Urban Meyer's coaching career with Ohio State will come to an end in the bowl game that began it all. Meyer's Buckeyes (12-1) will face Washington (10-3) in a Pac-12/Big 10 matchup that is expected to see plenty of offensive firepower.
The game marks the 12th contest between the two schools and the first since 2007. The Buckeyes won that game, 33-17. Both teams are marking their 15th appearance in the Rose Bowl, as well.
For Ohio State, many will be watching quarterback Dwayne Haskins to see if he can hit 50 touchdown passes for the season. Haskins needs three touchdowns to hit the mark, the sophomore has thrown for 4,580 yards this year.
The Buckeyes offense features a pair of strong running backs in J.K. Dobbins (1,029 yards, 9 TDs) and Mike Weber (858 yards, 5 TDs) to complement a wide receiving corps that features four players with over 600 receiving yards each and a combined 35 touchdowns. Team leader Parris Campbell will likely break the 1,000-yard mark in the Rose Bowl as he enters the game with 992 yards for the season.
Ohio State's explosive offense will be challenged by Washington's secondary which snagged 11 interceptions this season. All-American linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven, who leads the Huskies with 165 total tackles, will be tasked with shutting down Dobbins and Weber.
For Washington's offense, QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskin both will play their final games for the Huskies. Browning set a program record with his 11,983 passing yards in four seasons, 2,879 of those coming in 2018. Likewise, Gaskins will also leave the Huskies as the program's all-time rushing leader with over 5,000 career yards.
Gaskins' stats for the 2018 season, 1,147 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, are a little off pace from his previous years where he topped 1300 yards, but his explosiveness will require Ohio State's defense to attempt to contain the RB.
Containing explosive plays are a component for both teams. The Buckeyes are towards the bottom of the FBS in allowing plays of over 20-plus yards (No. 98), 30-plus yards (No. 117), and 40-plus yards (No. 122). Meanwhile, the Huskies are ranked fourth in gaining plays of 20-plus yards but lead the nation in allowing plays of 30-plus.
2019 Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual
Location: Rose Bowl Stadium — Pasadena, California
Date: Tuesday, January 1
Time: 5 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN | Live stream: WatchESPN
Satellite Radio: ESPN Radio, UW Feed: ESPN Xtra, OSU Feed: ESPNU Radio
Odds: Ohio State -6.5 | Over/Under 57.5
Prediction:
Kyle Kensing (Athlon Sports): Ohio State 34, Washington 27
"Both Ohio State and Washington kicked off 2018 frequently mentioned in the College Football Playoff conversation. The Buckeyes missing the field as Big Ten champions for a second consecutive season might cast a pall of disappointment over their Rose Bowl trip, but appearances in the historic game have been fleeting for the program. Motivation should be no problem for Ohio State.
Washington's season endured more on-field ups and downs, but the Huskies hit their stride in the final month. Of no coincidence, Washington was the closest to full strength it had been all year with the returns of Hunter Bryant, D.J. Beavers and Trey Adams to the lineup.
Add a month for the always-creative Chris Petersen to game plan, and Washington will give Ohio State a fight. The Buckeyes have more difference-makers on offense than any opponent Washington's outstanding defense has faced this season, however."
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