at just 19 years old. The best true freshman I have watched in my lifetime, the performances he and his fellow teammates are putting out show this staff is right where it needs to be developing their players for the highest level of the game. That matters maybe more than anything when it comes to recruiting.
Not just with freshmen either, this team is improving its play, and that’s development at its finest. Seeing the play from guys like Cody Simon is a testament to his position coach, and tonight the old chatter of the Buckeyes not being able to pass rush was put to rest for the second game in a row. If you don’t think that matters to recruiting prep and transfer portal targets, I have some ocean front property in Ohio I would like to sell you.
Not to be forgotten, the offensive line play has to be discussed. A unit that is missing arguably it’s two best players, Justin Frye has had his dudes ready,. Sure, he can take some heat for recruiting misses — and Lord knows I’ve said it myself too — but he deserves recognition for the way his guys are playing right now. To me, that preaches he can develop his guys, and may just be the aspect he needed most to start winning these top national offensive tackle targets.
Without getting to rambling on much more, this win needs to be celebrated. Hopefully it is just one of two more games this team can win to achieve greatness as national champions.
A national title can do wonders for a football program in any and every aspect. It’s been a while since Ohio State has hoisted that trophy, and they really haven’t suffered much when it comes to recruiting or anything else hindering their goals to be one of the best programs annually.
The Buckeyes have two more games to go, and that’s not lost on me, but if you think about recruiting for just a moment and what these two games are telling recruits, it’s nothing but positive.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes showed out in front of millions watching in person and on television, proving how powerful their brand really is.
Rose Bowl champions has an incredible ring to it, and while the job is only half way finished, you cannot say enough about how stellar Wednesday’s game against Oregon was — and the previous game against Tennessee too, for that matter.
An Ohio State team that is clicking in all three phases of the game and seemingly peaking at the right time, Ryan Day and this coaching staff have to be praised for the work they are doing to prepare a team that is hitting their stride at the perfect point of the season. A credit to the players as well, of course, they are responding in a way that this fanbase dreamt of seeing, but I’m not sure anyone could have predicted or expected the team to look this good.
Either way, Texas is now on the clock, and there’s not a single team right now that has to be wanting to see this Ohio State squad if the current trends continue.
The most exciting piece to winning the Rose Bowl is being able to play on and keep their ultimate goals of a national title alive, but there’s another area that has to be mentioned as well because of the importance it has on the overall state of the program: Recruiting.
When a team looks as good as the Buckeyes have and are playing once again on the national stage, commanding all of the attention as they tend to do, recruiting has to come to mind. Not only with the top prep targets this staff is after, but the transfer portal targets as well, the Buckeyes are showing why Columbus can be the best place to spend your college career.
All eyes on Ohio State
It’s no secret the power of Ohio State’s football brand. The Buckeyes are routinely atop of the college football landscape when it comes to viewership for their games. Certainly the opponent matters in many cases for sure, but it’s no secret as to why FOX continued slating the Buckeyes in their Big Noon Kickoff, and why many times Ohio State is the premier televised game of the day.
This program is always being watched, and whether it be by their massive fanbase or even their haters, all eyes are on Ohio State more times than not. Last night was no different, and you better believe top high school prospects from around the country saw what the Buckeyes did to Oregon and had to come away rather impressed.
A tip of the cap to Oregon, they had some sort of momentum streak going for them through signing day with how much NIL money they have backing their program. While that won’t change thanks to Phil Knight and Nike, beating them on the field is one way to help your cause when many of these recruiting battles are literally going head-to-head with the Ducks.
Dan Lanning is a heck of a recruiter, and honestly a very good football coach, so Oregon isn’t going to go away easy, but last night helped the Buckeyes keep their brand at an all-time high and show they’re not just going to hand over control of the Big Ten to the Ducks.
Seeing the Buckeyes lose five-star corner Na’eem Offord to Oregon on signing day, this win has to make the staff feel great about where they can go from here when it comes to pitching their program in recruiting battles against Oregon. In addition, thinking of in-state safety Trey McNutt and of course Dorian Brew, these are all players Ohio State was seriously in the mix for. Whether it was a “loss” or not, Oregon signed each one of them, showing there’s a real threat in the conference for top targets the Buckeyes want.
Down the road, Ohio State sits in great position for several of their key in-state 2026 targets, but recently even Elbert Hill has taken to his social media to share Oregon related posts. The No. 1 player in Ohio per the 247Sports Composite in the next cycle, seeing Ohio State’s secondary lock down the Oregon passing attack basically all night shows the a player like Hill that he can stay right at home to be developed and can compete at the highest of levels if he chooses Ohio State in the end.
