PASADENA, Calif. – The pleas came as Jeremiah Smith strolled off the field toward the southeast tunnel at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday night. Clutching a bright red rose in his teeth, he waved to a sea of ​​scarlet-clad fans soaking up the climax of a remarkable season.

“Jeremiah, Jeremiah… over here!” a woman shouted.

“Can I have your hat?” shouted a child

So the 19-year-old star who ended the Oregon Ducks’ national championship hopes made his way to the edge of the stands, removed the rose from his teeth, grabbed a Sharpie and signed a slew of hats, jerseys and T-shirts from Ohio State University. As he was returning a jersey to a fan, a young woman approached him with a shy request:

“Can you sign my skirt?” she asked.

And he obeyed, crouching down and scrawling “J Smith No. 4” on a form-fitting denim skirt. The young woman smiled and tugged at the shorts as the Grandaddy of Them All’s offensive MVP made sure she would never wash the garment again.

It’s safe to say Smith felt right at home in Hollywood. And it’s safe to say the No. 8 Buckeyes felt right at home against the No. 1 Ducks.

The best season in Oregon football history ended on a nightmarish note against Smith and the Buckeyes, who built a commanding five-point lead and cruised to a lopsided 41-21 victory in front of 90,732 points in the college football quarterfinals in Pasadena, Calif . The Rose Bowl would be the Ducks’ next win en route to their first championship in school history, an exclamation point for an undefeated season in the new 12-team playoff era.

Instead, one of the most anticipated games in program history quickly turned into a disaster, with Smith and Ohio State’s high-powered offense inflicting a humiliating defeat. The Buckeyes scored on their third play of the game – when quarterback Will Howard threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Smith – on their 12th play of the game and on six of their seven offensive possessions in the first half.

Instead of enjoying the famous Rose Bowl sunset radiating from the San Gabriel Mountains, Oregon (13-1) bathed in the stench of a shocking 34-0 deficit in which Ohio State outscored the Ducks by more than 300 yards (390- 1) had overtaken. 64), scored 10 more first downs (13-3), averaged 11.8 yards per play and unleashed seven plays that went for 29 or more yards.

“If we put everything together,” OSU linebacker Sonny Styles said, “we can do this.”

It was a dramatic and decisive turnaround since these teams first met in October, when the Ducks won a slugfest 32-31 at Autzen Stadium and established themselves as the team to beat in college football. What has changed over the course of more than two months? How did the Buckeyes demolish the Ducks so thoroughly?

Styles said Ohio State’s defense was much better prepared in pre-snap situations, communicating and coordinating together to prevent Oregon’s game-changing explosive plays in the first meeting. Defensive lineman Tyleik Williams said the Buckeyes leaned on a few tweaks at the point of attack, revealing a number of stunts and blitzes they didn’t use in October, which “confused” Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and prevented him from doing so to join in with his first read. Ohio State also decimated the Ducks’ rushing attack, allowing minus-23 yards.

And in general, several Buckeyes (12-2) players said they were simply a different, better and more disciplined team all these weeks later, having endured all the ups and downs of a Big Ten season — including the humiliating loss to rival Michigan at the end of the regular season.

The biggest difference, however, was that the man was signing autographs on the way out of the stadium.

Smith was simply the best player on the field Wednesday night. The freshman phenom promised to make his presence felt before the game and he didn’t disappoint, finishing the game with seven receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns. He scored on a 45-yard pass on the third play of the game, had a 43-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter and added receptions of 29, 32 and 16 yards, providing the Oregon secondary with a barrage of hard-hitting shots Big plays crushed .

With 10:28 left in the first half, Smith had nearly three times as many receiving yards (161) as the Ducks had total yards (60) and twice as many touchdowns.

“He’s strong and attacks the ball in the air as well as any receiver I’ve ever seen,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “The guy is NFL ready. He is so talented and so special. And Will Howard did a great job getting him the ball. He is tough and physical. He has all the tools. A really talented player.”

A talent the Ducks had no answer for. Smith, who surpassed Cris Carter’s Ohio single-game freshman record for receiving yards, has recorded 290 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions in his first two playoff games.

“Legendary,” OSU senior receiver Emeka Egbuka said, referring to Smith’s performance. “He’s a very special talent and I’m really looking forward to continuing to watch him.”

When Smith finally finished autographing that denim skirt, he signed another young woman’s sweatshirt, posed for a quick photo with the two of them, and then strolled down the tunnel to the Buckeyes’ locker room.

After watching Smith take a dagger to the heart in the middle of the Ducks’ magical season, the two giggled and beamed, enjoying a moment — and a player — that no Oregon fan will soon forget.

— Joe Freeman covers that Oregon Ducks. Reach him at 503-294-5183 or @BlazerFreeman. Listen to this Ducks Confidential Podcast or subscribe Ducks Roundup Newsletter.