PASADENA, Calif. — Ohio State coach Ryan Day told his players during a team meeting before the Rose Bowl that second chances don't come around too often in life.
After a season in which they missed too many chances in key moments, the Buckeyes were all set for a second chance when they stepped onto the famous turf for a rematch with the top-ranked and undefeated Oregon Ducks. I knew there was one.
Ohio State occupied it with a vengeance.
Jeremiah Smith caught two of Will Howard's three long touchdown passes in a sensational 34-point first half, leading the No. 6 Buckeyes to a 41-21 lead in the 111th Rose Bowl on Wednesday night. They won and advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
“If we play in all three phases like we've been doing, you'll see our current potential,” Day said.
Howard passed for 319 yards, Emeka Egbuka also caught a long TD pass, and Treveyon Henderson got revenge for the Rose Bowl on a 66-yard touchdown run for the Buckeyes (12-2, No. 8 CFP). Seed) lost 32-31. It was heartbreaking during a game against the Ducks in Eugene in October. Then, Ohio State lost in humiliating fashion to arch-rival Michigan State, ending a regular season that didn't necessarily match its formidable talent.
The first 12-team College Football Playoff paved the way for the Buckeyes to make up for their mistakes and take out all their frustrations against the Ducks, who were an underdog from the start in Pasadena.
“I don’t think anyone has probably been scrutinized as much as the team here,” Egbuka said. “Five weeks ago, people on the ground were getting death threats, the head coach was being abused, people were saying he should never come to Ohio again, all that kind of stuff. And (tonight). By the time we're done, you'll scroll through Twitter and Instagram and everyone will be praising us. We just know what to say in the building.”
Facing the tournament's No. 1 seed, Granddaddy of the All, the Buckeyes scored on six of their first seven drives, had four scoring plays of 40 yards or more, and won the only game in the nation. They took a 34-0 lead late in the second quarter. The team remains undefeated.
Ohio State effectively clinched the victory with Henderson's second TD run late in the third inning. Ohio State will play No. 4 Texas in the Cotton Bowl on January 10th for a spot in the national title game. The Longhorns barely made it through the Peach Bowl early Wednesday, holding off Arizona State 39-31 in two overtimes.
“I'm proud of their resilience,” Day said. “There's still a lot of football ahead of us.”
Smith, the Buckeyes' standout freshman playmaker, had an impressive bowl debut with seven receptions for a season-high 187 yards. That included five catches for 161 yards and scoring passes of 45 and 43 yards in the first half alone. Egbuka compared Smith favorably to Jackson Smith-Njiba, who rushed for 347 yards and three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl three years ago.
“I would say it’s legendary,” Egbuka said. “I was able to witness Jackson's game in the Rose Bowl and his pure dominant performance. But (Smith's) stats don't reflect exactly what Jackson has. I don't think it was that far off, if not the terms of domination. He's a very special talent and I'm really looking forward to watching him grow. ”
The Ducks (13-1, No. 1 seed in the CFP) saw Dillon Gabriel pass for 299 yards and two touchdowns to Traeshon Holden, and their dream of their first national title was dashed on the turf of the famed Rose Bowl. . Oregon's winning streak ended at 14.
“We really didn't have the ability to stop them, we didn't really have the ability to make anything happen offensively,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “We haven't faced a moment like this many times all year. (Ohio State) is an unbelievable team.”
Eleven days after beating Tennessee to open the playoffs, Ohio State stunned the Ducks. In addition to the Buckeyes' offensive fireworks, Ohio State's defense, which failed to sack Gabriel in the teams' first matchup, dropped the Heisman Trophy finalist eight times in the rematch.
The Big Ten champion Ducks were unable to produce any of the big plays that led to a victory last time. Oregon State also played without receiver Evan Stewart, who caught seven passes for 149 yards in the first game, but was ruled out of the Rose Bowl due to a back injury.
“They called the game and we got punched in the mouth,” Oregon receiver Tez Johnson said. “They won the game from the first moment.”
After the usual pregame extravaganza played in the 70-degree sunshine at Arroyo Seco, it took Ohio State just three plays and 49 seconds to strike first. Howard threw a short play-action screen pass to Smith, who raced through Oregon's secondary for a 45-yard score.
On the Buckeyes' third drive, Howard feathered an exceptionally long pass past three Ducks to a sprinting Egbuka for a 42-yard TD. Howard finished the first quarter with a career-best 212 yards passing, surpassing his 160 yards against Tennessee.
Early in the second quarter, Smith was so open near the Ducks' goal line that he settled Howard's long throw like an outfield fly ball with two seconds to go, no touches, and a 42-yard TD.
Both sides of the Rose Bowl stands rippled with disbelief when Henderson completed a 66-yard TD run down the Oregon State sideline for a 31-0 lead.
Oregon State finally made a final push before halftime. Gabriel found Holden and went to the gun for a 5-yard TD pass to salvage something from that horrible half.
