PASADENA, Calif. — Jeremiah Smith, a rose stem planted firmly in his mouth, glared confidently into the scarlet-coated part of the Rose Bowl stands Wednesday as he exited the sector.
The Ohio State band was blaring the college combat music, and throughout Smith, teammates, cheerleaders and followers have been absorbing the sights and sounds of the Buckeyes‘ 41-21 battering of Oregon within the Rose Bowl Game offered by Prudential. It was their second straight blowout win within the College Football Playoff, transferring them two wins from a nationwide championship.
“We’ve acquired a chip on our shoulder, and that chip ain’t going away,” mentioned Smith, managing to maintain the rose stem in his mouth. “That’s who we’re.”
That’s becoming, too, as a result of the Buckeyes have performed absolutely anything they’ve wished on this playoff, easing the sting of the 13-10 loss to bitter rival Michigan to finish the common season.
“As a lot ache as that brought about lots of people, I do not know if we might be right here with out that,” Ohio State senior defensive sort out Tyleik Williams mentioned. “I do know it sounds easy, however it will get again to executing the way in which we will, the way in which our expertise says we should always. When we try this, I’m unsure anyone can beat us, and you’ve got seen that these final two video games.”
Ohio State (12-2) did not go away any doubt on this sport and surged forward 34-0 within the second quarter in opposition to a beforehand unbeaten Oregon staff that squeaked previous Ohio State 32-31 on Oct. 12, the primary time the groups performed this season in Eugene.
How dominant was this quarterfinal beatdown? At the ten:28 mark of the second quarter, Smith had 5 catches for 161 yards and a couple of touchdowns, and Ohio State led 24-0. Oregon as a staff had 60 complete yards.
“Can’t give them any life, no motive to imagine they’ll win,” Smith mentioned. “We knew there have been no tomorrows for us after we got here into this playoff. We acquired a second likelihood [after the loss to Michigan], and also you see what we’re doing with it.”
Smith set an Ohio State sport report for a freshman with 187 receiving yards, surpassing Cris Carter. He has caught 4 landing passes in his two playoff video games and averaged 22.3 yards per catch. He caught 6 passes for 103 yards and a couple of scores within the 42-17 win over Tennessee.
“Legendary,” senior receiver Emeka Egbuka mentioned whereas beaming when requested to explain Smith’s efficiency.
Egbuka in contrast it to former Buckeyes receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 347-yard, three-touchdown day within the 2022 Rose Bowl win over Utah.
“Even although the stats could not replicate it, I do not suppose it was too far off Jaxon’s efficiency,” he mentioned.
Egbuka added: “This is once you need to play your finest soccer, and we’re. We got here collectively as a staff and let all the pieces go from the previous. Our objective was and is to win a nationwide championship.”
As the Buckeyes flip their consideration to Texas within the CFP semifinal on the Goodyear Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10, they accomplish that coming off their most full efficiency of the season.
Counting Smith’s 187 receiving yards, Ohio State was near having a 300-yard passer, two 100-yard rushers and a 100-yard receiver within the sport. Quarterback Will Howard completed with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns. TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 96 yards, together with a 66-yard landing, and Quinshon Judkins rushed for 85 yards.
On protection, Ohio State racked up a season-high eight sacks and held Oregon to minus-23 speeding yards. Only one Oregon participant had a run that was longer than 10 yards.
“When you could have nice brotherhood, that pays dividends on the sector,” mentioned senior defensive finish JT Tuimoloau, who had two of Ohio State’s eight sacks. “You ought to have seen the emotion popping out of our locker room after the sport. We’re simply so blissful. I imply, we put in a lot preparation, dropping sleep, staying in after hours and sacrificing numerous our free time only for these moments proper right here. It pays off. It pays off, man.”
Nobody felt the restlessness (and wrath) of the Ohio State followers greater than coach Ryan Day after the loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes’ fourth in a row within the rivalry. Questions swirled about what model of Ohio State would present up within the playoff.
Williams mentioned the gamers did not have these questions.
“All that noise was on the skin,” Williams mentioned. “We believed in what sort of staff we’re. Coach [Day] believed in us. The gamers know. We go in opposition to one another day-after-day. It’s simply that we needed to go on the market, put all of it collectively. We’re doing that, and I do not see any motive that is going to vary.”
Howard mentioned Ohio State has been an “offended soccer staff” for the reason that loss to Michigan, however the essential factor was taking part in that means.
Day mentioned Ohio State’s resiliency has set it aside.
“And once you encompass your self with nice folks, with nice character, you end up working by troublesome occasions,” mentioned Day, who has received at the least 11 video games in every of his 5 full seasons (not counting the COVID-shortened season in 2020).
“At the top of the day, we wished to win a nationwide championship, and the way in which that we acquired right here wasn’t what we anticipated. It wasn’t what we deliberate for. But, nonetheless, we had a chance to come back again and play Oregon after we had already performed them early within the season, and that is the one factor that mattered.
“The winner will get to play collectively one other week. The loser does not.”
