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The much-anticipated rematch is here. Just a couple of months after an epic first meeting between Ohio State and Oregon out in Eugene, it’s time for the sequel with much more at stake this time in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Rose Bowl.
The Ducks took the first matchup, 32-31, in one of the best college football games of the year, and OSU players, fans, and coaches have been pining for another crack at the No. 1 team ever since. We all thought it might happen in the Big Ten Championship game, but a head-scratching game plan in a loss to Michigan derailed that for the Buckeyes.
But now, it’s time to do this thing with a trip to the CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal on the line. As with any marquee matchup like this one, there are reasons to feel optimistic and reasons to be troubled, but we like Ohio State’s chances for a second go at trying to knock off one whale of an Oregon team.
In fact, here are five reasons we believe the Buckeyes will get it done at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains out in SoCal on Saturday evening.
Lessons learned from last matchup
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day in the first half of an NCAA football game against Penn State, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in State College, Pa.
In the first meeting, there was only so much game film to go on, and Ohio State’s defense played its worst game of the season in an effort that saw Oregon pile up 496 yards of total offense, leading to 32 points. The passing game flourished with four explosive plays down the field, and a total of 341 yards from quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
That meeting led to some hard conversations and a changeup of schematics and mindset on the defense and OSU has been much better — albeit against different competition — with a more aggressive mindset and more stunts, twists, and blitzes. It was a hard lesson, but one that the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/5-reasons-ohio-state-prevail-152217265.html
Author : Buckeyes Wire
Publish date : 2025-01-01 15:22:00
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