OHIO STATE NOTES:
FIRST AND TEN Ohio State (11-2 overall, 7-2 in the Big Ten and the No. 8 Seed in the College Football Playoffs) and Oregon (13-0, 9-0, Big Ten champions and the No. 1 Seed) meet in the CFP quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl Jan. 1 at 2:10 p.m. PST/5:10 EST. The winner advances to the CFP semifinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Friday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. EST against the winner of the Jan. 1 quarterfinal at the Chick fil-A Peach Bowl between No. 5 Seed Texas (12-2) and No. 4 Arizona State (11-2). Ohio State built a 21-0 first quarter lead and defeated Tennessee, 42-17, in a CFP first-round game Dec. 21 at Ohio Stadium. Oregon defeated Penn State, 45-37, in the Big Ten championship game Dec. 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium. This is Game 2 between the teams. Ohio State and Oregon met in an Autzen Stadium thriller Oct. 12 … a 32-31 Ducks victory between Top-3 ranked teams that featured eight lead changes. Each team has a Top 10 defense, as each did Oct. 12 when 43 points were scored in the first half alone and the teams combined for 963 offensive yards (Oregon 496; Ohio State 467). This is Ohio State’s fifth game vs. a Top 10 team this season and fourth vs. a Top 5 team.
SIXTH CFP FOR OHIO STATE Ohio State is playing in the College Football Playoffs for a sixth time since the start of the CFP era in 2014 and is the only school to appear in four of the last six CFPs. Ohio State is No. 3 all-time in CFP appearances, trailing only Alabama (eight appearances) and Clemson (seven). Georgia and Oklahoma round out the Top 5 with four appearances apiece. Ohio State won the inaugural College Football Playoffs in 2014 and is 4-4 all-time in CFP games.
ROSE BOWL OPPONENTS Ohio State has played against eight different Rose Bowl opponents: the team is 1-1 vs. Cal; 3-4 vs. USC; 2-0 vs. Oregon; 0-1 vs. Stanford; 0-1 vs. UCLA; 1-0 vs. Arizona State; 1-0 vs. Washington and 1-0 vs. Utah. THE SERIES: OHIO STATE vs. OREGON Ohio State leads the series, 9-2, with wins in the first nine games, but Oregon has won the last two games between the two teams: 35-28 in 2021 at Ohio Stadium, and 32-31 on Oct. 12 this year in a thriller at Autzen Stadium. The first meeting in the series came in the 1958 Rose Bowl, a 10-7 Ohio State win that capped Woody Hayes’ first national championship. Ohio State’s last victory over Oregon came in the 2015 CFP national championship game in Dallas, 42-20, behind 246 yards rushing by Ezekiel Elliott. The win secured for Ohio State its eighth national championship.
32-30 ALL-TIME IN POST-SEASON PLAY Ohio State’s all-time record in post-season games is 32-30, including a 5-4 record for head coach Ryan Day. The Buckeyes are: 5-1 in Big Ten championship games; 25-26 in bowl games; 0-2 in BCS championship games not played at a bowl game; 1-0 in CFP first-round games; and 1-1 in CFP championship games.
G1: #3 OREGON 32, #2 OHIO STATE 31 Oregon matched every Ohio State score with one of its own in an eight-lead change Duck victory Oct. 12, 32-21, at Autzen. The Ducks had Ohio State opponent season highs in passing yards (341) and total offensive yards (496), and the second most rushing yards (155), and scored four of five times in the red zone. After Oregon took a 32-31 lead with 1:47 left to play, QB Will Howard drove the Buckeyes 49 yards to the Oregon 26 without the benefit of a timeout to call. The game ended on a Howard slide after a 12-yard gain trying to get into better field goal range. Ohio State had allowed just 34 total points coming into the game. Ohio State did not have a sack against the Ducks, something that also reared itself in its only other defeat this season.
