Ten Things Buckeye Fans Will Be Saying After The Rose Bowl

PASADENA, Ca. — The Rose Bowl is finally upon us. At around 2:10 pm local time today, the Buckeyes and Ducks will kick off for the second time this season. The first game was an instant classic that featured more twists and turns than a mountainside road race.

Oregon won that game 32-31, and everybody on the field that day was pretty convinced that these two teams would meet again this season. That notion comes to fruition today.

The Rose Bowl will feature a mixed crowd of Buckeye and Duck fans, and millions more will be watching from home. Everybody will be talking throughout the game, reacting to every ebb and flow. The reactions will be overboard. The game will be lost on almost every play. And if at least one coach isn’t fired by halftime, somebody isn’t doing their job.

But eventually the game will actually be won. The clock will again hit all zeroes and somebody will be raising a Rose Bowl champions trophy. When that finally happens, here are just a handful of things that Buckeye fans will be saying.

“Jeremiah Smith makes me want to be a better person.”

In his first game against Oregon this season, Ohio State true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught a career-high nine passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Since that game he has continued to be outstanding, earning the Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year award. The Ducks will do everything they can to take him away in this game. And even though you think you’ve already seen everything from him, he will still do something that wows you. I asked Brian Hartline this week when was the last time Jeremiah Smith did something to surprise him and he told me it happens every day. Smith is special and he’s always a snap away of proving it once again.

“The running game sure chose the right time to start picking up.”

There have been more combinations on the Ohio State offensive line this year than menu items at Cheesecake Factory. They figured out the latest iteration against Tennessee which features a rotation of three guards throughout the game. It actually worked well against the Vols, who were said to have one of the best defensive lines in the nation. The Buckeyes didn’t go crazy in that game — rushing for 156 yards on 4.7 yards per carry, but it was a step up from what they had been doing. If they can get that same kind of performance here, it would be a step up from the last time they played the Ducks as well. Oregon handled the Buckeyes in October, holding them to 2-3 yards per carry outside of a 50-yarder from TreVeyon Henderson. Oregon’s run defense has struggled of late, and there is reason to believe that will continue here.

“More people should know who Carnell Tate is.”

Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka both had big games against Oregon earlier this season, but Carnell Tate had just one catch for 13 yards. Prior to having just one catch in the last game against Tennessee, Tate had 20 catches total in the previous four games. The Ducks are going to be focused on Smith and Egbuka, which means Tate could be making some plays today.

“I’m glad I’ll never have to see Dillon Gabriel again.”

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel essentially went untouched against Ohio State back in October. If the same thing happens here, the Buckeyes are going to need to win in a shootout. The Ohio State defense will attempt to change the picture on him post-snap and confuse him, but he’s been in college football longer than his head coach, so he’s seen all there is to see. The Buckeyes will harass him all game long and he will make some plays throughout. Just accept that fact and hope for the best.

“It looks like Jack and JT are gonna go out the right way.”

In the Buckeyes’ win over Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Ohio State defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau combined for 13 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. The Vols were overwhelmed at offensive tackle. Today against the Oregon offensive tackles, the challenge will be more difficult. In the first game against the Ducks this season, Tuimoloau and Sawyer combined for just five tackles and one tackle for loss. They hurried quarterback Dillon Gabriel just twice. They can’t allow Gabriel to have time in the pocket today. They know they have to get after him as a defense. With a more aggressive approach from the back seven, that will allow the defensive ends to create more havoc as well.

“I can’t believe Michigan beat us.”

This is also something that has been said every hour of every day since it happened and no amount of anything can change it now.

“I am tired of stress.”

The Tennessee game was not as stressful as it was expected to be, but do not expect the same thing here. The Oregon offense is much more dynamic and adjustable. If one thing isn’t working, there are plenty of other options to employ. The Ducks are never going to stop attacking on either side of the ball. The Buckeyes won’t either. This is going to be one of those games where the stakes are so high that every first down is a win and every punt is a lost opportunity. This will be a game that ages you about a year. You’ll wake up tomorrow wondering why your entire body is sore when you didn’t really do anything other than watch a football game.

“Give Jim Knowles an extension please.”

This is a better Oregon offense than the one that Ohio State faced back in October, but this is also a better Ohio State defense than the one that gave up 32 points to the Ducks. The Buckeyes have gotten better on defense every year under coordinator Jim Knowles. This will be the biggest test of the season. His players, scheme, and gameplan were attacked successfully back in October and he’s had to take ownership of that fact. This is an opportunity for his defense to show what they are truly capable of doing.

“I forgive Denzel Burke.”

Admit it, you said some pretty terrible things about Denzel Burke during the first Oregon game. And maybe have continued to say them in the months after. Why not turn over a new leaf today and as part of your New Years resolutions go ahead and forgive Denzel Burke? It will make you feel better. And, not for nothing, but his play in the Rose Bowl will warrant it.

“The Rose Bowl should host the national championship game more often.”

The winner of this game will be the favorite to win the national championship. The players themselves can’t consider this the national championship game, but many others will. The Rose Bowl is always a fitting venue for such a game. It’s better than your typical NFL stadium for a hundred different reasons, not the least of which is that despite the constant change in this sport, college football history should still matter to college football.

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