LOS ANGELES — One of the most-anticipated College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchups is the Rose Bowl featuring Oregon and Ohio State − even though it’s a game we’ve already seen before.
More than two months ago, the Ducks and Buckeyes played a thriller at Autzen Stadium, a back-and-forth affair that went down to the final play and Oregon prevailing 32-31. The two sides have been on a collision course since and they’ll meet once again on New Year’s Day with a spot in the semifinals on the line.
Of the four quarterfinal matchups, Oregon and Ohio State are the only ones to have faced each other, so does that give either side an advantage or disadvantage?
‘I don’t know that I necessarily look at it that way, but playing a team that you’re familiar with, there’s certainly some advantages, too,’ said Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. ‘But on the same note they’re familiar with us as well. So I think all that stuff kind of goes to the side.’
Is rematch good or bad for Ohio State, Oregon?
The question of whether the rematch is good or bad was a constant theme for both teams. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said there’s a great chance his team will see the same things they faced against the Ducks, and others things they’ll be seeing for the first time.
‘I think when you’re late in this season there’s a combination of both. There’s a lot of overage that you have throughout the season that you have ready for teams, you have ready for the first game that you played against somebody, that you don’t quite get to but you practiced all year,’ Day said. ‘There’s also going to be change-ups along the way on both sides of the ball. So just like anytime of the year, you’ve got to adapt once you see something new.’
Of course, both teams aren’t the same either. Day said one big change from Oregon is how quarterback Dillon Gabriel has gotten more comfortable in the offense, making the offense even more explosive than it was when it started the season. He also noted Oregon’s ability to ‘steal possessions’ on special teams with fakes. The Ducks didn’t say much about how different Ohio State is compared to the first matchup, but Lanning focused on ensuring his team’s mistakes from the last meeting don’t carry over.
‘There’s a lot of moments in those games that we could have been better,’ he said.
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Ohio State, Oregon have evolved since early October
Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka believes it won’t be the same team he faces because making the playoff requires improving over the course and if ‘you’re not a different team by the time you face them again, then I think you’re shorting yourself.’
Still, some people in the matchup think the experience will help them, and offered some warnings to the other side. Oregon receiver Tez Johnson, who had seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting, said the Ohio State secondary is full of ‘all elite guys,’ but he pointed out one of the members: safety Caleb Downs.
‘He’s a really good corner, ranging corner, comes from the SEC. But we know his weaknesses. So we definitely going to be on high alert for that,’ Johnson said.
Ohio State ready to take its ‘shot’
Meanwhile there’s Ohio State freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith, who didn’t hold back on his warning. He had a team-high 100 yards and a touchdown on nine catches in the October meeting, and is coming off a big game in which he had 103 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Tennessee. The deep-threat said Oregon shouldn’t think about playing man defense on him.
‘I’m just laughing in my head. Why are y’all really playing man-on-man against us, or against me, I should say?’ Smith told ESPN. ‘And when we see man against any of our receivers, we’re going to take a shot down the field.
‘So I’m just letting everybody know right now that if you play man Wednesday, we’re taking a shot.’
Gabriel notes rematches will be a more common with the expanded playoff, and like the NFL, and there will always be good and bad points for it. Regardless, the college football world will see whether any team gains an advantage from seeing each other before, and it will happen in the sport’s best setting.
‘We’re excited for it,’ Gabriel said. ‘It’s at the Rose Bowl, so what better way to do it?’