Several more examples could be pointed out, but the point is this: Ohio State winning head-to-head on the field means at least something in recruiting.
The stars showing out in Scarlet & Gray
It’s shocking to believe he has two more collegiate seasons before he’s even draft eligible, but Jeremiah Smith continues to be the best receiver in the country at just 19 years old. The best true freshman I have watched in my lifetime, the performances he and his fellow teammates are putting out show this staff is right where it needs to be developing their players for the highest level of the game. That matters maybe more than anything when it comes to recruiting.
Not just with freshmen either, this team is improving its play, and that’s development at its finest. Seeing the play from guys like Cody Simon is a testament to his position coach, and tonight the old chatter of the Buckeyes not being able to pass rush was put to rest for the second game in a row. If you don’t think that matters to recruiting prep and transfer portal targets, I have some ocean front property in Ohio I would like to sell you.
Not to be forgotten, the offensive line play has to be discussed. A unit that is missing arguably it’s two best players, Justin Frye has had his dudes ready,. Sure, he can take some heat for recruiting misses — and Lord knows I’ve said it myself too — but he deserves recognition for the way his guys are playing right now. To me, that preaches he can develop his guys, and may just be the aspect he needed most to start winning these top national offensive tackle targets.
Without getting to rambling on much more, this win needs to be celebrated. Hopefully it is just one of two more games this team can win to achieve greatness as national champions.
A national title can do wonders for a football program in any and every aspect. It’s been a while since Ohio State has hoisted that trophy, and they really haven’t suffered much when it comes to recruiting or anything else hindering their goals to be one of the best programs annually.
The Buckeyes have two more games to go, and that’s not lost on me, but if you think about recruiting for just a moment and what these two games are telling recruits, it’s nothing but positive.
Continue reading...
Game Thread CFP Playoff Cotton Bowl, tOSU vs Texas, Fri. Jan. 10th, 7:30 ET on ESPN
- By BB73
- 2024 Football Season Capsule
- 2715 Replies
LGHL Race into the Rose Bowl with your Ohio State Snoopy flying ace bobblehead
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- 0 Replies
Race into the Rose Bowl with your Ohio State Snoopy flying ace bobblehead
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
As long as Lucy (a.k.a. Ryan Day) doesn’t pull the football out from underneath us, what more could you ask for?
Throughout the course of this season, I have made repeated references to a certain iconic cartoon scene that has felt appropriate for how Ohio State’s head coach was able to get me incredibly excited about the team and its potential, only to figuratively pull the rug out from under me.
Coincidentally (or maybe not), our friends at FOCO have been riding that theme this season, introducing a limited edition bobblehead of that very scene as well as others from the beloved history of “Peanuts.” Today, we are delighted to share one that I think symbolizes how full-speed-ahead I am about the Buckeyes’ national championship chances.
This limited edition bobblehead features Snoopy in full Red Baron regalia getting ready to take off from atop his dog house. There are only 150 of these 8-inch, handmade, and hand-painted figures available, so do not hesitate. They are available for $85 and you can pre-order yours now.
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As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Last month, they released a must-have bobble scene that chronicles Ohio State football history and a super cute fuzzy head Brutus bobblehead. Last month to commemorate the start of the College Football Playoff, they introduced an awesome, limited edition Brutus Buckeye Mini Bighead Bobblehead decked out with all of the CFP pomp and circumstance.
This season, FOCO has also released an Archie Griffin bobblehead celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy and a Buckeye bobblehead version of the classic Lucy and Charlie Brown football scene. As the season started, they also released this awesome double-Brutus bobblehead, not to mention some of the coolest and most unique Ohio State gear imaginable.
Then, last season, they dropped a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. In the fall they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads and introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead. Just about a year ago, FOCO unveiled a Brutus training camp bobblehead, and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead.
In addition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium, FOCO released a pair of must-have bobbleheads; one featuring Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if you actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has stuff for other teams that you might be interested in as well, but who likes teams other than the Buckeyes?
If, for some reason, you think you might need some sort of memorabilia from another school, I guess you can find those things here.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
As long as Lucy (a.k.a. Ryan Day) doesn’t pull the football out from underneath us, what more could you ask for?
Throughout the course of this season, I have made repeated references to a certain iconic cartoon scene that has felt appropriate for how Ohio State’s head coach was able to get me incredibly excited about the team and its potential, only to figuratively pull the rug out from under me.
