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PASADENA, Calif. — For the majority of the regular season, Oregon looked like the best team in the country.
They took a few games to figure it out, but once the Ducks clicked, they were a scary sight. With an explosive offense capable of scoring at will, it looked like they were destined to win their first national championship and finally solidify themselves as a football powerhouse.
Even after Ohio State routed Tennessee for the right to play Oregon in the Rose Bowl, the feeling on both sides was far from similar: Oregon had bulldozed its way through the Big Ten in its first season in the conference; Ohio State fans largely hadn’t gotten over the loss to Michigan. If the Buckeyes were to slip up again, the “lunatic fringe” – as Kirk Herbstreit described the most fanatic Ohio State fans – was ready to axe coach Ryan Day before the clock hit zero.
So as a stealth bomber flew across the Pasadena sky with kickoff moments away, the green side of the stadium was feeling optimistic about its first playoff appearance in a decade, while the scarlet and gray side readied its pitchforks once again.
But on New Year’s Day, it was the Ducks that laid an egg.
Oregon couldn’t replicate any of its magic and was soundly beaten by the Buckeyes, ending a dream season in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
It didn’t really make sense. Oregon was coming off a Big Ten championship game where it put up 45 points against a good Penn State defense. It was facing an Ohio State team it was able to attack in a thrilling win more than two months ago. Instead, the Rose Bowl Game was over before halftime.
What happened?
“Sometimes it’s not your day. I think that was today. It wasn’t our day today,” said coach Dan Lanning.
Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimoloau (44) hits Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel during the second…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/no-1-oregon-demolished-ohio-055148040.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2025-01-02 05:51:00
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