Three teams have booked their tickets to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Who will be the fourth?
Penn State started the quarterfinals on Tuesday with a 31-14 win over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Texas joined PSU in the semifinals Wednesday afternoon with a dramatic double overtime victory over Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Ohio State then knocked off Oregon from the opening quarter of the Rose Bowl in a blowout victory.
The final game of the quarterfinals – the Sugar Bowl game between Georgia and Notre Dame – was postponed Thursday after the terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans in the early hours of Jan. 1 left at least 10 dead and many more injured.
Find out all that happened Wednesday below.
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Ohio State wins Rose Bowl, advances to CFP semis
Ohio State dominates Oregon
Ohio State passed No. 1 Oregon from the start with a disappointing Rose Bowl victory. Next up for the Buckeyes: CFP semi-final vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl on January 10th.
Here’s Nick Bromberg’s full coverage of Ohio State’s win.
Dillon Gabriel is making history
With his last TD pass, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel tied Case Keenum for most TD passes in FBS history (155). It is possible that he is consoling Gabriel over a terrible loss.
The sunset is exceptional
Hey, the game may not be competitive but nothing beats a 4 quarter Rose Bowl at sunset.
Click on Oregon
Dillon Gabriel throws a 27-yard strike to Traeshon Holden for a score. Trying 2 points is not good.
Ohio State 41, Oregon 21
End of 3rd quarter
Ohio State forces another Oregon punt and the final 15 minutes of this seem to be routine.
The Buckeyes are very close to punching their ticket to the CFP semifinals.
Ohio State defense!
TreVeyon Henderson runs for an 8-yard run, and the Buckeyes are still in control. Big answer for OSU.
Ohio State 41, Oregon 15
Oregon isn’t going anywhere
Dillon Gabriel was sacked twice in a row and the Ducks quickly pulled away.
OSU goes 3-and-out
Oregon’s defense makes big stops, and just like that, the Ducks have the ball.
Injury updates on Oregon stars
Oregon is currently missing two of its top offensive weapons, WR Evan Stewart and RB Jordan James.
Dan Lanning said @Ianfitzespn on ESPN radio after halftime that star WR Evan Stewart “tied” during pregame warmups. He didn’t play a trick in the first half. Jordan James was being evaluated for a head injury in the first half.
Noah Whittington hits it from the 2 as the Ducks try to pull away as this big Ohio State lead.
Ohio State 34, Oregon 15
Oregon’s first and goal
Dillon Gabriel is going around making plays, and he has the Ducks within 5 and is threatening to score again.
Oregon runs chains
The Ducks faced 3rd and 22 and were able to convert after going 21-yards on third down to set up a 4th-and-1, which Dillon Gabriel converted on a QB keeper.
The second half begins
Oregon will get the ball out of the locker room. It has a lot of work to do to get back to this one.
Let’s see what the Ducks can do.
Click on Oregon
The Ducks finally stopped the bleeding as time expired in the first half. Dillon Gabriel capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a short TD pass to Traeshon Holden.
They go for 2 and get it.
OSU 34, Oregon 8
Ohio State remains FG
In fact, the Ducks were able to hold the Buckeyes to at least one field goal. Jayden Fielding nails a 36-yard field goal to extend OSU’s lead.
OSU 34, Oregon 0
Oregon strikes again
And Ohio State fills another void. The Buckeyes do whatever they want before this.
Click Ohio State!
It’s a one-play game for the Buckeyes as TreVeyon Henderson breaks off a 66-yard run on the next play from scrimmage.
OSU 31, Oregon 0
Oregon takes it back to OSU
The Ducks couldn’t create anything offensively and were forced to punt again.
There are still 9 minutes left in the second half.
Click Ohio State!
The Buckeyes run away with the stuff in the Rose Bowl! QB Will Howard found talented junior Jeremiah Smith for a 43-yard touchdown – his second long TD of the game and Howard’s third.
What an amazing start for OSU.
OSU 24, Oregon 0
Oregon entered the fourth quarter at midfield
The Ducks were facing a fourth-and-4 at midfield and elected to take it, but Dillon Gabriel’s pass fell incomplete and the Buckeyes would take over.
