No.8 Ohio State vs No.1 Oregon (+2.5), at the Rose Bowl, 1/1, 5:00 EST on ESPNÂ
For the Buckeyes:Â
In what could be the most highly anticipated matchup of the quarterfinal slate, the Buckeyes’ star freshman Jeremiah Smith believes the team will be ready to play ‘pissed off.’ Smith explained that to be the case in the team’s first round domination of Tennessee, and now, with Oregon up next, a chance at revenge awaits. In a crushing 32-31 defeat in Eugene on Oct.12, Kansas State transfer Will Howard slid as time expired, and Autzen Stadium erupted. The memory of a loss in that fashion undoubtedly sits at the front of the minds of Buckeyes’ players, coaches and fans. Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins leads the way for an explosive backfield alongside TreVeyon Henderson. Judkins rushed for two scores in the opening round win. Â
For the Ducks:Â
Despite retaining the No.1 spot in both the AP and CFP polls since the first rankings dropped on Nov.2., Oregon enters its quarterfinal matchup as a slight underdog. Dillon Gabriel leads the Ducks on the offensive end. A sixth-year senior, Gabriel racked up 3,558 passing yards and 28 touchdowns thus far. His top targets, Tez Johnson and Texas A&M transfer Evan Stewart, each have over 800 receiving yards. On defense, the cornerback play of Washington transfer Jabbar Muhammed and Nikko Reed is of the utmost importance for Oregon. With weapons like Smith, Egbuka and Tate on the outside, the physicality and coverage ability will need to make up for the size advantage of Ohio State in one-on-one matchups. In the trenches, Michigan State transfer Derrick Harmon will play a critical role in slowing down the Buckeyes’ rushing attack.Â
