Lanning is an amazing motivator. The national press is going to be quick to favor OSU. Being the underdogduck in this only helps.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401677183/ohio-state-oregon Ohio State vs. Oregon Opening Odds: Buckeyes Favored to Win Rematch in 2025 Rose Bowl https://www.sportsbookreview.com/pi...ose-bowl-college-football-playoff-jan-1-2025/
It’s kind of crazy how the Ducks prize for beating Penn St in the conference title game is a match in which they’re the underdog. Meanwhile Penn St gets a home game against SMU and then Boise St. Both of which they’re nearly 10 point favorites according to Vegas. Pretty silly format.
The Buckeyes are clearly a really good football team and the outcome of the previous game vs Oregon could have easily gone the other way. The game vs Tennessee was also probably the best they've looked against a quality opponent all year, but really how good were the Volunteers? For all the noise about other SEC teams deserving to go to the playoffs, the other side of that argument is that it's been a down year for the SEC that some team had to emerge from. They did so with a number of close wins vs that mediocrity. Matched up on the road against a rested Buckeye team pissed off and focused following their embarrassing loss to Michigan in temps that may have been the coldest in Vols history, they got crushed. Their lines were dominated, maybe exposed. I'm expecting another close game on January 1st STOMP
So the good thing here is that Oregon fans have known for a couple weeks where they are playing and Buckeyes have only one week rest. Most of my friends that are Duck fans have already bought their tickets. This will be probably be the only game the Ducks could consider having at least an equal footing attendance wise. This is at least a truly neutral site with maybe an edge for the Ducks. Another thing I'm almost certain of is that they knew just like most of us that OSU was going to win and have already been preparing for them. They also just got a bunch of new video to watch on the 4-2-5 defense and the run and gun offense though I'm really not sure the Vols were ever going to be much competition. Bottom Line is they got to go out there and beat this team and leave no doubt. If this comes down to a close enough game that the refs can make the decision I don't feel good about this at all.
The more I think about this the more it grinds my gears. The prize for being the only team that has beat 3 of the teams in the tournament is a date with a team that’s favored. The biggest problem with it all and whats fucked up this playoff is that Boise State and Arizona State got byes to begin with.
This is pretty much an Inverse Bracket with the teams left over after the first round. The bracket gave nearly the worst results for the quarter final that it could have. I think Ohio State is better than Notre Dame, so only 1 change, having #4 Penn State play #12 Arizona State, would make it worse than it is now.
