Since the first College Football Playoff rankings were announced, the Oregon Ducks had been ranked #1 in the country, and with an unbeaten record, who could argue? But the Ducks are no longer perfect and are eliminated from the playoffs following their Rose Bowl defeat.
The Ducks hoped their matchup with Ohio State on Wednesday night would be similar to their first encounter in October. Oregon defeated the Buckeyes 32-31 in the cosy confines of Autzen Stadium, solidifying their place as the nation’s best team.
The Ducks anticipated their matchup with Ohio State on Wednesday night would be similar to their first encounter in October. Oregon defeated the Buckeyes 32-31 in the cosy confines of Autzen Stadium, solidifying their place as the nation’s best team. Regretfully, Oregon’s Rose Bowl rematch didn’t have anything in common with that incredible October evening in Eugene. The roses intended for celebration became more appropriate for a memorial, and the idyllic Pasadena scene became solemn. One of the greatest seasons in program history came to an abrupt and humiliating conclusion as the Ducks lost 41–21. Dan Lanning, the head coach of Oregon, accepted full responsibility for the crushing defeat.
Lanning stated, “They clicked tonight, we didn’t,” according to SI. “Our team is excellent, but I didn’t get them ready. You have to be playing at your best when you’re playing against a top team like Ohio State. And they were—they were doing everything they could. Our offensive capabilities were limited, and we were unable to halt them. And this year, we haven’t encountered many situations like that.
Whether they like it or not, coaches usually shoulder the criticism following a loss like this because it is their responsibility to get the team ready for competition. However, there is a lot of blame to be shared and it is not just Lanning’s fault because the game quickly got out of hand.
Jeremiah Smith had no replies from Oregon’s defence. or anyone else, really.
The score was 34-0 in favour of the Buckeyes before anyone at the Rose Bowl could completely comprehend what was happening. Oregon would have been shut out in the first half if it weren’t for a 75-yard, 10-play drive that ended with a touchdown and two-point conversion shortly before halftime. But the story of the game was not much altered by those eight scores.
TreVeyon Henderson’s eight-yard touchdown run in the second half was the only additional score Ohio State added, but their first-half domination had already guaranteed victory. Despite only punting once during their seven first-half drives, the Buckeyes scored on six of them. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who Lanning described as “NFL ready” during the postgame news conference, was mostly responsible for the damage. Smith demonstrated his ability to make big plays while hauling in seven receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
With a touchdown in the first quarter, receiver Emeka Egbuka also made a contribution, and the Buckeyes’ ground game was similarly effective. Henderson broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and he and Quinshon Judkins combined for 181 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State gave the Ducks their worst defensive performance of the season, racking up nearly 500 yards of total offence, which is the second-highest total Oregon has given up this season.
To make matters worse, Oregon’s defence recorded season-worst totals for the second straight game. The Ducks have given up season highs in yards (518, 500), points (37, 41), and yards per play (7.0, 8.8) in consecutive games since the Big Ten Championship matchup with Penn State. This has shown serious weaknesses in a team that had been a strong one early in the season.