Our Oregon football program has a huge matchup lined up in the Rose Bowl, playing the winner of Saturday’s first round of the College Football Playoff: the Ohio State Buckeyes vs. the Tennessee Volunteers. Mr. FishDuck has a particular interest in this game beyond who plays Oregon, as he enjoys going to the Tennessee Sportsbooks for fun, and this weekend is a natural.
Either team poses a viable threat to Oregon’s National Championship aspirations, and head coach Dan Lanning will have to put in some serious work to get this team on track for the Rose Bowl and beyond. While there should be a lot to unpack from this game and what the Bucks/Vols put on tape in their first meeting since the 1996 Citrus Bowl, we’re going to drop our predictions on how the matchup might play out, and how this would affect Oregon in their biggest game of the year so far.
Of the two, Ohio State is seemingly the easier matchup for Oregon – Photo Via Eric Becker
Who Would We Rather Our Oregon Football Program Face in the Rose Bowl?
Honestly, I think Tennessee has a much better shot at giving Oregon problems in the Rose Bowl. As we saw against Penn State, the Ducks’ defense was not playing particularly well against the run, which is what the Vols are elite at. Additionally, they have a strong defense of their own, getting after the passer and locking down the interior. Dylan Sampson is no joke. If the Ducks do end up facing the Vols, I expect a heavy dose of clock-draining, smashmouth football that looks nothing like what the last Oregon/Ohio State matchup did.
Granted, most of the Oregon defense might have had the flu against Penn State (a rumor, but one that has circulated a ton the past few weeks), which may have led to the near-300-yard game on the ground for the Nittany Lions. Nevertheless: You can only be judged by your last game and your next game, so the Ducks are going to have to bring their A-game on the ground when they land in Pasadena.
As for the scarlet and gray, they’ve got a great program this year. Talented, deep, and a HUGE threat through the air to any team they matchup with. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that Ohio State’s entire offense has been trending downward, and in the case they do make it past Tennessee in this matchup, it’s hard to see it being the result of a dominant rushing attack. This game on Saturday is projected to be freezing, wet, and “taken over” by Tennessee fans, which leads me to expect that Will Howard will have to go to the air late if they want to advance. Jeremiah Smith would be the player to watch for me if the Buckeyes win this game late and meet the Ducks on January 1st, not TreVeyon Henderson or Quinshon Judkins (I bet they still have nightmares about Derrick Harmon). Smith’s role in the offense has been shockingly low lately, and I expect that to change in a big way when entering the College Football Playoff. Maybe they were saving his usage for the CFP? I would hope so—if I were a Buckeye fan.
Still, both teams have had ample time to prepare for this matchup. Should be a classic, hardnosed game that revs up toward the end. In a lower-scoring affair (sort of), I can see both teams coming out on top. If this game was played 10 times, though, I see Tennessee winning about seven of those, including Saturday.
Tez Johnson will have to do his best impression of De’Anthony Thomas in the Rose Bowl to avoid a slugfest vs the Vols – Photo via Amazing Moments Photography
Score Prediction for Ohio State vs Tennessee: 24-20, Vols
Despite Ohio State being a -7.5 point-favorite, I think this is going to be a slugfest that heats up (figuratively, of course. This game should be FREEZING) in the fourth quarter and finishes right around 24-20 with the Vols winning in The Shoe. Both teams are built for high-scoring affairs, but I don’t see this getting over 30 points, and I also don’t see Ryan Day trying to establish the run the way he had earlier in the season. Additionally, there’s a chance this game gets ugly early, but not on the scoreboard—in the stands. Remember: Ohio State’s coming off a HUGE loss to Michigan in The Game. ‘Boos‘ were raining in much of the second half, and if the Buckeyes come out slow/Howard throws an early pick, this game very easily could be decided by a hostile-home environment.
Tennessee’s defensive line might just be too much for the Buckeyes’ depleted offensive line, a position group that’s been a mix and match of players all season. Oregon would face the Volunteers for just the third time in team history, with a 2-0 record over Tennessee thus far. I expect a physical matchup that Oregon comes out on top of, clinching their spot to play the Longhorns or Clemson in Dallas, Texas.
Anyway, enough from me, Oregon fans (Vols/Bucks fans, perhaps?) How do you see this matchup going? What’s YOUR score prediction? Who would you rather see the Ducks face in the Rose Bowl? Let us know in the FishDuck Forum with decorum.
Go Ducks!
Alex Heining
Los Angeles, California
Top Photo By: Eric Becker
Small Note: We’ll have a discussion briefly next week on Dallas Wilson and how his de-commitment impacts the roster, but the short answer for now is that Oregon will be FINE. Trust Dan Lanning, trust the process, and most of all: FEBU.
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Alex Heining is an Oregon alumni from the graduate class of 2021. After studying sports business and media studies, he has moved into the field of digital marketing as a copywriter and content manager in the Los Angeles area. Still, he loves his Ducks and goes to local high school games all over the Los Angeles and Orange County area to check out new recruits of the future (and a SoFi game or two with the pros). On any given Saturday, expect to find him doing martial arts, playing the guitar, or screaming at the tv over a missed holding penalty.