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Ohio State coach Ryan Day holds up the Leishman Trophy after the Buckeyes defeated Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Wednesday.
PASADENA, Calif. — With a 1-4 record against rival Michigan and no Big Ten title since 2020, Ohio State coach Ryan Day has faced plenty of pressure this season from his own fan base. It’s safe to say he has quieted those critics so far in the College Football Playoff.
Two weeks after they beat Tennessee 42-17 in the opening round, the Buckeyes dominated top-ranked Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. Ohio State will face Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10 for a spot in the national championship.
“In this game there are ups and downs along the way,” Day said after the game. “When things are going good, you’ve got to hug the guys you love the most, and when things aren’t, you’ve got to hug them even harder. You just hang in there and keep swinging.”
The Buckeyes cruised against the Ducks from the game’s opening drive, finding the end zone in just three plays. After Ohio State quarterback Will Howard hit Gee Scott Jr. with a 30-yard pass, he connected with star receiver Jeremiah Smith for a 45-yard score.
The Buckeyes didn’t look back from there. They would go on to score the next 27 points — touchdown receptions for Smith and Emeka Egbuka and a 66-yard run up the right sideline by TreVeyon Henderson — for a commanding 34-0 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Oregon fans, used to watching one of the higher-scoring offenses in college football, were stunned.
The Ducks finally got on the board on the final play of the first half, a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dillon Gabriel to Traeshon Holden. Oregon got the 2-point conversion and scored on the opening drive of the second half to cut the lead to 19 points, but it ultimately proved too much to…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-dominates-oregon-win-050550554.html
Author : NBC News
Publish date : 2025-01-02 05:05:00
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