Coincidentally (or maybe not), our friends at FOCO have been riding that theme this season, introducing a limited edition bobblehead of that very scene as well as others from the beloved history of “Peanuts.” Today, we are delighted to share one that I think symbolizes how full-speed-ahead I am about the Buckeyes’ national championship chances.
This limited edition bobblehead features Snoopy in full Red Baron regalia getting ready to take off from atop his dog house. There are only 150 of these 8-inch, handmade, and hand-painted figures available, so do not hesitate. They are available for $85 and you can pre-order yours now.
Get Your Snoopy Flying Ace Bobblehead Today!
As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Last month, they released a must-have bobble scene that chronicles Ohio State football history and a super cute fuzzy head Brutus bobblehead. Last month to commemorate the start of the College Football Playoff, they introduced an awesome, limited edition Brutus Buckeye Mini Bighead Bobblehead decked out with all of the CFP pomp and circumstance.
This season, FOCO has also released an Archie Griffin bobblehead celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy and a Buckeye bobblehead version of the classic Lucy and Charlie Brown football scene. As the season started, they also released this awesome double-Brutus bobblehead, not to mention some of the coolest and most unique Ohio State gear imaginable.
Then, last season, they dropped a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. In the fall they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads and introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead. Just about a year ago, FOCO unveiled a Brutus training camp bobblehead, and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead.
In addition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium, FOCO released a pair of must-have bobbleheads; one featuring Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if you actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has stuff for other teams that you might be interested in as well, but who likes teams other than the Buckeyes?
If, for some reason, you think you might need some sort of memorabilia from another school, I guess you can find those things here.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Who needs to have a great game for Ohio State to beat Oregon?
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You’re Nuts: Who needs to have a great game for Ohio State to beat Oregon?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
When Ohio State takes the field at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, it’s going to take a collective effort from them to get the job done in their rematch against Oregon. The stakes are higher. Both teams have worked out all the kinks (hopefully). And there will be no redemption afterward. This game is The Redemption Story.
If every Buckeye player needs to be firing on all cylinders in Pasadena, one player needs redemption slightly more than the others: OSU quarterback Will Howard.
Think back to the game in October at Autzen Stadium: It was a battle between two high-powered offenses, both of whom left points on the board in a game decided by a single point. Howard played magnificently for the most part—statistically speaking, it was one of the best games of his career—but a few costly errors put an asterisk next to his stats.
When people talk about his performance in that game, they’re not going to remember that he went 28-for-35 or that he threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns.
They’re going to remember the ball he dropped on third-and-3, forcing Ohio State to punt. And they’re going to remember the play Howard says still gives him nightmares: The slide. With just six seconds remaining, Howard tried to set his team up for a game-winning kick, but he accidentally ran all the time off the clock.
Whether or not there was in fact a second left (there was) is not the point— you, I, and Howard all know that if he’d pulled up a yard earlier, the clock would be indisputable, and unfortunately, we can nitpick the slo-mo videos all we want but it doesn’t change the official outcome. The official record is that Howard’s slide ran the clock down and cost the Buckeyes the shot at a game-winning field goal.
And while defensive players like Denzel Burke didn’t play their best games that Saturday night either, likely, this is going to be a neck-and-neck game that comes down to who has possession last (which equals clock management and capitalizing offensively), so Howard can’t afford to goof.
The good news? The Howard who will take the field on Wednesday isn’t the same one who played Oregon in October. This game is about redemption, but it’s also, simply, about finishing what this team set out to accomplish: A National Championship. Motivation? Hunger? Those are good, but they don’t negate the need for preparation.
Howard says he’s prepared. He’ll need to stay calm and collected, to maintain his accuracy in the face of pressure. This preparation is mission-critical for the Buckeyes, especially with the return of Oregon’s star defensive back Jordan Burch, who was out of the game in October. Burch has logged 8.5 sacks in just 9 games, and Howard will need to be able to make decisions with Burch breathing down his neck.
The rest of the offense needs to do their job too, but the receivers, for example, will have a much harder time doing theirs if Howard doesn’t maintain his composure. If he gets rattled, the game could be over. But if he can turn the hours of game film, extra reps, and minutia into tangibles, he could make the Buckeyes champions.
The Buckeyes have talked a lot this season about their desire to “leave no doubt.” Fortunately for Howard, he gets a shot to erase any shred of it that remains. He must do just that on Wednesday if the Buckeyes want their Championship dreams to continue.