BUCKS vs. THE DUCKS Will Howard was terrific against the Ducks, completing a career-high 28 passes (35 attempts) for 326 yards and two touchdowns plus a rushing touchdown. WRs Emeka Egbuka had a career-high 10 receptions, and a 15-yard TD and Jeremiah Smith had 100 receiving yards and a 6-yard TD reception. LB Cody Simon had 10 tackles and a fourth down pass break-up in the end zone. LB Sonny Styles had a career high nine tackles. Caleb Downs had his initial Ohio State high of eight tackles, and he had a TFL for the third consecutive game. JT Tuimoloau had a TFL for the fourth consecutive game.
OHIO STATE IN 2024 – DEFENSE Ohio State’s 11-2 record includes three wins over teams that qualified for the CFP: 20-13 at then-No. 3 Penn State, 38-15 over then No. 5 Indiana in Columbus and 42-17 Dec. 21 over No. 7 Tennessee at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes have been led by one of the nation’s top defenses as Jim Knowles’ unit ranks No. 1 in total defense (242.2 yards allowed per game), No. 1 in scoring defense (11.4 points allowed per game), No. 1 in passing defense (141.2 yards allowed per game) and No. 8 in rushing defense (101.1 yards allowed per game). Over the second half of the season (seven games since the Oregon game), Ohio State has allowed just seven total touchdowns with none of them coming via the pass. The 16 TDs allowed: fewest in the nation. The unit is also No. 1 in red zone scoring and TD pct. at 59.3 (19-32) and 37.5 (12-32). LBs Cody Simon (86) and Sonny Styles (81) lead the Buckeyes in tackles with SAFs Caleb Downs (69) and Lathan Ransom (62) right behind. DE JT Tuimoloau leads in sacks (8-58) and TFLs (14-78) with Simon (8.5 TFLs), Ransom (7-14), Styles and Downs (6.5 apiece), and Jack Sawyer (6-40) and Tyleik Williams (6- 17) providing support. Sawyer’s TFLs are all sacks to rank second to JT with Simon (5-44) and Styles (4-29) right there, as well.
OHIO STATE IN 2024 – OFFENSE On offense, quarterback Will Howard is tied with Dillan Gabriel for second nationally in completion percentage (73.2 pct.) with Howard tied for fifth with 29 touchdown passes. His top targets have been Emeka Egbuka (65 receptions, 824 yards, nine TDs), Jeremiah Smith (63 receptions, 1,037 yards, 12 TDs) and Carnell Tate (42 receptions, 601 yards, four TDs). On the ground, running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins have combined for 1,670 yards and 18 touchdowns. TreVeyon Henderson (23-189) and Quinshon Judkins (17-118) are dangerous as receivers, as well. The tight ends, led by Gee Scott Jr. (20-189- 2), have combined for 33 catches for 363 yards and four touchdowns. The offensive line has had two senior starters, each with more than 30 starts, lost for the season with injuries – LT Josh Simmons in the Oregon game and All-American center Seth McLaughlin the week of the Indiana game – and has had five different line-up changes and eight different starters. The o-line is 10th nationally in fewest sacks allowed (12.0) and 14th in fewest TFLs (48). MORE ON OHIO STATE’S GROUND GAME TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins rank in the Top 10 of active Power 4 running backs with 3,576 and 3,564 career rushing yards, respectively. The players are also among the Top 5 active scorers in the nation with 45 touchdowns scored apiece. Judkins has 41 rushing and four receiving TDs and Henderson has 40 and 5, respectively. Henderson’s 45 TDs tie him with Eddie George for third-most at Ohio State behind Pete Johnson (58) and Keith Byars (50). Henderson was tied for fifth at 43 TDs with JT Barrett and JK Dobbins before the Tennessee game but then passed Ezekiel Elliott (44) with his two scores.
