Despite the rough defensive showing earlier in the season, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ defense completely flipped the script in the team’s 41-21 victory over the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl.

The last time both team’s faced off against each other was back in Week 7, and the Buckeyes defense gave up a total of 496 offensive yards in the 32-31 loss. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns, while the wide receiver duo of Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart combined for a total of 14 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns.

Heading into Wednesday’s contest, one of the key points for Ohio State’s defense was to pressure Gabriel in the pass rush, while the linebackers needed to stay discipline in both the pass and run game.

“With Stein’s ability to expand and condense his offense through his NFL-caliber weapons, it’s important for Knowles to keep his linebackers disciplined while getting the most out of his defensive line in the pass rush.”

– Dylan Feltovich

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And the Buckeyes did exactly that on Wednesday.

Ohio State’s defense held Gabriel in check thanks to the defensive line’s ability to get after the veteran quarterback. Four of the team’s eight total sacks were from the likes of Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, who combined for five tackles for losses against the Ducks.

On top of the incredible pass rush from the front four, linebacker Cody Simon had a huge impact in both the pass and run game. The Defensive Player of the Game finished with 11 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks.

While the defense limited the big plays in the passing game, it was the Buckeyes’ stout run defense that shined in the Rose Bowl. James finished with a season-low of 14 rushing yards on seven carries, which was a dramatic difference compared to his Week 7 performance of 115 rushing yards on 23 carries. The ability to take away Oregon’s run game put pressure on Gabriel to do more in the passing game early in the contest.

Now, the Buckeyes will have to go up against the Texas Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian’s offense in the Cotton Bowl. Former Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers has thrown for 26 touchdowns this season while averaging over 220 passing yards per game. In his last contest against the Arizona State Sun Devils, Ewers threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns.

PASADENA, Calif. — As scarlet and gray confetti fell on the storied grass at the Rose Bowl, Oregon football coach Dan Lanning didn’t leave the field until he had hugged every player as they exited the field into the tunnel following the Ducks’ 41-21 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Lanning rarely spoke more than a few words and offered just a couple of pats to each player before taking one last look at the scene in front of him and departing the field himself.

Tez Johnson, visibly emotional following the game, took the time to approach fans after the game and thank them for their support and shake hands of fans in the front rows.

“I feel like I failed,” Johnson said in the locker room following the game. “I just love the fans, man. To play here, I got my dream to be able to come true. I can’t ask for nothing more.”

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The Ducks played their worst game of the season at the worst time, trailing 34-0 in the blink of an eye before a too-little, too-late comeback attempt in the second half. Oregon was outgained in yardage 500-276, had minus-23 rushing yards and gave 8.8 yards per play to a Buckeye offense that did anything it wanted all evening long.

In the locker room following the game, you could hear a pin drop as some players itched to leave as quickly as possible while others made the rounds and hugged everyone they could.

After earning the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff following an undefeated regular season, and the first Big Ten title in its history in its first season in the conference, Oregon was blasted by an Ohio State team that looked better prepared, more motivated and more sound.

“I came back to win something worth winning,” tight end Terrance Ferguson said. “God let me back to Eugene again, and we didn’t do that. Obviously that is disappointing because that’s the goal, and everyone came in with that goal and we set that goal early in the season. We chased it and played it all the way through.”

But Ferguson was quick to reflect that he didn’t regret returning for his senior season to chase a championship, citing his new relationship with quarterback Dillon Gabriel and that he and others are now lifelong friends.

“It’s not a disappointing season,” Ferguson said. “I played a lot with these guys and became a better football player. I met a lot of guys that I never would have met if I didn’t come back. Those relationships are what make it special.”

Bryce Boettcher, who has never been afraid to speak his mind throughout the season and has been the emotional heartbeat of Oregon’s defense all season long, said that Wednesday’s loss will “piss me off for awhile.”

“I don’t want to discredit what we had this season as a team and a brotherhood,” Boettcher said. “I was telling some people that what you have in the locker room, 20 years down the road that’s going to pay off dividends. You aren’t going to remember the games, You’re going to remember some plays maybe, but for the most part it’s the relationships.”

Lanning, who took responsibility for the loss along with his staff, kept it simple at the podium following the disappointing loss for the one-time national title-contending Ducks.

“There’s disappointment,” Lanning said. “But I talked to the team about life in that locker room and how grateful I am for the opportunity to coach this team. I love these guys. And they put it all out on the field for us, blood, sweat and tears.

“It’s not about getting knocked down, it’s about getting back up and what you do next.”

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @AlecDietz.

Video: What Oregon’s Dan Lanning said on Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning praised Ohio State and his team after the Ducks’ remarkable run and loss in the Rose Bowl CFP quarterfinal game.

PASADENA – The stage is set for the Rose Bowl between the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes on New Year’s Day. The undefeated Ducks beat Ohio State in October in Autzen Stadium, so the Buckeyes will be looking for revenge in Pasadena.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning and Ohio State coach Ryan Day have led their teams to the College Football Playoff, and both squads have a legitimate chance at winning the National Championship. The Rose Bowl will kickoff at 2 p.m. PT.

After the Ducks’ narrow win over the Buckeyes, many assumed that the two teams would meet again in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis, Indiana. However, Ohio State lost its second game of the season to their bitter rivals, the Michigan Wolverines. As a result, Oregon played Penn State for the conference title, and the rematch with Ohio State is now set for Pasadena.

Much has been made about the Buckeyes chance at revenge over Oregon. At Rose Bowl media day, Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel

“I think once you have that environment together, then naturally there’s proof of concept, I guess you could say, of being able to go back to it and look at to get better on,” Gabriel said. “But I think there’s pros and cons for both teams. I think that’s just the situation we are in now.”

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The regular season meeting between the two teams was a back-and-forth contest. Ohio State’s offense was driving down the field, trying to set up a game-winning field goal attempt, but Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard scrambled as time ran out, giving Oregon the win.

Before the game, Howard talked about that final play and how much he still thinks about it.

“I still have nightmares about that play. I’m thankful that we even get a chance to go out there and play these guys again. The way we lost that game, it still hurts,” said Howard.

As the higher seed, Oregon will be wearing green jerseys with exclusive Kobe cleats, white pants, and chrome helmets. The sunset over the Rose Bowl is one of the most iconic images in all of sports, and the Ducks’ helmets should reflect the colorful sky later in the evening.

Ohio State will be wearing white as the lower seed. The Buckeyes are wearing special edition helmets “The Grandaddy of Them All,” featuring a rose decal within the red stripe on the Ohio State helmets.

This article will be updated throughout the game.

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