COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State football team had their sights set on a rematch with Oregon long before they dominated Tennessee in their playoff opener. The Buckeyes hoped their opportunity to rectify the defeat they suffered against the Ducks on October 12 would come in the Big Ten Championship game. However, that chance evaporated after they fell to Michigan, thus relinquishing their spot in the title contention.
Fortunately for Ohio State, their convincing 42-17 victory over Tennessee now positions them to face Oregon once more, this time in a quarterfinal showdown at the illustrious Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. Quarterback Will Howard expressed the team’s eagerness for the rematch, stating, “It’s going to be a heck of an opportunity for all of us. I think we’ve all been looking forward to this one, another crack at these guys. The way the last one ended didn’t sit right with me.”
In their earlier clash, the Buckeyes were in the lead on two occasions during the second half but ultimately could not secure the win. They were advancing down the field in the closing moments when a controversial interference call against freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith hindered their progress. Howard, trying to keep the play alive, scrambled out of bounds just as time expired, resulting in a narrow 32-31 loss in a game that proved to be the closest of the season for the top-seeded Ducks, who currently boast an undefeated record of 13-0.
Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, acknowledged the team’s desire for redemption following that initial disappointing performance. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity because it was not a great game for us,” Knowles said. “And I know, quite frankly, the guys got a little pissed off. They used that game as motivation. So, I’m sure they’re looking forward to another opportunity.”
As they prepare for the rematch, Ohio State’s defense — now hailed as the best in the nation — is looking to rectify the mistakes from their previous encounter, where they allowed Heisman Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks to accumulate a staggering 496 yards. Linebacker Cody Simon noted the importance of learning from past mistakes as they gear up for the showdown. “You get to watch yourself play, and watch the mistakes that you’ve made, and you see how they attack you,” Simon explained. “But also, there’s a lot of football played in between that. They’ve changed. We’ve changed, and we’re just going to look at what we need to do, and trust the game plan the coaches have, and we’ll go and tackle them.”
Saturday night marked a historic moment as it hosted the first December college football game at the iconic Horseshoe stadium, which opened 102 years ago. In an impressive display of talent, Howard completed two touchdown passes to Smith, amassing 311 passing yards, his highest tally since the previous Oregon matchup. Running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins both added two rushing touchdowns. The Buckeye defense put pressure on Tennessee’s quarterback Nico Iamaleava, recording four sacks and limiting him to just 104 passing yards, marking his lowest output of the season.
Oregon’s head coach, Dan Lanning, acknowledged the Buckeyes’ explosive capabilities, stating, “That’s an elite football team that we just played. They’re really, really talented. They don’t have weaknesses.”
Looking ahead, other quarterfinal matchups include sixth-seeded Penn State taking on third-seeded Boise State on December 31, while January 1 will feature fifth-seeded Texas facing fourth-seeded Arizona State, and seventh-seeded Notre Dame squaring off against second-seeded Georgia.