PASADENA, Calif. — At a scene as pristine as any in its century-plus history, the Rose Bowl served as the confluence of college football’s past flowing into its future. As scarlet and gray confetti filled the sky vacated by the sunset over the San Gabriel Mountains, much-maligned Ohio State trounced fellow Big Ten foe Oregon 41-21 in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
The Buckeyes (12-2) are one victory shy of qualifying for their first national title appearance since the 2020 season. On the opposite end of the bracket, Penn State (13-2) also sits one win from the CFP finale. An explosive clash between the Big Ten rivals to cap the inaugural 12-team Playoff would harken many observers back to the SEC showdowns between Alabama and LSU (2011) and Georgia and Alabama (2017, 2021) that decided the national champion.
The current Buckeyes and Nittany Lions parallel those previous championship finalists from the SEC, which had tenacious defenses and underrated physical offensive lines as their program tenets. Those elements can win in any environment, which both Penn State and Ohio State proved in their first two CFP victories. Collectively, those rivals could bolster the Big Ten’s reputation and make the case that its football depth rivals what the SEC has perennially delivered.
Although both programs have advantageous schedules, neither garnered a first-round bye, which was considered essential for advancing deep into the tournament. At the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10, surging Ohio State faces Texas, which survived against Arizona State in double overtime. Penn State meets the Notre Dame-Georgia winner at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 and will have two days of extra rest.
Neither won the Big Ten, but both are playing the type of football that can win a national championship.
Can’t wait for the #CFBPlayoff semifinals 🙌#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/0URICfhapI
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) January 2, 2025
In the aftermath of their win against Oregon, Ohio State players barely considered the possibility of facing the Nittany Lions again. But for a brief moment, the potential rematch prompted Ohio State tight end Gee Scott Jr. to examine what an all-Big Ten title game could mean for the league’s image.
“I’d say the Big Ten is probably a lot better than people would give it credit for,” Scott said. “It would be another opportunity to go and play Buckeye football.”
Added linebacker Sonny Styles: “I think the Big Ten is a great conference. We want to get the respect we deserve. We got a lot of great teams in this conference.”
Oregon was one of them. The nation’s only unbeaten team, the Ducks earned the No. 1 overall seed after beating Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game. In the regular-season game against Ohio State, Oregon pulled out a 32-31 victory when time expired on the Buckeyes before they could call a timeout to set up a potential game-winning field goal attempt.
That the rematch took place at the Rose Bowl gave the game a traditional feel, which further consummated the relationship between college football’s postseason past with its Playoff future. From 1947 onward, the Big Ten and multiple versions of a Pacific-based conference met each year in Pasadena. That bond survived different postseason iterations until the Big Ten accepted USC and UCLA in 2022 as new members beginning this year. In August 2023, Oregon and Washington also agreed to join the league.
At the same time, the CFP expanded from four to 12 teams. When it stages a quarterfinal — like on Wednesday — the Rose Bowl will host the Big Ten champion should it earn a first-round bye. This year, the bowl was fortunate to secure Oregon as its host and traditional Big Ten power Ohio State as the visitor. Tradition held serve in the present as the sport navigates an ever-changing future.
A different type of tradition spilled over to the field. What both Ohio State and Penn State have shown is that identity still matters in college football, and the one the Big Ten has established throughout its 129-year existence continues to win games and championships. The most dominant team along the line of scrimmage still wins games and, ultimately, championships.
The Buckeyes outrushed Oregon 181 to minus-23. In the Fiesta Bowl, Penn State doubled up Boise State and All-America running back Ashton Jeanty 216-108 on the ground. The Nittany Lions had triple the rushing yards against SMU in the first round (189-58) while the Buckeyes held even with Tennessee on the ground (156-152) but won with its passing attack.
“From the time that you sign up here, that’s our entire identity,” Scott said. “We want to impose our wills on other people. I think there are a few games this year that we fell short of that. But ultimately it led us to this moment to where we are today. I believe we’ve earned the right to be here, and I think we’re going to continue to keep being physical. We’re going to keep dominating up front.”
“If you’re physical, great things happen,” Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams said. “You can’t go out there and be soft. That’s when teams start running all over you. Both the O-line and D-line, we’ve been playing great, and the scores are starting to show that when we execute.”
The Big Ten nearly had two teams in the CFP final two years ago when Ohio State and Michigan qualified for the four-team field. Both lost their semifinal games by one score. This time, both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions have the right pieces and the schedule to reach the finale. Both have outstanding pairs at running back, elite defensive lines and quality quarterbacks. Penn State boasts the nation’s top tight end in Tyler Warren, and Ohio State’s trio of receivers are the best nationally.
Ohio State won the regular-season matchup with Penn State 20-13 at Beaver Stadium. If the teams face off for the national title, the Big Ten will receive the respect for on-field success that it has achieved off it. And it can thank its teams for that.
(Photo of TreVeyon Henderson: Jayne Kamin / Oncea-Imagn Images)
