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The 2025 Rose Bowl looks like a traditional matchup even though it involves two Big Ten teams in the College Football Playoff. No. 1 Oregon is the underdog to No. 8 Ohio State despite the Ducks’ win earlier in the season.
(More CFP: Notre Dame vs. Georgia | Boise State vs. Penn State | Texas vs. Arizona State)
Date: January 1 | Time: 5 pm Eastern Time | Television: ESPN | Line: Ohio State -2.5 | Total: 55.5
How did these teams get here?
Ohio State: The Buckeyes looked like the national title contenders we expected them to be before the season with a 42-17 demolition of Tennessee in the first round. Ohio State took a 21-0 lead in the first half and made it clear that Tennessee had no chance of winning the game from the start. Now they have a chance to avenge their 32-31 loss to the Ducks in October.
Oregon: The only undefeated team at the highest level of college football has outscored its opponents by an average of 36-18 this season. The Ducks have four wins by one score this season and are also the only team with wins over three playoff teams. Oregon can boast wins over Boise State, Ohio State and Penn State.
How QBs Compare
Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel was a Heisman finalist a year after Oregon QB Bo Nix was a Heisman finalist. Gabriel transferred to Oregon for his final season of college football after two seasons at Oklahoma and three seasons at UCF and has been one of the best QBs in the game. Gabriel is 297 of 406 passing for 3,558 yards and 28 TDs with six interceptions. His interception rate is only 1.5% and he has never had an interception rate higher than 2% in any of the five full seasons of college football he has played.
Ohio State’s Will Howard was fantastic against Tennessee with 24 completions for 311 yards and one touchdown and one interception. Howard threw for over 300 yards for the second time this season in that game and has thrown for 3,171 yards in 13 games. His first 300-yard game this season came in that loss to Oregon when he went 28 of 35 for 326 yards and two touchdowns.
Players to watch
Jordan James, Oregon running back: The Ducks’ leading rusher set up the passing game and had a solid game against the Buckeyes on October 12. James had 23 carries for 115 yards and a score in the victory. During the season, James rushed 226 times for 1,253 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also adding 24 receptions for 202 yards. He has rushed for at least 83 yards in 11 of Oregon’s 13 games so far this season and has crossed the hundred mark six times.
Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka; Ohio State set out to get the ball to Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith early against Tennessee and it paid off. Egbuka had five receptions for 81 yards and 65 receptions for 824 yards and nine touchdowns. His stats are down from 2022, when he had 74 receptions for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he also played with Marvin Harrison Jr. that season. Egbuka had 10 receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Oregon earlier this season.
game key
How relaxed is Ohio State? The Buckeyes looked like a totally different team against the Volunteers than they did against Michigan. The offensive statistics from Ohio State’s matchup with Oregon on Oct. 12 were nearly identical. Ohio State rushed 33 times for 141 yards; Oregon rushed 31 times for 155 yards. The Buckeyes passed for 326 yards; Oregon had 341 passing yards. The great separating factor between the teams came through penalties and turnovers. Ohio State fumbled twice and also committed eight penalties for 70 yards. Oregon didn’t turn the ball over at all and took three penalties for 25 yards.
If Ohio State is going to win as a favorite, the Buckeyes need to get Quinshon Judkins going. He had just 11 carries for 23 yards and a score in the first meeting, while TreVeyon Henderson had 10 carries for 87 yards.