Oregon Ducks star details what they need to do on defense to beat Ohio State in the Rose Bowl
The Oregon defense might be the unit that most decides how the Rose Bowl goes. Ohio State has an elite wide receiver group that gets plenty of attention for their talent, and they have a running back duo in TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins that's capable of punishing opponents. For the Ducks to pull out a […]
The Oregon defense might be the unit that most decides how the Rose Bowl goes. Ohio State has an elite wide receiver group that gets plenty of attention for their talent, and they have a running back duo in TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins that's capable of punishing opponents.
For the Ducks to pull out a victory, they're going to have to make some big plays and limit the Buckeyes scoring opportunities.
"I think there was just some mess-ups we had from last game," linebacker Jeffrey Bassa said when asked about the rematch. "We were able to correct it on the sideline during the time and that may be from just little things, right? Having our eyes in the right place or coverage adjustments."
Bassa also commented on how they have capitalized on the last few weeks to prepare for the second round of this Ohio State battle.
"Looking back to the self-scout, we know we attacked it heavily throughout the bye week and the work week I should say, as well as having this break before this game as well. So attacking that at a high level and knowing we got to take the ball away more."
The defense prioritizing taking the ball away is something that helped them in the last game. Winning the turnover margin is typically a good way to win the game, which the Ducks won 2-0 when they met Ohio State earlier in the season.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard has done a good job of taking care of the football this season, throwing 29 passing touchdowns and nine interception. In games that project to be as tight as this one, a big play on defense could be the difference-maker.
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.