OREGON NOTES:
THE GRANDDADDY OF THEM ALL After earning a first-round bye to open the College Football Playoff, No. 1 seed Oregon will square off with No. 8 seed Ohio State in the quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential. The Ducks bring a perfect 13-0 record into “The Granddaddy of Them All,” and will look to advance to the CFP semifinals for the second time in program history. Oregon is making its first CFP appearance since reaching the inaugural CFP national championship game in 2014-15. The New Year’s Day showdown will also mark UO’s ninth all-time appearance in the Rose Bowl, and fifth since 2010. The Ducks have won their last three Rose Bowl appearances, including a 59-20 win over Florida State in the CFP semifinals on Jan. 1, 2015, and a 28-7 win over Wisconsin on Jan. 1, 2020. HEAVYWEIGHT REMATCH Oregon and Ohio State will face each other for the second time this season, in a rematch of arguably the best game of the 2024 regular season. The Ducks outlasted the Buckeyes, 32-31, in an instant classic on Oct. 12, in front of an Autzen Stadium record crowd of 60,129 fans. It was the first top-five showdown in stadium history, and the win over No. 2 Ohio State matched the highest-ranked win in program history. Oregon beat Ohio State for the second time ever and second time in a row, after claiming its first win over the Buckeyes in 2021 in Columbus. UO and OSU will face each other in the Rose Bowl for the third time, with the Buckeyes coming away victorious on Jan. 1, 2010, and Jan. 1, 1958. 13-0 AND BIG TEN CHAMPS After completing an undefeated, 12-0 regular season for the second time in program history, Oregon reached 13-0 for the first time with its 45-37 win over Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 7. The Ducks ran the table and won the Big Ten title in their inaugural year in the league, winning a conference championship game for the fifth time in program history and first since 2020. Oregon enters the College Football Playoff as the only undefeated FBS team, and its 14 consecutive wins since last season is the longest active streak in the nation.
INSIDE THE SERIES All-Time: Ohio State leads, 9-2 In Eugene: Tied, 1-1 In Autzen: Tied, 1-1 In Columbus: Ohio State leads, 5-1 Neutral Site: Ohio State leads, 3-0 Current Streak: Oregon won 2 Most points scored by Oregon: 35 (9/11/21) Most points scored by Ohio State: 42 (1/12/15) Largest margin of victory by Oregon: 7 (9/11/21) Largest margin of victory by Ohio State: 30 (10/7/67) Longest winning streak by Oregon: 2 (2021-pres.) Longest winning streak by Ohio State: 9 (1958-2015)
QUICK HITS: QB DILLON GABRIEL BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VS. PENN STATE » Completed 22-of-32 passes for 283 yards and a season-high four touchdowns. » Fourth game as a Duck with three-plus TD passes, and 26th of his career; 13th career game with four-plus. LAST TIME VS. OHIO STATE (OCT. 12) » Completed 23-of-34 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a key 27-yard TD in the fourth quarter. 2024 SEASON » Heisman Trophy finalist (3rd place) and the 2024 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (Coaches & AP). » No. 2 in the nation with a 73.2 completion percentage; one of only six QBs above 70.0 percent. » No. 7 nationally in passer rating (166.57) and completions (297), No. 8 in total touchdowns (35), No. 10 in passing yards per game (273.7) and passing touchdowns (28), and No. 13 in total yards per game (288.5). » Has posted four of the top 11 completion-percentage performances in UO single-game history, including an 85.7 percentage (18-of-21) in Week 2 vs. Boise State that is No. 2 in program single-game history. » Multiple touchdown passes in 11 games and two 300-yard performances (380 vs. Idaho, 341 vs. Ohio State). » Career-high 41 completions in opener vs. Idaho, tied for the most ever in a game by a Duck and tied for the most by any FBS quarterback in a game this season (Spencer Petras, Utah State). CAREER » NCAA all-time leader with 187 career total touchdowns, passing Case Keenum (178) on Nov. 9 vs. Maryland. » Currently No. 2 in NCAA history in total yards (19,675), passing touchdowns (153) and passing yards (18,423). » Up to No. 7 all-time in completions (1,347), passing former Oregon QB BO NIX (1,286) earlier this season. » 62 career starts are the most in FBS history by a quarterback, passing Nix (61) in the Big Ten Championship Game.
