Rose Bowl: Haskins throws three touchdown passes to lead Ohio State past Washington in Meyer’s final game

This was the final game with the Buckeyes for coach Urban Meyer, whose offensive coordinator Ryan Day will take over the program starting Wednesday. Meyer closed his coaching career at Ohio State with an 83-9 record in seven seasons. This was his first appearance in the Rose Bowl and Ohio State’s first since Jan. 1, 2010, when they beat Oregon 26-17.

“I’m going to enjoy tonight,” Meyer said on ESPN after the game. “I don’t believe I’ll coach again.”

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Haskins completed 25 of 37 passes for 251 yards. Mike Weber led the ground game with 96 yards on 15 carries. Parris Campbell caught 11 passes for 71 yards.

The Buckeyes led 28-3 entering the fourth quarter. The Huskies got their first touchdown on a 2-yard pass from running back Myles Gaskin to Drew Sample with 12:17 to play and then cut the deficit to 28-17 on a 1-yard run by Gaskin with 6:42 left.

Gaskins scored again on a 2-yard run with 42 seconds to play. A two-point conversion pass was intercepted.

The Buckeyes clinched the victory moments later when Johnnie Dixon recovered an onside kick. Meyer pumped his fists in the air and took off his headset, and Haskins kneed on the ball as the clock wound down.

Earlier in the third quarter, the Buckeyes picked up where they left off after a dominant first half.

After stopping Washington’s opening drive, Ohio State drove 80 yards in seven plays for its fourth touchdown of the afternoon.

J.K. Dobbins’ 3-yard touchdown run was set up by K.J. Hill’s diving 34-yard reception of a rainbow throw from Dwayne Haskins.

That gave Ohio State a 28-3 lead with 8:23 to go in the third quarter.

***HALFTIME***

Ohio State leads Washington 21-3 at halftime in the Rose Bowl.

After going three-and-out on their first drive, the Buckeyes went to work the second time they got the ball, marching 77 yards for a touchdown.

Mike Weber ran four times for 52 yards on the drive, including a 19-yard run to convert a fourth-and-1.

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Haskins capped the drive by finding Parris Campbell over the middle for a 12-yard touchdown pass.

Blake Haubeil’s PAT kick gave Ohio State a 7-0 lead with 9:04 on the clock.

The Huskies got on the board with Peyton Henry’s 38-yard field goal with 1:19 left in the first quarter.

Washington used a quick tempo to get the Buckeye defense on its heels, but a pair of penalties slowed them down.

A false start and a holding penalty pushed the Huskies back to the Ohio State 38, and they eventually had to settle for Henry’s kick after Kendall Sheffield stopped Andre Baccellia short of the line to gain on third down.

Credit: Harry How

Credit: Harry How

Ohio State added to its lead early in the second quarter when Haskins connected with Johnnie Dixon for a 19-yard score, exploiting a hole in the Washington zone for the quarterback’s 49th touchdown toss of the season.

The Huskies looked like they might get out of the half trailing only by two scores, but a quick Washington possession led to the Buckeyes getting the ball at their own 38 with a minute on the clock.

Haskins needed only 46 seconds to march his team for another score, capping the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Berry to make it 21-3.

***PREGAME***

Game day has finally arrived for Ohio State and Washington.

The sixth-ranked Buckeyes and ninth-ranked Huskies are set to tangle at 5:10 p.m. EST today.

The game will be the last for Urban Meyer as head coach of the Buckeyes. He is set to retire after the game, giving way to offensive coordinator Ryan Day.

The most-anticipated matchup of the game pits record-breaking Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins against a talented, veteran Washington secondary.

>>RELATED: Will this be Haskins’ last game as a Buckeye? 

Meanwhile, Huskies quarterback Jake Browning and star running back Myles Gaskin will look to exploit an Ohio State defense that has been prone to giving up big plays and is likely to end up having given up more yards and points than any unit in school history.