With an emphatic 42-17 win over No. 9 Tennessee on Saturday night, No. 8 Ohio State football advanced to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, where they will face the No. 1 Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl.
About 10 weeks ago, Ohio State lost to Oregon 32-31 in a matchup that came down to the final possession.
Since then, the Buckeyes have found motivation in the one-point loss, as highlighted by Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
Oregon gained 496 yards on offense in that game against Ohio State and passed for 341 yards. Both totals are the highest against the Buckeyes over the last two seasons.
“We’re looking forward to the opportunity because it was not a great game for us,” Knowles said. “Quite frankly, I think the guys got a little pissed off. And it led to a run for us in terms of defense and where we’re at statistically, which has got to be number one or close to number one in categories. They used that game as a motivation. I’m sure they’re looking forward to another opportunity.”
Quarterback Will Howard also stated Ohio State’s loss to Oregon “doesn’t sit right with me. … It still bugs me.”
The Buckeyes rank first in two key defensive stats by allowing 11.4 points and 242.2 total yards per game. Ohio State hasn’t allowed more than 273 total yards in any game since losing to the Ducks.
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