LOS ANGELES — Amid sunshine and roses, the Oregon Ducks will face the cold, hard reality of the College Football Playoff on Wednesday in Pasadena.
No. 1 Oregon faces No. 8 Ohio State in the CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, a rematch of the instant classic at Autzen Stadium back in October that the Ducks won, 32-31. Oregon carried that momentum through an undefeated season and Big Ten championship.
Much has changed for both teams since that seismic matchup, but the stakes have only grown. Oregon earned its bye with a conference title and has been itching to return to play for several weeks, while the Buckeyes faltered against Michigan in their regular season finale before bouncing back with gusto in the CFP first round against Tennessee.
Both the Ducks and Buckeyes are loaded with talent and experience, a national championship firmly in their sights. Whoever wins may not face a bigger challenge the rest of the way in this playoff.
CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl
Who: No. 1 Oregon Ducks (13-0) vs. No. 8 Ohio State (11-2)
When: Wednesday, Jan. 1
Time: 2 p.m. PT
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Coaches: Dan Lanning, third year (35-5) vs. Ryan Day, seventh year (67-10)
Latest line: Ohio State by 2.5 (odds via FanDuel)
TV channel: ESPN
Stream: You can watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or by signing up for Sling (cheapest streaming plans, $25 off your first month). If you already have cable, you can also watch this game live on Watch ESPN with your cable or satellite provider login information.
Oregon uniform combination: Green and yellow jerseys, white pants, chrome and green helmets.
What’s at stake: A berth in the CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl vs. the winner of No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Texas.
Oregon offense vs. Ohio State defense
The Ducks were highly productive on offense in the Big Ten championship game, and they needed to be in a high-scoring thriller. Tez Johnson set a career-high in receiving yards and Dillon Gabriel was his usual, composed self. But what will be available against an Ohio State defense that gave Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee fits last time out?
Oregon is certainly not Tennessee, both in experience and talent, but it will still need to protect Gabriel from a bloodthirsty Buckeyes defensive line led by Jack Sawyer. What remains to be seen is how Ohio State’s largely inconsistent secondary performs against Gabriel’s stable of playmakers, and how Oregon is able to establish the run early on with Jordan James. No matter how you slice it, games like this come down to the trenches first before working their way out to the playmakers.
Oregon defense vs. Ohio State offense
Speaking of playmakers, Oregon will have its hands full containing arguably the best playmaker in the country in Ohio State freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith. The duo of Nikko Reed and Jabbar Muhammad did a solid job last time these teams faced off, but Smith somehow keeps getting better. He caught six passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns against Tennessee, serving as the explosive straw that stirred the drink for the Buckeyes.
Oregon also can’t afford a performance like it had against Penn State when it comes to defending the run. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins had mostly frustrating games against the Ducks last time and will be eager to prove themselves in the revenge match. And while two previously regular starters will be out along Ohio State’s offensive line, that unit as currently comprised showed up strong against Tennessee.
Matchup to watch: Oregon defensive line vs. Ohio State offensive line
What Dan Lanning said: “I think you hope that you can feel that pressure. If you’re in moments like this, you’re certainly going to feel pressure. I think anybody who says they’re not, they’re lying. But that’s what you want to coach towards. You want to be in positions where pressure is applied.”
Key stat: Oregon is the only team in the country ranked in the top 15 in scoring offense (13th), total offense (13th), scoring defense (12th) and total defense (9th). (Stats via UO communications)
Prediction: Oregon 27, Ohio State 21
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