PASADENA, Calif. — Ohio State exacted revenge for one of its two regular-season defeats, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinal. The eighth-seeded Buckeyes came out strong from the start and never let up, defeating top-ranked Oregon 41-21 in a commanding Rose Bowl victory.
Wednesday’s highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown was expected to be a thrilling, back-and-forth battle, set against the stunning backdrop of the California sunset and the San Gabriel Mountains.
But by the time most viewers tuned in after the Peach Bowl’s overtime drama, Ohio State had already seized control. The Buckeyes dominated the first half, and their performance proved too much for even one of the nation’s top teams to overcome.
The game’s opening play set the tone, as Will Howard connected with Gee Scott Jr. for a 30-yard gain. Two plays later, freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith burned past the Oregon defense for a 45-yard touchdown, giving Ohio State an early lead they would never surrender.
Ohio State is set to face No. 5 Texas in the Cotton Bowl for a spot in the College Football Playoff final, after the Longhorns defeated Arizona State earlier on Wednesday.
Jeremiah Smith, who shined in “The Granddaddy of Them All,” looked far from a freshman, making highlight-reel catches against Oregon’s defense. By halftime, he had already set a career-high with 161 receiving yards, finishing the game with 187 yards on seven catches and two touchdowns. His second score, a 43-yard catch that pushed Ohio State’s lead to 24-0, effectively sealed the win early in the second quarter.
The dominant victory was a stark contrast to the teams’ regular-season matchup, when Oregon narrowly edged Ohio State 32-31 after the Buckeyes ran out of time in field-goal range.
Ohio State’s explosive big plays fueled a commanding first-half lead, with all four touchdowns covering at least 42 yards. The Buckeyes’ offense struck early with a 45-yard score, followed by a 42-yard catch from Emeka Egbuka, a 43-yard touchdown from Jeremiah Smith, and a 66-yard run by TreVeyon Henderson.
While Ohio State’s offense kept delivering highlight-reel plays, Oregon struggled to gain any momentum. The Ducks were stifled by the Buckeyes’ speed and toughness, going three-and-out on their first two possessions and failing to score on their first five drives. Oregon’s only points came on the final play of the first half, when they were already down by 34.
To Oregon’s credit, the Ducks didn’t completely fold. They scored on their final drive of the first half and added another touchdown to open the second half, trimming their deficit to 19. However, after forcing a three-and-out, Ohio State regained control with a TreVeyon Henderson touchdown, pushing the lead back to 26 as the fourth quarter began.
The 41 points scored by Ohio State marked the most the Ducks have allowed all season, and their worst defensive performance since Dan Lanning’s debut game in 2022, when they were blown out by Georgia 49-3. Oregon’s first loss of the season also ended the possibility of an undefeated national champion, following Georgia and Michigan’s perfect seasons in the past two years.
With the win, Ohio State joins the other first-round teams in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. The final quarterfinal matchup between Georgia and Notre Dame will take place Thursday at the Sugar Bowl.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ohio State, Jeremiah Smith blow away Oregon in Rose Bowl to reach College Football Playoff semifinal