By GREG BEACHAM
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Second possibilities don’t come round typically in life, Ohio State coach Ryan Day informed his gamers in a crew assembly earlier than the Rose Bowl.
After a season during which they fell brief at too many key moments, the Buckeyes all knew they’d a kind of second possibilities once they stepped onto this well-known turf for an additional shot on the top-ranked, unbeaten Oregon Geese.
Ohio State seized it with a vengeance.
Jeremiah Smith caught two of Will Howard’s three lengthy landing passes throughout a sensational 34-point first half, and the No. 6 Buckeyes roared into the School Soccer Playoff semifinals with a 41-21 victory within the 111th Rose Bowl on Wednesday evening.
“You can see the potential of where we’re at, when we play in all three phases the way we did,” Day mentioned.
Howard handed for 319 yards, Emeka Egbuka additionally caught an extended TD move and TreVeyon Henderson made a 66-yard landing run in a redemptive Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes (12-2, CFP No. 8 seed), who misplaced a 32-31 heartbreaker to the Geese in Eugene in October. Ohio State then misplaced to archrival Michigan in humiliating trend to conclude a daily season during which its performances didn’t at all times measure as much as its formidable expertise.
The inaugural 12-team School Soccer Playoff created a manner for the Buckeyes to erase their errors — and from the opening minute in Pasadena, they took out each frustration on the outclassed Geese.
“I think nobody has gone through more scrutiny than probably the team here,” Egbuka mentioned. “Five weeks ago, you know, people on the scene getting death threats, our head coach getting cussed out, people saying he should never come to Ohio again, all that type of stuff. And I’m sure by the end of (tonight), when you scroll Twitter, Instagram, everyone’s going to be singing our praises. We just know what to say true to in our building.”
Going through the event’s No. 1 seed within the Granddaddy of Them All, the Buckeyes scored on six of their first seven drives — with 4 scoring performs longer than 40 yards — to take a 34-0 lead late within the second quarter on the nation’s solely remaining unbeaten crew.
Henderson’s second TD run late within the third primarily put it away for Ohio State, which is headed to the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10 to face No. 4 Texas for a berth within the nationwide title sport. The Longhorns barely superior earlier Wednesday, holding off Arizona State 39-31 in a double-overtime Peach Bowl.
“I’m proud of the resilience of these guys,” Day mentioned. “Still got a lot of football ahead of us.”
Smith, the Buckeyes’ standout freshman playmaker, had a exceptional bowl debut with seven receptions for a season-high 187 yards — together with 5 catches for 161 yards within the first half alone, hauling in scoring passes of 45 and 43 yards. Egbuka in contrast Smith favorably to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had a document 347-yard, three-touchdown Rose Bowl efficiency three years in the past.
“I would say legendary,” Egbuka mentioned. “I was able to witness Jaxon’s game in the Rose Bowl and the pure dominant performance that that was, but even though (Smith’s) stats might not reflect the exact same thing that Jaxon has, I don’t think it was too far off in terms of dominance. He’s a very special talent, and I’m so excited to keep watching him grow.”
Dillon Gabriel handed for 299 yards and hit Traeshon Holden for 2 touchdowns for the Geese (13-1, CFP No. 1 seed), whose goals of their first nationwide title had been flattened on the famed Rose Bowl turf. Oregon’s 14-game profitable streak additionally ended.
“We really didn’t have the ability to stop them, and we didn’t have the ability to get something going for us on offense,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning mentioned. “We haven’t faced a lot of moments like this all year. (Ohio State) is an unbelievable team.”
Eleven days after routing Tennessee to open the Playoff, Ohio State dominated the Geese. Together with the Buckeyes’ offensive fireworks, the Ohio State protection that couldn’t sack Gabriel within the groups’ first assembly dropped the Heisman Trophy finalist eight occasions within the rematch.
The Huge Ten champion Geese did not create any of the massive performs that carried them to victory final time. Oregon additionally performed with out receiver Evan Stewart, who caught seven passes for 149 yards within the first assembly, however was dominated out of the Rose Bowl with a again damage.
“They brought the fight, and we got hit in the mouth,” Oregon receiver Tez Johnson mentioned. “They won the game from the first snap.”
On the Buckeyes’ third drive, Howard feathered an distinctive lengthy move over three Geese to the sprinting Egbuka for a 42-yard TD. Howard completed the primary quarter with a career-best 212 yards passing, surpassing his 160 yards towards Tennessee.
Early within the second quarter, Smith received so open close to the Geese’ purpose line that he had two seconds to settle underneath Howard’s lengthy throw like an outfielder with a fly ball, scoring a 42-yard TD untouched.
When Henderson broke a 66-yard TD run down the Oregon sideline for a 31-0 lead, each side of the Rose Bowl stands rippled with disbelief.
Oregon lastly received shifting on its closing drive earlier than halftime. Gabriel discovered Holden for a 5-yard TD move on the gun to salvage one thing from its horrific half.
Takeaways
Ohio State: It was the Buckeyes’ largest margin of victory over a No. 1 crew at school historical past. Little doubt about it, they seem like the perfect crew nonetheless enjoying.
Oregon: Having 3 1/2 weeks off with their first-round bye proved to be harmful. This disconcerting flop doesn’t utterly wreck a breakthrough Huge Ten debut, however the season will at all times loom as a missed alternative in Oregon historical past — and a great argument for altering the CFP guidelines to introduce reseeding between rounds.
Up subsequent
Ohio State: The Cotton Bowl might be a preview of each groups’ 2025 season opener, with Texas visiting Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30.
Oregon: The 2025 season opener is at residence towards Montana State, which faces North Dakota State within the FCS title sport Monday evening.
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Initially Revealed: January 1, 2025 at 5:36 PM PST
