I don't know what's more impressive. Last week's win over Tennessee, or what happened tonight. My goodness!
I always knew the Buckeyes had the tools to compete with and beat anybody in the country. But only now am I witnessing it happen in real-time. I am both ecstatic and slightly annoyed.
I'm ecstatic at what my favorite team has done so far. The Ohio State Buckeyes are the first team I ever openly rooted for. I've passionately loved them ever since I was a tiny five-year old boy back in 1996.
I fell in love with the game of football, and spent time learning it from my father, because of the Buckeyes. That team was responsible for some extremely happy childhood memories, and gave me some great father/son bonding time with Dad. I'll remember the feeling of those early childhood memories until the day the Good Lord calls me home. I treasure them so much. They're close to my heart.
But I'm annoyed that it's taken this long for Ohio State to finally show up this season. Where was this brand of merciless, nasty, physical football during four Michigan games? Where was it during two games against Clemson? Where was it during the game Georgia escaped with, thanks to a shanked field goal?
Don't get me wrong. I'm not angry. Tonight is certainly a night for celebration, and I'll be doing a lot of it. I'm ecstatic! The haters can stew on the certainty of watching our beloved Buckeyes in the Playoff for at least one more game.
I'll air-mail every sad southerner, arrogant Wolverine, and basement-dwelling Buckeye-hater tissues in bulk. Something tells me they'll need them! Let them continue to hate us!
I'll crack open a cold one after posting this one too. But seeing this two-game run just eats at me a tiny bit.
I know every Ohio State team is different, and perhaps those past Buckeye teams couldn't have reached this level of dominance. But it's frustrating because THIS is the standard.
Winning games like this, when you have the firepower that this group of Buckeyes has, are expected. That might sound spoiled. That might sound cocky. Perhaps it is. But it's what you expect as a fan of one of the Top 5 winningest college football teams of all time.
And at least for one day, under the beautiful Pasadena sun, the Ohio State Buckeyes finally lived up to their own lofty standards. Somewhere up there, on that Great Sideline in the Sky, Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, and Earle Bruce are smiling!
How did Ohio State get their 10th Rose Bowl victory in school history? How did they survive and advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals? Let's take a look at tonight's Keys to Victory!
Overwhelm Oregon early and often
Admittedly I was a little nervous going into this game. It's the Rose Bowl. The Granddaddy of them All. A game that has seen so many shootouts and close battles ever since it became an American classic in 1902.
But I think one big factor played into Ohio State's favor: They played some of their best football 11 days ago in freezing cold weather. Oregon hadn't played a game since winning the Big Ten Championship over Penn State on December 7th. Three weeks or so.
Ohio State was already battle-tested, playoff-ready, and they had also seen Oregon once already. The Ducks were at risk of being rusty. And with the way Ohio State exploded out of the gate, it certainly looked like this was the case. Wow!
Everywhere I looked, it seemed like Ohio State was fast, aggressive, playing angry, and exploiting every weakness they could find against Oregon offensively and defensively. I've rarely seen Ohio State post such a dominant first half against that level of competition. In all my 29 years as a Buckeye fan, I don't think I've seen a more sensational first half in a game this big. They made my jaw drop!
Ohio State hung over 390 total yards on Oregon in just two quarters of action, and led the Ducks 34-8 going into the locker room for halftime. I don't care how explosive a team's offense is, they won't come back from a deficit like that.
And a big reason for Ohio State putting this one on ice early, was because a certain freshman wideout had an absolute field day against the Oregon DBs.
Jeremiah Smith does it again!
I'm running out of superlatives to describe what I'm seeing from this kid. Stupidly talented? The first 99 overall real-life NCAA Football create-a-player? Those don't cut it.
But I think I've got a couple. They're pretty simple: The best wideout in the country, and a future Heisman Trophy winner.
I know that last one is a lofty goal. And I hope Jeremiah reaches it. I would love to see him hoist that trophy someday in the very near future. It's been SO much fun watching this kid grow every game. Including this one. I'm so happy for him!
I do not understand how he was so open all game long. Oregon and Dan Lanning had to know he was the main threat they had to contain. But it was almost like the Ducks defensive backs chose not to cover him. And he made them pay. Dearly.
Jeremiah finished the night with 187 yards on just seven catches, and two touchdowns. Both of his touchdown catches were absolutely gorgeous plays of 40+ yards. But even so, he still averaged almost 27 yards per catch.
