The first round of the College Football Playoff took place last week, and a lot of people were disappointed with the results as there were a lot of blowouts. Now, the quarterfinals are set, and there are supposed to be some terrific matchups as the teams that originally had byes will be in action. Perhaps the most intriguing matchup of the round will take place in Pasadena as the Ohio State football team will take on Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Ohio State was in action in round one of the College Football Playoff as they hosted Tennessee. The Buckeyes and Volunteers battled it out under the lights in Columbus, and it ended up being a blowout as Ohio State cruised to a big win. Now, they will take on #1 seed Oregon for a spot in the semis.

Before we get into predictions for this contest, let’s take a deeper look at both the Ducks and the Buckeyes.

Oregon is the only undefeated team in the College Football Playoff

The Oregon football team is the top seed in the CFP, but they are actually underdogs in this game against Ohio State. The Ducks are 13-0 and they won the Big Ten, but they didn’t get rewarded with a very good path. Yes, they got a bye, but this Rose Bowl matchup is not going to be easy.

Oregon and Ohio State did already play this season, and the Ducks were able to get the win at home. However, the game could’ve gone either way, and the Buckeyes probably would’ve won the game if it weren’t for some late mental mistakes.

Now, we get to see a rematch between these two great teams. A lot of people think that the winner of this game is going to end up winning the national championship. It should be a great game, and it will be tough for Oregon to knock off Ohio State again.

Ohio State is an interesting team

The Ohio State football team came into their CFP game against Tennessee in an interesting spot. The Buckeyes were hosting a playoff game, but their fanbase was a little bit out of it after their shocking loss against Michigan. It was the fourth loss in a row to the Wolverines, and Ohio State fans weren’t happy about it.

Despite the loss, Ohio State was a comfortable favorite at home against Tennessee, and they easily cruised to a big win. The Buckeyes got up 21-0 early, and they never looked back. They will be tough to beat if they play like that.

This Ohio State team is an interesting one. They can destroy a team like Tennessee, but they can also score just 10 points against a team that won seven games this year. The key is protecting Will Howard. Michigan was able to get pressure on him all day long, and it ruined their passing attack. That’ll be an important aspect of the Rose Bowl.

The Rose Bowl is going to be a great game, and you won’t want to miss it. Here are three predictions for it:

Jeremiah Smith will score two touchdowns

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) reacts after scoring a touchdown in the first half at Ohio Stadium
© Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jeremiah Smith is the X-factor for Ohio State. When the Buckeyes get him involved in a lot of the action, they have success on offense. The Buckeyes found Smith in the end zone twice against Tennessee, and that will happen again against the Ducks. Smith will have another huge game.

The game will go to overtime

Related Ohio State Football NewsArticle continues below
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Colorado adds UCLA lineman in transfer portal
Featured image Sam Leavitt
Arizona State football’s Sam Leavitt makes massive donation to Pat Tillman foundation
Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders carry flags across the field after a score against the Wisconsin Badgers during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska football legend named 2000s best defensive player

There is so much hype leading up to this game and it is being played in college football’s most iconic venue. This is going to be an incredible matchup between two great teams, and it’s going to be a close. It just feels like this is going to be one that doesn’t get settled in regulation.

Ohio State will win 38-34 in overtime

This game could go either way, but Ohio State isn’t going to lose to Oregon twice in one year. They felt like they should’ve won in Eugene, and they seem to be playing with a chip on their shoulder after the Michigan loss. The Buckeyes will get it done in an instant classic.

Ohio State and Oregon will kick off at 5:00 ET on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, California, and the game will be airing on ESPN. The Buckeyes are currently favored by 2.5 points.

College Football Playoff quarterfinal preview

The first round of the College Football Playoff was a bit disappointing, but the quarterfinal round should provide some more excitement. Here is a rundown of what will be going down on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Six seed Penn State and three seed Boise State will get things started on New Year’s Eve in the Fiesta Bowl. The Nittany Lions smoked SMU in the first round while the Broncos had a bye. The two teams will kick off at 7:30 on Tuesday night and Penn State is a big favorite as they are favored by 11 points.

New Year’s Day action will get started with five seed Texas taking on four seed Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. The Sun Devils got a bye in round one while the Longhorns took down Clemson at home. The Peach Bowl will kick off at 1:00 ET and Texas if favored by 13.5 points.

Game three of the round will be this Rose Bowl matchup that we have already discussed between eight seed Ohio State and one seed Oregon.

The final game will go down in the Sugar Bowl between two seed Georgia and seven seed Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish took down Indiana in round one while the Bulldogs got a bye. This should be a good one as the Bulldogs are favored by two points. The two teams will kick off at 8:45 ET.

Hopefully the quarterfinal round provides some more excitement than round one, and it’s looking like it will.