Dive into the Rose Bowl action with our comprehensive odds and picks for the Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes. Don't miss out on the excitement!
The marquee quarterfinal game in the College Football Playoff is the Granddaddy of Them All. The 2025 Rose Bowl will pit the Oregon Ducks against the Ohio State Buckeyes, and the winner of this game will become the favorite to win the national championship per the CFB futures odds. These teams squared off in a thriller in Eugene earlier this year that the Ducks held on to win 32-31. Oregon must be feeling begrudged though as the Ducks are the only team that had a first-round bye that is now an underdog this week. That will definitely lead to talk of reseeding in the offseason as the Ducks were the only team to finish conference championship week with an unbeaten record.
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Rose Bowl Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Oregon Ducks +2.5 Ohio State Buckeyes -2.5 Total 55
Initially, Ohio State was a one-point favorite over Oregon per the opening football betting odds. We have seen more people believe in the Buckeyes since they dismantled the Tennessee Volunteers last week, moving the line a little more in their favor. There has been even more movement on the total with this line rising from 52.5 to where it currently sits at 55.
Oregon Ducks Overview
Dillon Gabriel is the most reliable quarterback left in the CFP. Gabriel was very consistent under center for the Oregon Ducks this season, and he has a ton of experience after three seasons starting at UCF and two seasons starting at Oklahoma. The sixth-year senior completed 73.2% of his passes for 3,558 yards (8.8 YPA) with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions. His only poor performance came in the Wisconsin cold in mid-November, but this game will be played in sunny Pasadena.
The Ducks have an effective running game with Jordan James getting the bulk of the carries. James has run for 1,253 yards (5.5 YPC) and 15 touchdowns this season, while Noah Whittington has picked up 537 yards (4.8 YPC) and five touchdowns on the ground. Gabriel is a sneaky running threat too, and that gives this offense multiple looks.
Four players had at least 500 receiving yards for Oregon this year. Tez Johnson was the top target and was fantastic in the Big Ten Championship Game with 11 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown. Evan Stewart had a monster game against Ohio State earlier this season, while Traeshon Holden is a big play threat (15.8 YPC). Tight end Terrance Ferguson has become a popular red zone target with three touchdown receptions in his past four games.
Oregon’s defense has been maligned for years. The Ducks are strong along the line of scrimmage this year though and in the secondary. They rank in the top ten in scoring defense (18.1 PPG) and total defense (309.0 YPG), and sophomore Matayo Uiagalelei is an outstanding pass rusher.
Ohio State Buckeyes Overview
There were numerous reports on how much money Ohio State was spending on this roster in the offseason. This team is extremely talented, but the Buckeyes would consider anything but a national championship a failure at this point.
Ohio State has the best collection of running backs and receivers in the country. Quinshon Judkins and Treveyon Henderson are the most talented tandem and have combined to run for 1,670 yards and 18 touchdowns. These receivers are somehow even more talented though as freshman Jeremiah Smith is an absolute freak, and Emeka Egbuka will be playing on Sundays next year.
Will Howard is the wild card, as this offense is very good when he is playing well. Howard can pick up tough yards on the ground, but he sometimes throws inexplicable interceptions that have cost the Buckeyes in the past.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has made the Buckeyes an elite unit once again. Ohio State ranks first in the nation in scoring defense (11.4 PPG), total defense (242.6 YPG), and yards per play (3.9 YPP). The Buckeyes are also second in the nation in sack rate and rank dead last in penalties committed on defense.
Rose Bowl Prediction
It makes sense why the Buckeyes are favored given their skill, but the Ducks were unbeaten and have had much longer to prepare for the rematch between these teams. I trust Dan Lanning a lot more than Ryan Day on the sidelines, so I will take the points with the Ducks.
Final Score: Oregon 30, Ohio State 27
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