Buckeyes and Huskies in Urban Meyer’s Last Game
The Washington Huskies and the Ohio State Buckeyes will on Tuesday in the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual. Washington will be looking to redeem a season that could have been, and Ohio State will be jacked for Urban Meyer’s last game on the sidelines (supposedly).
TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Ohio State -5.5; O/U: 54.5.
Urban Meyer gets to stalk the sidelines at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day in his final game as coach for fifth-ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes face No. 9 Washington in the 105th edition of the game. Meyer announced he is stepping down as coach at the end of the season. The primary cause of the retirement is stress-related headaches stemming from a cyst on his brain. Offensive coordinator Ryan Day will take over for Meyer next season. Meyer has an 82-9 record and won the 2014 national title during seven seasons at the school.
The matchup between the Buckeyes and Huskies marks the first time the Big Ten champion and Pac-12 champion have met in the Rose Bowl since the College Football Playoff began in 2014. Both schools are making their 15th Rose Bowl appearances but have never met in Pasadena.
Ohio State wins games with a flashy offense. They are led by quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. The Huskies lean on a strong defense led by linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven, who was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Haskins finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. He set school records of 4,580 yards and 47 touchdown passes as the Buckeyes scored 40 or more points on eight occasions. They averaged 43.5 points per game. Burr-Kirven has racked up 165 tackles and forced four fumbles for a defense that allowed 15 or fewer points seven times. The unit only allowed 15.5 points per game.
This, That, and a Dart Throw
The Washington Huskies were 10-3 overall and 7-2 in the Pac-12 during the regular season. Quarterback Jake Browning is the school’s all-time leader in career passing yardage with 11,983 yards. He also has the record for touchdown passes with 94. He battled consistency issues this season. He passed for 2,879 yards and 16 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions this year. Running back Myles Gaskin is the program’s all-time leading rusher with 5,202 rushing yards. His 1,147 yards this season marked his fourth straight 1,000-yard season. Burr-Kirven, who is an All-American, gets help on the defensive side from cornerback Byron Murphy and junior safety Taylor Rupp. Murphy had four interceptions, while Rupp had two interceptions and five sacks.
The Ohio State Buckeyes were 12-1 overall and 8-1 in the Big 10 during the regular season. Haskins completed 70.2 percent of his passes in his first season as a starter. His top target is wideout Parris Campbell, who has 79 catches and 11 touchdowns. He is eight yards away from a 1,000-yard season. Running back J.K. Dobbins has 1,029 yards rushing and nine scores. Mike Weber has 858 yards and five scores, and split the ball-carrying duties with Weber. Weber has already announced he is leaving in favor of the NFL after the Rose Bowl. Defensive end Chase Young had 9.5 sacks, and defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones added 8.5 sacks. They have enjoyed strong seasons ,but the leaky defense has allowed 200 points over the past six games. One of the shaky outings was a 49-20 loss to Purdue. That loss eventually caused Ohio State to be bypassed by the College Football Playoff committee.
PREDICTION: Ohio State 37, Washington 30
Rose Bowl Game Trends
Ohio State Buckeyes Trends
- Trend Under is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 bowl games as an underdog. Hit % 80.00% (5) O/U 1|4 Push 0 W/L
- Over is 6-1 in Buckeyes last 7 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0. 85.70% (7) 6|1 0
- Over is 13-5 in Buckeyes last 18 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater. 72.20% (18) 13|5 0
- Over is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games as an underdog. 80.00% (5) 4|1 0
Washington Huskies Trends
- Trend Under is 4-0 in Huskies last 4 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater. Hit % 100.00% (4) O/U 0|4 Push 0 W/L
- Under is 6-1 in Huskies last 7 neutral site games as a favorite. 85.70% (7) 1|6 0
- Under is 5-1 in Huskies last 6 neutral site games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0. 83.30% (6) 1|5 0
- Under is 8-3 in Huskies last 11 games as a favorite. 72.70% (11) 3|8 0
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