Oregon football's Tez Johnson made an eye-opening prediction about the Rose Bowl game vs Ohio State. “The Granddaddy of Them All” is the most anticipated quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff in a matchup between two Big Ten foes. While the Ducks beat the Buckeyes in a one-point classic earlier this season, the No. 1 team in the country is shockingly an underdog heading into this matchup. Head coach Dan Lanning's team, however,  is embracing the moment.

That includes star wideout Tez Johnson, who made a bold statement to NBC Sports lead college football reporter Nicole Auerbach about how great he thinks this game will be. The Second-team All-Big Ten receiver asserted that the 2025 Rose Bowl could be “one of the greatest games you've ever seen in college football. You can't ask for better than this.”

Oregon is built for this moment

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel carries the ball as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Despite the undefeated record, the Ducks are one of the most battle-tested teams in the country. Dan Lanning's team has already beaten three teams that are playing in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. And all of these victories were in tight back-and-forth shootouts. And any idea that Oregon couldn't win a tight, defensive-oriented clash was squashed when the Ducks won a 16-13 game at Wisconsin.

One of the key players in Oregon's win against Ohio State earlier this year was Tez Johnson. The senior had seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown, which came on an explosive 48-yard play. The Buckeyes will likely look to contain the Ducks' downfield passing attack on Wednesday. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will opt for Dillon Gabriel to be more surgical in the passing game to move the ball as consistently as they did last time.

The Ducks are shockingly the only team to score more than 17 points on the Buckeyes this season. And Tez Johnson and company put up 32 points in Eugene. Ohio State's defense, therefore, will come into this matchup with a heavy chip on its shoulder. Oregon, on the other hand, has plenty of motivation already. Dan Lanning's team has one goal: winning its first national championship in school history. To do that, the Ducks will likely have to run a gauntlet.

The winner of the Rose Bowl will face either No. 3 Texas or No. 12 Arizona State in the Cotton Bowl. There's a real chance the winner of that matchup will get No. 2 Georgia in Atlanta. While they've had a ton of success to this point, Oregon has a long road ahead, but it all starts with what happens on Wednesday. And if the 2025 Rose Bowl is the game Tez Johnson expects it to be, then fans are in for a real treat on New Year's Day.