Ohio State Buckeyes: 5 questions that could decide the Rose Bowl

With that in mind, here are five questions to consider as the No. 8 seed Buckeyes take on the top-ranked Ducks, who won the first matchup 32-31 in Eugene on Oct. 12:

1. Was that the real Ohio State offense against Tennessee?

The Buckeyes followed a dismal performance against Michigan in the regular season finale with a rousing showing against Tennessee in the first round of the CFP.

The Volunteers had little answer for anything Ohio State wanted to do as the Buckeyes scored 42 points and amassed 473 total yards against a unit that ranks in the national top five in scoring and total defense.

While quarterback Will Howard was sharp and skill players Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson had big games, the reshaped offensive line held up well throughout the night.

Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s game plan, which called for plenty of downfield passes and run scheme that differed greatly from what he tried to do against the Wolverines, was also no small factor.

Kelly, the former Oregon head coach, was coy about whether or not the strategies would carry over to the next game.

“I think every game is different, so I think you don’t look at, ‘Hey, we did this against Tennessee, so we’ll do this against our next opponent,’” Kelly told reporters in Columbus. “I think it’s always the individual matchups — our O-line versus their D-line — which I think is one of the best D-lines in the country.”

Ohio State had plenty of success in the first game against the Ducks, scoring 31 points and getting 467 yards, but that was with star center Seth McLaughlin, who is out for the season with an Achilles injury.

Meanwhile, the Oregon defense is coming off a Big Ten Championship Game in which it gave up over 500 yards, including 292 on the ground to Penn State.

2. Was that the real Ohio State defense at Oregon (or every other week)?

The Buckeyes lead the nation in in scoring defense (11.4 points per game), total defense (242.2 yards per game), passing defense (141.2 ypg.) and red zone defense (.594).

They have suffocated every offense they have seen so far — except Oregon. The Ducks’ 496 yards are 223 more than anyone else gained against Ohio State, and their 32 points represent more than 20% of the points the Buckeyes gave up all season.

On the flip side, the Oregon offense hasn’t quite duplicated what it did that night, either, especially accounting for the quality of the opponent.

The unit has been good all season but only put up more yards against Oregon State (546) and Illinois (527). The Ducks are coming off 49- and 45-point games against Washington and Penn State, though.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

3. Which quarterback will do more?

Senior transfers from Kansas State and Oklahoma, respectively, Will Howard of Ohio State and Dillon Gabriel of Oregon both completed 73.2% of their passes so far this season.

Howard has one more touchdown pass (29) but three more interceptions (nine) while averaging slightly more yards per attempt (9.2 to 8.8).

He had the ball in his hands at the end of the first matchup, but that turned out to be regrettable as the clock ran out as he was sliding to try to set up a potential game-winning field goal.

“I get a chance to go out there and right the wrong from that game,” Howard said before leaving for the West Coast. “You don’t get second chances a lot in life — it just doesn’t happen. I’m thankful that we even get a chance to go out there and play these guys again, and it really has nothing to do with me, man. It’s about this team and the way that we lost that game. It still hurts. Still hurts all of us. So we’re excited for another crack at these guys. "

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

4. How will the coaches manage the game?

Oregon’s Dan Lanning is 35-5 in three-plus seasons as a head coach, and he has a reputation for being aggressive to the max.

That has hurt him at times but paid off in the first Ohio State matchup as the Ducks were able to steal a possession with a surprise onside kick in the first half. That led to a field goal that was crucial in a one-point game.

“I think big moments and big games like this always come down to critical situations,” Lanning told reporters in Eugene. “I think we continue to make sure we can execute on third down on both sides of the ball, have success in the red area, making sure that we turn those into touchdowns when we’re in those moments offensively and then eliminate touchdowns when we were in those moments defensively.”

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day’s aggressiveness has varied during his six seasons leading the Buckeyes, and he has been accused of being outmaneuvered at times in big games going back to his first season at the helm.

5. What about the kicking game?

Ohio State’s Jayden Fielding missed two of three field goals against Michigan. He also missed a 56-yard attempt against Tennessee, though that is 10 yards longer than Fielding’s longest successful attempt of the season.

Overall, he is 9-for-13 this season to rank 11th in the Big Ten for field goal accuracy.

Oregon’s Atticus Sappington is second in the Big Ten, having made 87.5% of his kicks (14 for 16). He has not displayed a huge leg, either, with a long of 42 this season, but the junior made a 48-yarder for Oregon State last season.

Oregon has the advantage in the punt game as Ross James is third in the Big Ten with a net punting average of 46.5 yards while Ohio State’s Joe McQuire is 17th at 42.1.

“Special teams play, I think it’s always really big in these games,” Lanning said.

WEDNESDAY’S GAME

Rose Bowl

Ohio State vs. Oregon, 5 p.m., ESPN, 1410