The Ohio State Buckeyes brought their best early on against the Oregon Ducks in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Ohio State cashed in on a brilliant fake less than a minute into the Rose Bowl, with Jeremiah Smith the recipient from 45 yards out. The Buckeyes employed a perfect fake, as it looked like running back Quinshon Judkins was taking a handoff and moving right. Most of the Oregon defense bit, and did not realize the play was actually a short pass out left to wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
The Buckeyes blocked perfectly, and Smith’s speed did the rest.
Jeremiah Smith puts Ohio State on the board‼️ pic.twitter.com/2uiZd90RHf
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) January 1, 2025
This was just Ohio State’s third play from scrimmage, so it is fair to assume they installed this and worked on it during the week. For a Buckeye offense that has been criticized for parts of the season for a perceived lack of effectiveness and explosive plays, this certainly felt like a statement.
This is very much a revenge game for the Buckeyes, as they lost their first meeting this season under brutal circumstances. No wonder they wanted to send an early statement in this game.