A WIN WOULD… » Send Oregon to the CFP Semifinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas on Friday, Jan. 10. » Make the Ducks 2-1 all-time in the College Football Playoff, with their first CFP win since the 2014-15 semifinals. » Be the program’s fifth all-time win at the Rose Bowl Game, and fourth consecutive. » Make Oregon 18-20 all-time in bowl games, and 5-4 in the Rose Bowl. » Set a new program record for wins in a season with 14, and make Oregon 14-0 for the first time ever. » Be Oregon’s third straight win over Ohio State, all coming since 2021, and second this season. » Make Oregon the first team to beat Ohio State twice in the same season since 1894 (Wittenberg). » Be Oregon’s 15th consecutive win dating back to last season, the longest active streak in the nation. CFP HISTORY Oregon is in the College Football Playoff field for the second time in program history, and first since making the inaugural CFP national championship game in 2014-15. The Ducks are now the No. 1 seed in the first year of the expanded 12-team CFP field, looking to advance to the semifinals for the second time in program history. Oregon and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota dominated Florida State, 59-20, in the semifinals at the Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1, 2015, to reach the first national championship game of the four-team CFP era, where the Ducks went on to face Ohio State. UO’s upcoming Rose Bowl appearance vs. the Buckeyes will be its first CFP game since falling to Ohio State in that national championship game. ROSE BOWL HISTORY The Ducks will make their ninth all-time appearance in the Rose Bowl Game, and fifth since 2010, bringing a 4-4 record in “The Granddaddy of Them All” into New Year’s Day. Oregon has won each of its last three trips to the Rose Bowl Game, with wins over Wisconsin in 2011-12 and 2019-20 sandwiched around that dominant CFP semifinal victory over Florida State in 2014-15. UO’s first-ever Rose Bowl victory came over Pennsylvania in 1916-17, followed by four losses before its 45-38 win over the Badgers on Jan. 2, 2012. Oregon and Ohio State have faced off twice before in the Rose Bowl, with the Buckeyes winning both. LAST TIME VS. OHIO STATE: TITANIC TOP-FIVE TILT GOES TO OREGON The Ducks’ win over No. 2 Ohio State on Oct. 12 will go down as arguably the most significant regular-season win in program history. The Ducks secured their highest-ranked victory ever in Autzen Stadium, beating a top-five opponent in Autzen for the fourth time and first since Oct. 31, 2009. The win matched the highest-ranked victory in program history, joining the 2015 Rose Bowl over Florida State as the only times Oregon has defeated a team ranked No. 2 or better, and was the program’s ninth all-time win against a topfive opponent. The Ducks pulled out the victory in front of the largest crowd in Autzen Stadium (60,129), as a day that dawned with thousands of fans crowding on campus for ESPN’s “College GameDay” ended with thousands more rushing the field.
The final seven scoring plays of the night all resulted in lead changes, including a 27-yard rushing touchdown by QB DILLON GABRIEL early in the fourth quarter that put UO up, 29-28. Ohio State retook the lead with a field goal with six minutes remaining, before Gabriel once again took Oregon down the field to set up a go-ahead field goal by ATTICUS SAPPINGTON with 1:47 to play. A critical sack by MATAYO UIAGALELEI helped keep Ohio State out of field goal range on its final drive, and the Autzen Crowd poured onto the field in celebration as OSU QB Will Howard slid just after time expired. Gabriel thrived in his biggest game to date as a Duck, completing 23-of-34 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 32 yards and a score. EVAN STEWART caught seven passes for a career-high 149 yards and a touchdown, TEZ JOHNSON also pulled in a touchdown and JORDAN JAMES rushed for 115 yards and a TD on 23 carries. Uiagalelei finished with two TFLs and the only sack of the game, and DERRICK HARMON came away with a huge forced fumble and recovery early in the game.
