#6 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) vs. #9 Washington Huskies (10-3)
It’s the Granddaddy of the All and this season’s Rose Bowl features the Big Ten champion Ohio State Buckeyes facing off against the Pac-12 champion Washington Huskies. The game kicks off on New Year’s Day at 5 p.m. EST on ESPN in Pasadena, California.
How they got Here: Ohio State Buckeyes
Another year has gone by, and once again Ohio State is the class of the Big Ten. Ohio State finished the year 12-1 and were crowned champions of the Big Ten after they defeated Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship game. The strength of this seasons team was definitely the offense. The offense this season was led by Heisman finalist Dwayne Haskins Jr., running back J.K. Dobbins, and receiver Paris Campbell. On the other side of the ball, the defense performed well outside of their loss to Purdue. Unfortunately, that loss to Purdue is what kept the Buckeyes out of the playoff. Despite that, Ohio State is one of the best teams in college football, and getting to play in the Rose Bowl is not a bad consolation prize.
How they got Here: Washington Huskies
Washington had a somewhat disappointing season especially considering how weak the Pac-12 was this past season. Despite that, Washington finished 10-3 after defeating Utah in the Pac-12 championship game. The strength of Washington this season was their defense. When their defense played well, they usually won. Unfortunately, on offense quarterback Jake Browning did not have the senior season many expected him to have. He looked great at times, but also had games where he struggled a lot. While Browning did not have a great season, if he can play up to his standards against Ohio State, he could be the catalyst to a Washington upset win.
Player to Watch for Ohio State: Dwayne Haskins Jr.
Quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. was a Heisman finalist for a reason. He had an outstanding season and was the engine for Ohio State’s success. Even with Washington’s defense being their strength, if Haskins is on his game, the Buckeyes will be extremely difficult to beat.
Player to Watch for Washington: Myles Gaskin
While Jake Browning gets a lot of the publicity, running back Myles Gaskin is what carries the Washington offense. He has rushed for over 5,000 yards in his career and is a physical running back. If Washington has a chance to win this game, it will be because Gaskin has helped Washington keep the Ohio State offense off the field.
Betting Lines
Currently, Ohio State is a 6.5 point favorite with with over/under being set at 57.5 points.
Prediction: Ohio State 31 – Washington 20
This should be an exciting to game to watch as both teams are talented and well coached. I look for Washington to keep this game close throughout, but Ohio State will be able to pull away at the end. An interesting story line to keep an eye on is how does Ohio State perform in the final game of Urban Meyer before his retirement?