Yes, obviously the Ohio State starting quarterback will need to have a good day in order for the Buckeyes to win. But that’s obvious and easy. While I am not coming completely out of left field here, at least I am thinking a bit out of the obvious box.
In the first meeting between Oregon and Ohio State this season, the Buckeye defense did precious little to try and disrupt Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s process. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles opted to let the Buckeye down linemen to try and generate pressure on the quarterback on their own, doing little to help them in terms of bringing blitzes or calling more exotic rushes.
Instead, more often than not, this led to the four defensive linemen essentially trying to run straight ahead and beat Oregon’s five offensive linemen (not to mention any tight ends and running backs helping to block) straight up. That did not work and Gabriel torched the OSU secondary as Denzel Burke had his worst day as a Buckeye because he simply couldn’t keep up with the Duck wide receivers given how much time Gabriel had in the pocket.
Since then, the OSU defense has been “re-engineered” and the Silver Bullets have gotten more pressure (with and without blitzes) than they have in the past few seasons. Not coincidentally, this has coincided with Jack Sawyer’s second-straight, late-season emergence as an absolute menace to anyone lined up across from him.
In the last four games, the Pickerington native has 16 quarterback hurries, 10 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. He has been the type of game-wrecker that many envisioned when he signed with his hometown Buckeyes.
While J.T. Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, and backups like Kenyatta Jackson have also stepped up late in the season, Captain Jack has led the way and will need to against the Ducks. A Heisman Trophy finalist, Gabriel is far too good to be given as much time as he was in Eugene on Oct. 12. If the Buckeyes want to prevent a repeat of the near-perfect passing performance that they saw last time these two teams took the field, Sawyer will need to continue to play like the wrecking ball that he has been recently.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: Who needs to have a great game for Ohio State to beat Oregon?
Jami’s Take: Will Howard
When Ohio State takes the field at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, it’s going to take a collective effort from them to get the job done in their rematch against Oregon. The stakes are higher. Both teams have worked out all the kinks (hopefully). And there will be no redemption afterward. This game is The Redemption Story.
If every Buckeye player needs to be firing on all cylinders in Pasadena, one player needs redemption slightly more than the others: OSU quarterback Will Howard.
Think back to the game in October at Autzen Stadium: It was a battle between two high-powered offenses, both of whom left points on the board in a game decided by a single point. Howard played magnificently for the most part—statistically speaking, it was one of the best games of his career—but a few costly errors put an asterisk next to his stats.
When people talk about his performance in that game, they’re not going to remember that he went 28-for-35 or that he threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns.
They’re going to remember the ball he dropped on third-and-3, forcing Ohio State to punt. And they’re going to remember the play Howard says still gives him nightmares: The slide. With just six seconds remaining, Howard tried to set his team up for a game-winning kick, but he accidentally ran all the time off the clock.
Whether or not there was in fact a second left (there was) is not the point— you, I, and Howard all know that if he’d pulled up a yard earlier, the clock would be indisputable, and unfortunately, we can nitpick the slo-mo videos all we want but it doesn’t change the official outcome. The official record is that Howard’s slide ran the clock down and cost the Buckeyes the shot at a game-winning field goal.
And while defensive players like Denzel Burke didn’t play their best games that Saturday night either, likely, this is going to be a neck-and-neck game that comes down to who has possession last (which equals clock management and capitalizing offensively), so Howard can’t afford to goof.
The good news? The Howard who will take the field on Wednesday isn’t the same one who played Oregon in October. This game is about redemption, but it’s also, simply, about finishing what this team set out to accomplish: A National Championship. Motivation? Hunger? Those are good, but they don’t negate the need for preparation.
Howard says he’s prepared. He’ll need to stay calm and collected, to maintain his accuracy in the face of pressure. This preparation is mission-critical for the Buckeyes, especially with the return of Oregon’s star defensive back Jordan Burch, who was out of the game in October. Burch has logged 8.5 sacks in just 9 games, and Howard will need to be able to make decisions with Burch breathing down his neck.
The rest of the offense needs to do their job too, but the receivers, for example, will have a much harder time doing theirs if Howard doesn’t maintain his composure. If he gets rattled, the game could be over. But if he can turn the hours of game film, extra reps, and minutia into tangibles, he could make the Buckeyes champions.
The Buckeyes have talked a lot this season about their desire to “leave no doubt.” Fortunately for Howard, he gets a shot to erase any shred of it that remains. He must do just that on Wednesday if the Buckeyes want their Championship dreams to continue.