HISTORY VS. OHIO STATE The Rose Bowl will mark the 12th all-time meeting between Oregon and Ohio State. The Buckeyes own a 9-2 advantage in the series, but the Ducks have won each of the last two matchups after pulling out an epic 32-31 victory earlier this season. Oregon claimed its first-ever win over Ohio State on Sept. 11, 2021, leaving Columbus with a 35-28 win before 100,482 fans in Ohio Stadium. The Ducks’ win over the No. 3 Buckeyes was their first road win over a top-five team since 2011. It was the first matchup between the two programs since Ohio State won the 2014-15 CFP National Championship Game, 42-20. BIG TEN CHAMPIONS! The Ducks secured the No. 1 overall seed and a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff by winning the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 7, defeating Penn State 45-37 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Oregon was crowned champions of the Big Ten in its first year in the conference, leading wire-to-wire against the Nittany Lions despite navigating through several tense moments throughout the game. DILLON GABRIEL was 22-of-32 passing for 283 yards and a season-high four touchdowns, and TEZ JOHNSON caught 11 passes for 181 yards and a score en route to MVP honors. KENYON SADIQ scored the first two touchdowns of the game, and JORDAN JAMES also scored twice, including a fourth-quarter score that gave Oregon a two-touchdown lead midway through the final period. TYSHEEM JOHNSON led the UO defense with nine tackles, and BRYCE BOETTCHER had seven tackles with one tackle for loss. DONTAE MANNING’s first-half interception set up James’ first rushing touchdown of the day, and NIKKO REED picked off a pass in the fourth quarter to all but ice the game for Oregon. ELITE RESUME Oregon had to navigate one of the nation’s toughest schedules en route to winning the Big Ten title and earning the top seed in the College Football Playoff. The Ducks are the only team with wins against three teams in the CFP field, with victories over No. 3 seed Boise State, No. 6 seed Penn State and No. 8 seed Ohio State. Oregon also has a fourth win against a team in the final CFP top 25 in No. 20 Illinois. UO is the only undefeated team in the nation and the only team to reach 13 wins so far, and its 14 straight wins since closing last season with a victory in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl is the longest active streak in the country. DUCKS AT THE TOP Oregon took over the No. 1 spot in both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls for the first time since 2012 going into its Oct. 26 game vs. Illinois, and the Ducks solidified that ranking with six consecutive wins to remain undefeated entering the College Football Playoff. UO’s top ranking going into the CFP is the 17th all-time in the coaches poll and 16th all-time in the AP poll, and the Ducks remain the unanimous No. 1 team in both polls. Oregon was No. 1 in every release of the College Football Playoff rankings in 2024, claiming the program’s first-ever CFP No. 1 ranking before earning the top seed on Selection Sunday. The Ducks are now 12-1 all-time as the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, with all other instances of being No. 1 coming in the 2012 and 2010 seasons.
ALL THREE PHASES Oregon has established itself as arguably the nation’s most well-rounded team this season. The Ducks are the only FBS team in the top 15 nationally for scoring offense (13th, 35.9 PPG), total offense (13th, 449.8 YPG), scoring defense (12th, 17.8 PPG) and total defense (9th, 301.8 YPG), as well as the only team in the top 15 for both passing offense (14th, 278.0 YPG) and passing defense (8th, 175.7 YPG). Oregon is also one of just four teams (Boise State, Duke, Ohio State) in the top 15 for both sacks (7th, 40) and sacks allowed (15th, 13), and one of 10 in the top 30 for both third-down offense (9th, 49.38%) and third-down defense (28th, 33.53%). UO has also been effective on special teams, ranking fifth nationally in kickoff return average (26.83) and ranking as the only Big Ten team with both a punt return and a kickoff return for a touchdown. Oregon’s overall team grade of 92.7 by Pro Football Focus ranks No. 7 in the nation.