Ohio State quarterback Will Howard gives no credit to Oregon for beating them in their previous meeting
Ohio State's quarterback Will Howard just gave Dan Lanning and the Ducks some bulletin board material leading up to the Rose Bowl, not that they need any extra motivation leading up to the quarterfinal matchup.Apparently he doesn't think the Ducks beat him last time they played. "I think you go back and watch the film, […]
Ohio State's quarterback Will Howard just gave Dan Lanning and the Ducks some bulletin board material leading up to the Rose Bowl, not that they need any extra motivation leading up to the quarterfinal matchup.
Apparently he doesn't think the Ducks beat him last time they played.
"I think you go back and watch the film, and I'm hyper critical of myself, and I think we all are here. But I just look at it, like, man, I don't think anyone this year beat us. We beat ourselves every time," Howard said. "And, you know, we had the turnover at our own 20-yard line, they got the kicks, obviously, the way the game ended, and we were still one point away, and that's what hurts. It was a hostile environment in their place."
Nobody beat you? Your defense got absolutely torched by the Oregon offense. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 341 passing yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The Ducks had four different receivers catch a pass of 20+ yards.
Gabriel completed 8/10 pass attempts that traveled at least 10 yards down field, and he was kept clean all day. Ohio State didn't record a single sack on Gabriel.
Those two turnovers he's talking about? One was defensive tackle Derrick Harmon simply wrestling the ball out of the arms of running back Quinshon Judkins. The other was Howard fumbling out the back of the end zone. Oregon also clearly had an interception early in the game that was called incomplete and not reviewed.
None of this is to say Ohio State isn't a tough opponent. They're playing incredible football, and Howard had a great game against Tennessee. They have an elite defense and arguably the best wide receiver room in the country. They're going to be a tough out.
But Howard opting not to give respect to Oregon for beating them earlier in the season was a choice that might add a little extra fuel to the Oregon defense's fire.
Follow along all year for more Oregon Ducks coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on Bluesky @jonhelmkamp.bsky.social, as well as follow our main page @AtoZSports.bsky.social for all the latest news.
