The 2024-25 College Football Playoff continues with quarterfinal matchups on Wednesday, Jan. 1, as Ohio State and Oregon meet in the Rose Bowl for a trip to the semifinals. This game takes place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. This is the 12th all-time meeting between the Ducks and Buckeyes on the gridiron. Ohio State holds a 9-2 series edge over Oregon. These two teams played earlier this season, with the Ducks winning a 32-31 matchup in Eugene on Oct. 12.
After a 13-10 loss to Michigan on Nov. 30, it was a major question how Ohio State would respond for its College Football Playoff game against Tennessee. The Buckeyes didn’t let that loss serve as a hangover, as coach Ryan Day’s team dominated the Volunteers 42-17. Quarterback Will Howard threw for 311 yards, with receiver Jeremiah Smith catching six of those passes for 103 yards and two scores. Ohio State’s defense also limited Tennessee to 256 total yards. Although the loss to the Wolverines was a major setback for Day’s squad, the Buckeyes were clearly one of the top four teams for the bulk of the ’24 season and will be eager to rebound from the earlier defeat to Oregon.
Oregon claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff after a perfect 13-0 regular season. The Ducks had a slow start as they needed to solidify new faces on both sides of the ball. However, coach Dan Lanning’s team defeated Boise State (37-34) in Week 2 and knocked off Ohio State (32-31), Illinois (38-9), Michigan (38-17), and Penn State (45-37) in the Big Ten Championship to put the cap on an undefeated year. Although Oregon claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the playoff, Lanning’s team didn’t catch a break with Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and potentially a showdown with Texas in the semifinals…