And let's not forget this kid is a big boy for a wide receiver. He's 6'3, 215 pounds with talent leaking out his ears.
Not many opposing corners are going to win one-on-one battles for jump balls against him, and he's got the size to absorb (or dish out) punishment when needed.
He's a truly rare breed of wideout. He's tall, big, fast, extremely strong, and an incredibly good route runner. Great wideouts may have a few of those qualities. But very few have every single one. Jeremiah Smith has them ALL. And he showed them all off against Oregon in spades tonight!
But he wasn't the only one who showed up big tonight. The other biggest reason for Ohio State's victory was thanks to Buckeye D-Line coach Larry Johnson's unit. The Rushmen. Boy oh boy, were they a beautiful sight for sore eyes!
Ohio State ate Dillon Gabriel alive.
Think back to the last meeting between Ohio State and Oregon in October out in Eugene. Do you ever remember seeing the Buckeye defensive linemen sacking him? Even once? I wouldn't blame you if you don't remember any sacks from that game by Ohio State. There weren't any
The Buckeyes didn't sack Dillon Gabriel in that game. Not once. He was clean all night long. And he absolutely made Ohio State pay for not bringing him down. He flashed his Heisman Trophy potential, and led Oregon to a big early-season victory.
But like I've told myself and anyone who would listen leading up to the Rose Bowl: Oregon escaped the first time around. The Ducks didn't beat Ohio State as much as the Buckeyes lost that first game. Ohio State was a sack or two, and a better-timed slide, away from beating the Ducks. It was a fluke.
But tonight, the Silver Bullets made sure Gabriel and the Ducks wouldn't escape a second time. They brought the Heisman Trophy finalist down, and they brought him down early, often and HARD!
The Buckeyes racked up eight (yes, eight) sacks against him, and really took Oregon out of what they wanted to do offensively. The Ducks are extremely explosive on offense. But it's hard for any team to be themselves when their quarterback is running for dear life, or swallowed up in the pocket before he can make a play. Ohio State made it an extremely long, sore, frustrating night for Dillon Gabriel.
And the final key to victory comes from a unit that I believe was overshadowed in this game. But they'll be extremely important if Ohio State is going to complete a run to potentially their 9th National Championship in school history.
The running game showed up!
Never did I think that Ohio State's running game would be the least featured part of this team. I've always seen every classically great Buckeye team as having at least two things: A stout defense that takes on anybody anywhere, and a solid running game that runs with a bad attitude.
This Ohio State team has both of those things, but the running game seems largely overshadowed by Jeremiah Smith and an explosive passing game. Plus the Silver Bullet defense has gotten their spotlight moments too.
But TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins have just seemed to be quietly going about their business. They're Ohio State's "thunder and lightning combo" in the offensive backfield, but they don't talk a whole lot. They just go to work.
They may not be loud or talkative guys. But the way they run the football certainly speaks volumes!
In this game against Oregon, Henderson and Judkins combined for 179 of Ohio State's 181 rushing yards, and Henderson had a beautiful 66-yard run to the house too. But even on the carries where the Buckeyes only got a few yards here and there, Henderson and Judkins both looked like they had an incredibly quick first step, which allowed them to have a full head of steam by the time they hit the hole.
Once those two were running full speed at them, the poor Oregon defenders had no chance, but to just wrap up and hang on for dear life until reinforcements arrived. The Ohio State ground game ran with a seriously bad attitude!
And just like the running game, the Buckeyes will need to continue to play angry, emotional, electrified football if they want to raise the National Championship trophy on January 20th.
Up Next?
Next up, Ohio State travels to Arlington, Texas to take on the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl.
This is the first meeting between Ohio State and Texas since 2009. All-time, the Longhorns lead the Buckeyes 2-1, with wins in 2005 and 2009, while Ohio State defeated Texas in Austin during the 2006 season. This upcoming CFP Semifinal Game should be an absolute barn burner, and I cannot wait for it!
But for the next few days, I'm going to bask in this one. The Buckeyes are now 10-7 all-time in college football's oldest and most storied bowl game. The Rose Bowl. The Granddaddy of Them All. A beloved tradition as American as apple pie. I've got a massive smile on my face right now!
GO BUCKS!
Statistical Leaders
Will Howard: 17-26, 319 yards, 3 TDs
TreVeyon Henderson: 8 carries, 94 yards, TD
Jeremiah Smith: 7 catches, 187 yards, 2 TDs
Sources
ESPN
Picture Credit