Two teams that were vying for the College Football Playoff, will ultimately meet in the Rose Bowl in a Pac-12 and Big Ten matchup. Ohio State and Washington aren’t quite where they want to be, but will still be fighting for a win on Jan 1. in Pasadena, California. Here is the 2019 Rose Bowl preview.
Washington Huskies (10-3)
Chris Petersen led Washington to a Pac-12 title, but this season they were hoping for more with an experienced team. They still were able to beat five bowl-eligible teams, which does not include their second win over Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Their losses came at the hands of three teams above .500.
The Huskies are tied for 83rd in the country with 26.6 points per game. They rush for 179.9 yards (ranked 55th) and pass for 232.5 yards (ranked 63rd) per game.
Senior leader Jake Browning has been a major part of Washington’s rebuild these last few seasons. Browning has thrown for 2,879 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 65% completion. Three receivers have over 400 receiving yards, but Aaron Fuller leads the pack. He has 51 receptions for 794 yards and four touchdowns.
Myles Gaskin decided to return for a fourth season at Washington and has led the running game yet again. He has 1,147 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Salvon Ahmed has rushed for 604 yards and seven touchdowns in relief of Gaskin.
Washington allows 15.5 points per game, which is tied for fifth best in the country. They give up 116.4 rushing yards (ranked 15th) and 185.4 passing yards (ranked 21st) per game. Linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven has been the best tackler in the country, totaling 165 on the season.
Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1)
Ohio State had another solid season with 12 wins. They defeated seven bowl-eligible teams this season, with their biggest win coming over rival Michigan. The Buckeyes did not play their best against Purdue and it cost them a game and a shot at the College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes score 43.5 points per game, which ranks them eighth in the country. They rush for 175.8 yards (ranked 57th) and pass for 373 yards per game (ranked second).
Quarterback Dwayne Haskins knocked it out of the park in his first season as a starter. Haskins has thrown for 4,580 passing yards, 47 touchdowns and eight interceptions on 70.2% completion. Haskins does a good job of spreading the ball around, with no receivers at 1,000 receiving yards yet. Parris Campbell leads the team with 79 catches for 992 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber have split time at running back this season. Dobbins has 1,029 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, while Weber has 858 rushing yards and five touchdowns. The team at times can struggle to get the running game going, but both running backs are talented.
The defense is ranked 54th in the country, allowing 25.7 points per game. They concede 160.5 yards on the ground (ranked 60th) and 239.8 yards through the air (ranked 83rd) per game. Defensive end Chase Young has stepped up in the absence of Nick Bosa with 9.5 sacks this season.
Prediction
In Urban Meyer’s last game as a head coach, Ohio State will want to go out on top. Dwayne Haskins will have a big game, which could be his last one in a Buckeye uniform. Washington will keep it close, but there will be more motivation for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State Buckeyes 32 Washington Huskies 25
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