PASADENA, Calif. – With a 1-4 record against rival Michigan and no Big Ten title since 2020, Ohio State coach Ryan Day has faced intense pressure from his own fan base this season. It’s safe to say he’s silenced those critics so far in the College Football Playoff.

Two weeks after beating Tennessee 42-17 in the opening round, the Buckeyes dominated top-ranked Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. Ohio State will face Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10 for a spot in the national championship.

“There are ups and downs in this game,” Day said after the game. “When things are going well you have to hug the guys you love the most and when things aren’t going well you have to hug them even tighter. You just hang in there and keep swinging.”

The Buckeyes outscored the Ducks from the first drive of the game and reached the end zone in just three plays. After Ohio State quarterback Will Howard hit Gee Scott Jr. on a 30-yard pass, he connected with star receiver Jeremiah Smith for a 45-yard score.

The Buckeyes never looked back from then on. They then scored the next 27 points – touchdown receptions for Smith and Emeka Egbuka and a 66-yard run down the right sideline by TreVeyon Henderson – to secure a commanding 34-0 lead that they refused to relinquish.

Oregon fans, accustomed to watching one of the highest-scoring offenses in college football, were stunned.

The Ducks finally got on the field on the final play of the first half, a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dillon Gabriel to Traeshon Holden. Oregon made the 2-pointer and scored early in the second half to cut the lead to 19 points, but in the end that proved too much to overcome.

Gabriel threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns but struggled early, particularly on third down. Oregon had 19 third-down opportunities and converted just eight of them.

“They plan on creating explosiveness, being really good at situational football and moving the chains that way,” Gabriel said. “We just didn’t do that on third down. They had a great plan, but if you can’t get it on third down, you can’t move forward.”

Howard finished the game with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns for the Buckeyes. Smith, just a freshman, is considered arguably the best receiver in the country and had seven receptions for 187 yards and two scores. He was named Offensive MVP.

Day was asked after the game about Smith’s impact in his first year.

“He didn’t earn the respect of his teammates because of his abilities. You see the skills, but for me it’s the daily work ethic,” Day said. “He comes in, he’s serious, he doesn’t say much. But when he does, people listen. His maturity – physical, emotional and mental – enabled him to play like that.”