Buckeyes Dominate Ducks Minus Stewart And James
Buckeyes Dominate Ducks Minus Stewart And James
The Ohio State Buckeyes put on a dominating performance on Saturday night, defeating the Oregon Ducks 35-28 in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes were without two of their top players, running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but they still managed to put up 543 yards of total offense and score 35 points.
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was brilliant, completing 25 of 37 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown. Running back Miyan Williams filled in admirably for Henderson, rushing for 147 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
Offensive Explosion
The Buckeyes' offense was clicking on all cylinders against the Ducks. Stroud spread the ball around to his receivers, completing passes to nine different players. Marvin Harrison Jr. led the way with six catches for 106 yards and a touchdown. Emeka Egbuka added five catches for 109 yards, and Julian Fleming had four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Key Stats:
| Team | Passing Yards | Rushing Yards | Total Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 349 | 194 | 543 |
| Oregon | 237 | 118 | 355 |
The Buckeyes also had success on the ground, rushing for 194 yards on 38 carries. Williams was the workhorse, but Stroud also contributed with his legs, rushing for 43 yards on six carries.
Oregon's defense was unable to generate much pressure on Stroud, who was sacked just once. The Ducks also struggled to contain Williams, who averaged 7.0 yards per carry.
Defensive Dominance
The Buckeyes' defense was just as impressive as their offense. They held the Ducks to just 355 yards of total offense and forced two turnovers.
Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg led the way for the Buckeyes with 10 tackles, including two tackles for loss. Defensive end Zach Harrison added seven tackles and two sacks. The Buckeyes also got a big play from safety Ronnie Hickman, who intercepted a pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix had a tough night against the Buckeyes' defense. He completed just 22 of 41 passes for 237 yards and one touchdown. He was also sacked four times.
Buckeyes Advance to National Championship
With the win, the Buckeyes advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, where they will face the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. The game will be played on Monday, January 9th at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The Buckeyes will be looking to win their first national championship since 2014. They will be facing a tough challenge in the Bulldogs, who are the defending national champions.
Conclusion
The Ohio State Buckeyes put on a dominant performance on Saturday night, defeating the Oregon Ducks 35-28 in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes were without two of their top players, but they still managed to put up 543 yards of total offense and score 35 points.
The Buckeyes' offense was clicking on all cylinders, and their defense was just as impressive. They held the Ducks to just 355 yards of total offense and forced two turnovers.
With the win, the Buckeyes advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, where they will face the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. The game will be played on Monday, January 9th at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.