Matt’s Take: Jack Sawyer
Yes, obviously the Ohio State starting quarterback will need to have a good day in order for the Buckeyes to win. But that’s obvious and easy. While I am not coming completely out of left field here, at least I am thinking a bit out of the obvious box.
In the first meeting between Oregon and Ohio State this season, the Buckeye defense did precious little to try and disrupt Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s process. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles opted to let the Buckeye down linemen to try and generate pressure on the quarterback on their own, doing little to help them in terms of bringing blitzes or calling more exotic rushes.
Instead, more often than not, this led to the four defensive linemen essentially trying to run straight ahead and beat Oregon’s five offensive linemen (not to mention any tight ends and running backs helping to block) straight up. That did not work and Gabriel torched the OSU secondary as Denzel Burke had his worst day as a Buckeye because he simply couldn’t keep up with the Duck wide receivers given how much time Gabriel had in the pocket.
Since then, the OSU defense has been “re-engineered” and the Silver Bullets have gotten more pressure (with and without blitzes) than they have in the past few seasons. Not coincidentally, this has coincided with Jack Sawyer’s second-straight, late-season emergence as an absolute menace to anyone lined up across from him.
In the last four games, the Pickerington native has 16 quarterback hurries, 10 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. He has been the type of game-wrecker that many envisioned when he signed with his hometown Buckeyes.
While J.T. Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, and backups like Kenyatta Jackson have also stepped up late in the season, Captain Jack has led the way and will need to against the Ducks. A Heisman Trophy finalist, Gabriel is far too good to be given as much time as he was in Eugene on Oct. 12. If the Buckeyes want to prevent a repeat of the near-perfect passing performance that they saw last time these two teams took the field, Sawyer will need to continue to play like the wrecking ball that he has been recently.
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
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LGHL Ohio State vs. Oregon: Land-Grant’s experts make their picks
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Ohio State vs. Oregon: Land-Grant’s experts make their picks
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Every week, we will be picking the score, MVP, and major storyline for each Buckeye game.
Being the Buckeye beat’s black sheep blog, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to pat ourselves on the back. So, throughout the season, members of our staff will be making predictions about that day’s game. They will go on the record with what they think the final score will be, who the game’s MVP will be, and what the major storyline will be coming out of the day.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will square off with the Oregon Ducks in the Grandaddy of Them All with a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals on the line. The Rose Bowl is scheduled to kick off around 5 p.m. ET and will be aired in various forms on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, and ESPN Deportes.
As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 2.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 26-25 in favor of Ohio State.
Check out what our staff members think and then let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments below. As we move forward with the season, you will be able to keep up with just how well our prognosticators do on a weekly basis HERE.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 28
Game MVP: Emeka Egbuka
Major Storyline: Jayden Fielding will make a 36-yard field goal to win the game and move Ohio State onto the semifinals of the playoff.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 34, Oregon 30
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ryan Day and Ohio State get the much-needed win over a top-tier team and Jeremiah Smith continues to prove he is the best wide receiver in college football.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Oregon 35
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Will Howard is going to throw for two touchdowns and run for two more. The Ohio State defense will get a late stop, giving the ball back to the Buckeye offense to get in victory formation. See you in the semis.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Oregon 33
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Redemption for Will Howard. After the heartbreaking slide potentially cost the Buckeyes the first matchup between the teams in October, he gets the job done this time, and has the potential to lead his team to a national championship.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Cody Simon
Major Storyline: It took a few years, but Jim Knowles’ defense is finally cooking. Ohio State’s offense has always been what grabs headlines, but the Buckeyes’ defense — especially the secondary — has been stellar during the second half of the season and could be the reason they win it all.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 27
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: In another thrilling battle between these two schools, Ohio State exacts some revenge for the loss in Eugene in October. Unlike the first meeting, the Buckeyes are able to get to Dillon Gabriel and make the quarterback uncomfortable in the pocket. Will Howard finds Jeremiah Smith for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter to send the Buckeyes to the Cotton Bowl.
Score Prediction: Oregon 31, Ohio State 28
Game MVP: Dillon Gabriel
Major Storyline: Ohio State plays well, but ultimately Oregon’s defensive line overpowers the Buckeyes’ offensive line and causes a late turnover to win the game. Jeremiah Smith goes off, but Ohio State comes up just short. Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel runs for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Jack Sawyer
Major Storyline: In the first meeting between the two teams, Ohio State’s offense wasn’t the problem (although it was far from perfect). The reason Ohio State lost that game was because the defensive scheme put no effort into trying to disrupt Dillon Gabriel in the pocket. Following that mid-October loss, OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles reengineered the defense and the Silver Bullets have gotten home via increased blitzes and from creative play design across the defensive line.
