Rose Bowl quiets loud narrative about Tennessee Vols in the playoff
So, it looks like the Tennessee Vols weren't quite the playoff dud that many on social media made them out to be less than two weeks ago after losing 42-17 to the Buckeyes. Ohio State, apparently, is just that good, it turns out. The Buckeyes laid absolute waste to the #1 ranked Oregon Ducks in the […]
So, it looks like the Tennessee Vols weren't quite the playoff dud that many on social media made them out to be less than two weeks ago after losing 42-17 to the Buckeyes. Ohio State, apparently, is just that good, it turns out.
The Buckeyes laid absolute waste to the #1 ranked Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl, dominating their Big Ten adversary 41-21 on Wednesday evening in Pasadena.
Freshman phenom WR Jeremiah Smith, who caught six passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns against the Vols, stepped his game up in a massive way in "The Grandaddy of Them All". Smith totaled 5 catches for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half alone against the Ducks. He had a nifty catch and run score for 45 yards and got behind the defense for another score from 43 yards.
The Buckeyes exploded to a 34-0 lead early in the second quarter and never looked back, leading 34-8 at the half and keeping the Ducks at bay for the remainder of the game.
The Vols' defense and defensive coordinator Tim Banks caught some flack for getting completely handled by Ohio State's offense in Columbus. Well, the defense of the top-ranked team in the country just got absolutely embarrassed on a neutral field, allowing 500 yards to the Buckeyes.
The draw was always a bad one for the Vols. Going to a place like Ohio State was tough enough, but everyone is seeing now just how talented the Buckeyes' roster is and the elite level they can play it when they put it all together. It's obvious that Ohio State took their 13-10 loss to Michigan and turned it into a motivating factor for the playoff. The Vols were just the first team in their way.
So, perhaps, the talk will change a bit on the Vols' performance in the playoff. It wasn't a good one no matter how you slice it, but perhaps it's also one that becomes a little more understandable in the grand scheme of things.
After all, no one behind Tennessee has proven they belonged there anymore than the Volunteers did, including Alabama, who lost 19-13 to Michigan in the Reliaquest Bowl.
