PASADENA, Calif. — Ohio State got its revenge for one of its two regular-season losses, and it's now headed to the College Football Playoff semifinal. The eighth-seeded Buckeyes came out with a fast start and never looked back to take down No.
1 Oregon in dominant fashion with a 41-21 victory in the Rose Bowl. Wednesday’s matchup was billed as the top quarterfinal matchup in the playoff, as many expected it to be a back-and-forth affair with the picturesque backdrop of the California sunset bouncing off the San Gabriel mountains. Instead, when most of the country finally got the game on their screens after the Peach Bowl went to overtime , the Buckeyes already established control and it was an Ohio State showcase for much of the first half that became too much for even one of the best teams in the country to overcome.
The first play of the game foreshadowed how the night would go, with Will Howard connecting with Gee Scott Jr. for a 30-yard gain. Two plays later, star freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith bolted past the Oregon defense for a 45-yard score to give the Buckeyes a lead they’d never relinquish.
Ohio State advances to the playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against No. 5 Texas, which defeated Arizona State earlier Wednesday. SIGN OF SUCCESS: Instant classic at Peach Bowl shows playoff's potential Smith was show in “The Granddaddy of Them All,” who has looked like anything but someone playing their first season of college football.
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