In this rematch, Will Howard, Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, et. al will continue to move the ball against the Ducks’ defense, but it will be the Buckeye defenders who will be the talk of Pasadena.
For the second straight season, Jack Sawyer has played his best football at the end of the year, and that continues this afternoon as the senior defensive end records three sacks on Gabriel and breaks up a pass.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Caleb Downs
Major Storyline: The Ohio State defensive game plan will be the major storyline. Whether from the pass rush or blitzing, the defense will cause Oregon to make a mistake or two that determine the game. Will Howard redeems himself and Jeremiah Smith goes off for two touchdowns.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Every week, we will be picking the score, MVP, and major storyline for each Buckeye game.
Being the Buckeye beat’s black sheep blog, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to pat ourselves on the back. So, throughout the season, members of our staff will be making predictions about that day’s game. They will go on the record with what they think the final score will be, who the game’s MVP will be, and what the major storyline will be coming out of the day.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will square off with the Oregon Ducks in the Grandaddy of Them All with a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals on the line. The Rose Bowl is scheduled to kick off around 5 p.m. ET and will be aired in various forms on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, and ESPN Deportes.
As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 2.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 26-25 in favor of Ohio State.
Check out what our staff members think and then let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments below. As we move forward with the season, you will be able to keep up with just how well our prognosticators do on a weekly basis HERE.
Justin Golba
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 28
Game MVP: Emeka Egbuka
Major Storyline: Jayden Fielding will make a 36-yard field goal to win the game and move Ohio State onto the semifinals of the playoff.
Dan Hessler
Score Prediction: Ohio State 34, Oregon 30
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ryan Day and Ohio State get the much-needed win over a top-tier team and Jeremiah Smith continues to prove he is the best wide receiver in college football.
Caleb Houser
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Oregon 35
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Will Howard is going to throw for two touchdowns and run for two more. The Ohio State defense will get a late stop, giving the ball back to the Buckeye offense to get in victory formation. See you in the semis.
Jami Jurich
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Oregon 33
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Redemption for Will Howard. After the heartbreaking slide potentially cost the Buckeyes the first matchup between the teams in October, he gets the job done this time, and has the potential to lead his team to a national championship.
Connor Lemons
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Cody Simon
Major Storyline: It took a few years, but Jim Knowles’ defense is finally cooking. Ohio State’s offense has always been what grabs headlines, but the Buckeyes’ defense — especially the secondary — has been stellar during the second half of the season and could be the reason they win it all.
Brett Ludwiczak
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 27
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: In another thrilling battle between these two schools, Ohio State exacts some revenge for the loss in Eugene in October. Unlike the first meeting, the Buckeyes are able to get to Dillon Gabriel and make the quarterback uncomfortable in the pocket. Will Howard finds Jeremiah Smith for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter to send the Buckeyes to the Cotton Bowl.
Gene Ross
Score Prediction: Oregon 31, Ohio State 28
Game MVP: Dillon Gabriel
Major Storyline: Ohio State plays well, but ultimately Oregon’s defensive line overpowers the Buckeyes’ offensive line and causes a late turnover to win the game. Jeremiah Smith goes off, but Ohio State comes up just short. Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel runs for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Matt Tamanini
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Jack Sawyer
Major Storyline: In the first meeting between the two teams, Ohio State’s offense wasn’t the problem (although it was far from perfect). The reason Ohio State lost that game was because the defensive scheme put no effort into trying to disrupt Dillon Gabriel in the pocket. Following that mid-October loss, OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles reengineered the defense and the Silver Bullets have gotten home via increased blitzes and from creative play design across the defensive line.
In this rematch, Will Howard, Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, et. al will continue to move the ball against the Ducks’ defense, but it will be the Buckeye defenders who will be the talk of Pasadena.
For the second straight season, Jack Sawyer has played his best football at the end of the year, and that continues this afternoon as the senior defensive end records three sacks on Gabriel and breaks up a pass.
Jordan Williams
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Caleb Downs
Major Storyline: The Ohio State defensive game plan will be the major storyline. Whether from the pass rush or blitzing, the defense will cause Oregon to make a mistake or two that determine the game. Will Howard redeems himself and Jeremiah Smith goes off for two touchdowns.
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