Oregon vs. Ohio State: CFP Preview, Rose Bowl Prediction, and Betting Lines

There are still College Football Playoff semi-finals, national championship, four regular bowl games, and FCS Championship to play after this, but…

(Shhhhhhhh. The Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day pits Ohio State against a Big Ten Champion Oregon team that still feels like a Pac-12 powerhouse – and it could be for the national championship.)

If it is possible, Oregon is underrated.

Penn State breezed past SMU and Boise State – no, the Broncos were never really in the Fiesta Bowl – and Oregon scored 45 points in the Big Ten Championship victory over the Nittany Lions, and probably could have done more if pushed.

Ohio State finally turned the gas on this thing with a dominant performance over Tennessee to get here. It is the most talented team in the country, and there is nothing stopping this group from winning the national championship, but Oregon was already able to win a 32-31 thriller in mid-October.

Ohio State vs Oregon: How to Watch the Rose Bowl CFP, Game Preview

Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Game Time: 5:00 pm ET
How To Watch: ESPN
Venue: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Teams: Ohio State (11-2), Oregon (13-0)

Ohio State and Oregon Bowl History

– Ohio State destroyed Tennessee in the first round of the CFP 42-17,However, it had lost three of its previous four games, including the 2020 national championship to Alabama and the 42-41 Peach Bowl thriller to Georgia in the 2022 CFP semis. I will elaborate on a significant meeting with…

– Oregon destroyed Liberty in last year’s Fiesta and won four of its last six postseason games.Since losing the BCS Championship to Auburn to end the 2010 season, the Ducks have gone 8-5. However, one of the losses came in the first College Football Playoff National Championship, which was lost 42-20 at the end of 2014.

Ohio State vs Oregon Weather Forecast

It is Pasadena. It is the Rose Bowl. It will be beautiful, but it is not expected to be hot. It will be ideal football weather, with temperatures hovering around 68 degrees and dropping into the 50s by the fourth quarter.

Ohio State vs Oregon All-Time Record

Ohio State leads 9-2, but it lost its last meeting with the Ducks in mid-October.

Why Oregon Will Win

It defeated the Buckeyes in their first meeting.

This is an NFL Ohio State defense loaded with talent, and the Oregon offensive line dominated the game in Eugene.

No one got to five yards per carry against this defense, but the Ducks did, racking up hard yards, not allowing Dillon Gabriel to be sacked, and allowing only two tackles for loss.

Ohio State has lost only seven games in the last four years and is 3-5 when allowing five yards per run. Oregon has made it there six times this season.

This is a smart, tough, physical team that never gives up. Gabriel is completing well more than 70% of his passes, the downfield plays are present, and there are not enough turnovers to matter.

Ohio State lost two fumbles in October, gave up two turnovers in a loss to Michigan, and two more in a game against Penn State.

Basically, Oregon has the right mix and talent to be this team. It dominated the third down battle, outgained the OSU O, won the penalty differential by five, had a +2 turnover margin, and…

Why Ohio State Will Win

Oregon pitched a perfect game the first time around and would have probably lost if OSU quarterback Will Howard had not run out the clock by sliding too late.

Penn State, Boise State, and, shockingly, Purdue proved they could run the Duck D. The Buckeye offensive line performed admirably against Tennessee’s defensive front 11 days ago.

Except for Ohio State’s Howard, who threw for 326 yards, no one else reached 230 yards passing on Oregon. The Buckeye defense prevented Gabriel from being his usual super-accurate self; the defense held up until late, and this was on the road.

Oregon is extremely good, but if the team that emerges from the Rose Bowl tunnel is the same Ohio State team that defeated Tennessee, things will not go well.

It is all about the positive vibes with this group. Tennessee was quick, physical, and effective, and the Buckeyes played as if they had an extra defensive player on the field.

Early positive momentum can make a significant difference, starting with Gabriel.

Ohio State vs Oregon: Who Will Win?

OSU had four sacks and seven tackles for loss against the Vols, and while that will not happen in this game, the defensive front should be much more active.

Every program finds motivation and takes things personally, but Ohio State takes it to the next level.

Recently, against Michigan, this has resulted in gagging. Against Oregon, the problems of that first meeting will become the narrative; the defensive front is about to make amends.

Oregon will stay in this with three Atticus Sappington field goals, but a deep shot Howard touchdown pass will win the national championship – okay, so there are two more to go – with the ground game closing it out with a difficult time-consuming final drive.