Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Ohio State proved Tennessee — with all of its SEC boasting — couldn’t take the Buckeyes’ best punch.
That’s the good news. The bad news is the next step comes against Oregon, a team the Buckeyes already know can trade punches with the best of them.
Based on its performance against the Volunteers, especially on the offensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes should be able to avenge their one-point loss to Oregon earlier this season. The teams will meet in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoffs on New Year’s Day.
QB Will Howard and Ohio State’s offense will shine
Howard threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns while the Buckeyes ground out 156 yards against what had been a stiff Volunteers’ defense. He also put up big numbers against the Ducks in the first meeting, throwing for 326 yards with two scores.
The 6-foot-4 senior said Ohio State is ready to make amends, according to espn.com.
“We’ve all been looking forward to this one and for another crack at these guys,” said Howard, who had a rose stem in his teeth as he congratulated teammates coming off the field after the victory over Tennessee. “The way that last one ended doesn’t sit right with me. It still bugs me.”
The way it ended came down to the last drive with Ohio State only needing a field goal. Howard hit Emeka Egbuka with a 26-yard pass to pull the Buckeyes closer to field goal range. But an offensive pass-interference call on star freshman Jeremiah Smith pushed Ohio State back. On third-and-20 on the Oregon 38, Howard gained 12 yards and slid as time ran out.
Look for Smith to make individual amends for that key penalty this time around. The Volunteers had no answer for Smith, who scored a pair of touchdowns and had 103 yards receiving. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day credited aggressiveness with making a difference against the Volunteers.
“We called this game more aggressively — there’s no question about that,” coach Ryan Day said. “But also, I think we did some things that maximized what we have in terms of our strengths and minimized our deficiencies. When you call the game aggressively, things happen. You have to be willing to live with it.”
The Buckeyes not only showed they could handle a so-called tough SEC team but likely enhanced their chances of running the table and winning the first-ever expanded College Football Playoffs. If they get past Oregon, they become the clear-cut favorite.
Oregon will be ready to go, too
You can’t ignore the Ducks record. They’ve beaten everybody they met so far this year. They’re rested and ready. And this is what it’s all about, said Ducks head coach Dan Lanning, according to espn.com.
“Getting the opportunity to play great teams, that’s what it’s about,” Lanning said. “This part of the year, I think when you play great teams, that gives you some extra motivation to go work really hard to be prepared and ready to be out there on the field. Obviously, Ohio State’s a great team and the path to the end is tough, which is exciting for our team and certainly for me.”
Regardless, Howard said he’s thrilled to get another chance at the Ducks.
“Yeah, I’m excited, man,” Howard said. “We’re going to go out there and have some fun and let it rip.”
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