Oregon faces Ohio State in Rose Bowl rematch, vying for spot in College Football Playoff semifinals

The College of Oregon’s soccer staff has loved a storybook season thus far. The No. 1-ranked Geese have gone undefeated of their Huge 10 convention debut. On Wednesday, they kick off the brand new 12 months by taking over the Ohio State Buckeyes within the Rose Bowl – and the quarterfinals of the School Soccer Championship playoffs.

Tyson Alger runs the Oregon sports activities publication, The I-5 Hall.

“I feel that is the rematch that everyone’s been hoping and ready for. It’s going to be a reasonably epic Rose Bowl matchup as a result of it’s sort of the old-fashioned, of what was the Pac-12 versus the Huge 10,” Alger stated. “It’s acquired these two conventional colleges — and by my cash, it’s the 2 finest groups within the nation proper now.”

The Geese notched one of many solely wins towards Ohio State throughout the common season, successful by only one level — and need to knock out the Buckeyes for a spot within the School Soccer Playoff semifinals.

OPB “All Issues Thought of” producer Donald Orr spoke with Alger to preview the extremely anticipated sport in Pasadena.

This dialog has been edited for size and readability.

Donald Orr: The final meetup between the Oregon Geese and Ohio State was a nailbiter in Autzen Stadium this October. The Geese gained in one of the vital explosive video games throughout the common season. What’s modified for these two groups since then?

Tyson Alger: In the event you ask everybody on the Ohio State aspect, they’ll inform you: “All the pieces.” Ohio State was a staff that got here into the season with simply as excessive of expectations as Oregon did. They performed that sport in Eugene in October, and it was a one-point sport and was extremely tight. It was most likely one of many higher video games that I’ve coated in my 12 years of being on this beat.

Listening to from the Ohio State gamers and coaches this week down right here on the Rose Bowl, they’ve actually been attempting to make up for the one actual blemish on their file. They did have a loss at Michigan throughout the common season, too.

I feel that is the rematch that everyone’s been hoping and ready for. It’s going to be a reasonably epic Rose Bowl matchup as a result of it’s sort of the old-fashioned, of what was the Pac-12 versus the Huge 10. It’s acquired these two conventional colleges and by my cash, it’s the 2 finest groups within the nation proper now. Having to face Ohio State isn’t the best factor on this planet, however hey, they did it as soon as.

Orr: What do you assume the keys to victory are for Oregon?

Alger: A pair issues. One, it’s having the ability to create explosive performs towards Ohio State’s protection. I feel lots of people most likely assume that the Buckeyes are this huge offensive juggernaut, however they’re a really disciplined defensive staff that doesn’t let groups actually beat them excessive, if you’ll. They only don’t enable huge performs all that usually, and that was the one space that Oregon did achieve that October win. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel had certainly one of his finest and best video games of the season. It was most likely probably the most environment friendly sport by a quarterback towards Ohio State all season, from the Huge 10 Championship sport to now.

Oregon’s gotten a good quantity more healthy. They’ve some fairly necessary gamers coming again, particularly on protection. It’s sort of slightly little bit of that, ‘Do you wish to be wholesome, or do you wish to have momentum?’ And proper now Ohio State has a little bit of momentum — however Oregon’s acquired well being, and so they even have an undefeated season on their aspect as effectively.

Orr: For longtime Geese followers, this matchup is fairly acquainted. The Geese confronted the Buckeyes within the Rose Bowl in 2010 throughout the Chip Kelly period. Now right here we’re 15 years later, and the Geese face Chip Kelly as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. How has Oregon soccer modified since Kelly’s time at UO?

Alger: Oh man, it’s modified considerably. That’s sort of the enjoyable nugget to this sport. Chip Kelly is among the a number of folks standing in the best way of the Geese and one other run in direction of the nationwide title. If you wish to return to the Chip Kelly period, that was when Oregon was recognized for its flash and its velocity and the way shortly the offense performed. He actually took benefit of the unfold offense and having the ability to get performs off shortly, and having the ability to simply benefit from the principles that they offer you.

Whereas this 2024 model of the Oregon Geese is sort of in-built a extra conventional mildew. They’re a staff that’s constructed up via recruiting, the switch portal period of faculty soccer we’re in now. They’re not an entire lot completely different once you take a look at them in comparison with the Georgias and the Ohio States and the Michigans — these conventional blue bloods of the school soccer world. So that is actually sort of a strength-on-strength matchup, and I feel that’s why that is most likely probably the most anticipated sport of the school soccer playoffs thus far.

Orr: Win or lose, what do you assume this landmark 12 months has meant for the Geese, and for Dan Lanning’s tenure as head coach?

Alger: It’s fairly loopy, as a result of I bear in mind sitting down in Lanning’s workplace about three weeks earlier than the season started. He simply acquired again from a household trip in Idaho, and the Lannings’ huge low season aim was to attempt to discover the West Coast. They’re from Missouri, they’re nonetheless sort of getting a style for issues out right here, and it was similar to this random quiet downtime that Lanning had earlier than all of this began.

Now that each one of this has began the place the Geese have but to lose, Lanning has been one of the vital talked about coaches in America; for not solely being a brand new coach and having the ability to do that so early in his profession, however taking a program like Oregon and establishing them the place they’re at. Lanning and the Geese have actually grow to be the middle of the school soccer universe in 2024. In my thoughts, I’ve fairly this juxtaposition of the week earlier than it began, the place Lanning was nonetheless simply sort of this up-and-comer, to the place they’re at now. [With] Lanning and Ryan Day, Ohio State’s coach doing the ultimate Rose Bowl information convention, it’s similar to, boy, these are the 2 stars of the game proper now.