A rematch of one of the games of the 2024 season will take place in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, as the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl. Oregon got the better of the Buckeyes in a tight game in Eugene, OR during the regular season, and will look to go 2-0 against their Big Ten foes, while Ohio State looks for revenge and a trip to the semifinals. Oregon is a 1.5-point favorite going into this matchup, with a spot in the college football final four on the line.
Here, you will find our preview of Ohio State vs Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Along with our keys to the game for both of these Big Ten teams, you will also find our best bet for the game in this article. Using our many years of college football betting experience and our models that had plenty of success in the first round of the playoff, you can have confidence in our betting recommendation for the Rose Bowl matchup.
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Ohio State Seeks Revenge and a Semifinal Berth
The Ohio State Buckeyes came into the College Football Playoff off of a loss to the Michigan Wolverines, one that cost them a spot in the Big Ten championship game. But that worked out for Ohio State, as they were able to host a first-round home game in the opening round of the CFP. In that game, they beat up on the Tennessee Volunteers, scoring the first 21 points in a game they won handily after college football odds had them as a touchdown favorite.
In the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, Ohio State will look to avenge their loss to Oregon from earlier in the season. To do that, the Buckeyes will need to pay more attention to detail than they did in their first meeting with Oregon. Ohio State lost two fumbles in that game, while failing to force any turnovers, and they mismanaged the clock on their final possession to miss out on a chance at a game-winning field goal.
Along with more attention to detail, Ohio State needs to be efficient through the air through Will Howard again. The Buckeyes were great through the air against Oregon at Autzen Stadium, with Howard completing 80% of his passes. If they can be both efficient and explosive again here, they would have a great chance to avenge their loss to the Ducks on a neutral field at the iconic Rose Bowl.
Oregon Takes Field As CFP Top Seed
The Oregon Ducks had a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff by virtue of being the tournament’s top seed. Oregon is the only undefeated team remaining in college football, having won the Big Ten title in their first season in the conference. They will look to get their playoff campaign started on the right foot in this game by beating Ohio State for the second time in a row, with Oregon holding a geographic advantage in this bowl game from the West Coast.
In their first meeting with Ohio State this season, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 340 yards on 10 yards per pass attempt, with 149 of those yards going to Evan Stewart. Gabriel showed some great maturity after being passed on for the Heisman Trophy this season. That maturity will need to be on full display on the field in this game for the Ducks to beat Ohio State once again and to advance to the semifinals of the playoff.
On defense, Oregon has to take away Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to maximize their chances of getting a win. Smith had nine catches for 100 yards and a touchdown against the Ducks back in October. If Dan Lanning’s team struggles to cover Smith in this game, Ohio State could very well get the last laugh against Oregon here.
Ohio State vs Oregon Best Bet
Our best bet for Ohio State vs Oregon is for the Ohio State Buckeyes to win as slight underdogs in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State has struggled against elite competition under Ryan Day historically. But if they remain as aggressive through the air as they were against Tennessee in the first round of the playoff, using their advantage with Jeremiah Smith on the outside, they should buck that trend and avenge their loss to Oregon on the big stage to reach the semifinals.
