The Ohio State football team has been waiting for this opportunity all year long. Ever since losing to Oregon in October, they have been hoping to get a second chance at the Ducks. They will get their shot today in the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes are coming off their best game of the season, too.
If the Buckeyes win this game, they will be favored to win the national championship. The same can be said for Oregon. These two are the most talented teams left in the CFP. It's going to be a close game between two great teams. Vegas thinks it's going to be a close game as well.
According to DraftKings, the Ohio State Buckeyes are 2.5-point favorites. The over/under sits at 55.5, up from 53, which is where it started. This is shaping up to be a very high-scoring game in my opinion because these two teams are really good offensive teams.
Ohio State football vs. Oregon: Rose Bowl prediction
Will Howard played his best game as a Buckeye against the Vols last week. It was the most comfortable we've seen him be. He threw for over 300 yards in the first matchup between these teams, and it's likely that it will happen again. He wants the team to keep playing angry.
Final prediction: Ohio State football 38 Oregon 35
This is the first prediction that stuck in my mind once this matchup was announced. I haven't wavered. After watching more film, I firmly believe that the Buckeyes can win this game. If they can keep Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka involved, the offense is going to be elite.
The Ohio State defense has been the best defense in the country since the first matchup. That game showed that the Buckeyes needed to overhaul the defense. They did that, and now teams can't move the ball on them. I expect Oregon to play well offensively, but one final stand is where the Buckeyes win this game.