2022 Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Utah is old vs. new in Pasadena

2 years ago 319

When Ohio State faces disconnected against Utah successful the 108th Rose Bowl Game connected New Year’s Day, it volition beryllium a lawsuit of aged versus new.

The sixth-ranked Buckeyes (10-2) are a accepted Big Ten powerfulness and volition heading to Pasadena for their 16th ever quality successful the Granddaddy of Them All, having gone 8-7 successful their archetypal 15 Rose Bowls.

Utah, though? It was lone 10 years agone that the Utes (10-3) joined the Pac-12, which on with the Big Ten has traditionally sent its league champion to Pasadena. And by winning the Pac-12 rubric past week, the 11th-ranked Utes earned their first-ever travel to the Rose Bowl.

Here’s a look astatine the 2 programs up of the New Year’s Day matchup:

How they got here

Ohio State: The Buckeyes successful caller years person competed for College Football Playoff appearances. A Week 2 nonaccomplishment to Oregon, though, enactment Ohio State successful a presumption wherever it had to triumph each its remaining games to gain 1 of the 4 playoff spots.

The Buckeyes went connected to triumph their adjacent 9 games — including implicit ranked opponents Penn State, Purdue and Michigan State — arsenic backmost C.J. Stroud enactment up numbers that earned him Heisman consideration. But successful the last crippled of the regular season, Ohio State mislaid to archrival Michigan.

The Wolverines’ bid to the CFP meant that Ohio State received the Big Ten’s invitation to the Rose Bowl alternatively of the league champion.

Utah: The Utes’ play started with the shroud of calamity implicit it aft moving backmost Ty Jordan was killed successful an accidental shooting past December, the aforesaid period helium was named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. Utah was deed with different stroke successful September erstwhile cornerback Aaron Lowe was killed successful a shooting astatine a party.

But Utah continued connected contempt that adversity and immoderate on-field struggles, losing 2 of the archetypal 3 games of the play and seeing starting backmost Charlie Brewer transportation aft Week 3. Once Cam Rising took implicit astatine quarterback, though, Utah went connected to triumph 9 of its past 10 games.

Two of those wins came against pre-season Pac-12 favourite Oregon, including a 38-10 triumph successful the league rubric crippled aft which the Utes clenched roses successful their teeth, their first-ever Pac-12 title and Rose Bowl quality clinched.

Head coaches

Ohio State: Ryan Day, 42, took implicit the Buckeyes successful 2019 pursuing the status of Urban Meyer and 2 seasons arsenic OSU’s violative coordinator. The Buckeyes person gone 33-4 successful his three-year tenure, winning 2 Big 10 championships and making the College Football Playoff twice, losing to Alabama successful the nationalist title crippled past season.

Utah: Kyle Whittingham, 62, has been astatine Utah since 1994, moving his mode up the coaching unit until being promoted to caput manager anterior to the 2005 season. His Utah teams are 144-69 successful his tenure and 11-3 successful vessel games, though the Utes person mislaid their past 2 vessel appearances.

Key players

Ohio State:

QB C.J. Stroud: 280-395, 3,862 yards, 38 TDs, 5 INTs

RB Treveyon Henderson: 167 carries, 1,172 yards, 15 TDs

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 80 recs., 1,259 yards, 6 TDs

S Ronnie Hickman: 95 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 1 FF

LB Cody Simon: 54 tackles, 1 sack, 1 PBU, 1 INT

Utah:

QB Cameron Rising: 187-298, 2,279 yards, 18 TDs, 5 INTs

RB Tavion Thomas: 186 carries, 1,041 yards, 20 TDs

TE Brant Kuithe: 44 recs., 534 yards, 6 TDs

LB Devin Lloyd: 107 tackles, 7 sacks, 6 PBUs, 4 INTs, 1 FF

CB Clark Phillips III: 56 tackles, 12 PBUs, 1 INT

Local ties

Ohio State: The Buckeyes person 4 California natives connected the roster and 2 from the section area. Former St. John Bosco information Kourt Williams II played successful 10 games this season, totaling 21 tackles and 3 for loss. But it’s erstwhile Rancho Cucamonga QB C.J. Stroud who has led the Buckeyes this play arsenic a redshirt freshman.

Utah: As a Pac-12 school, it’s nary astonishment that Utah has recruited California heavily, with 28 players from the authorities connected the Utes’ roster. Some who person contributed this season: QB Cameron Rising (Newbury Park), RB Micah Bernard (Gahr), OL Nick Ford (San Pedro), OL Sataoa Laumea (Eisenhower), CB Malone Mataele (Santa Margarita), S Brandon McKinney (Orange Lutheran) and CB Clark Phillips (La Habra).

How the teams lucifer up

This is simply a classical spot vs. spot matchup. Ohio State leads the state successful yards (551.4) and points scored (45.5) per crippled this season, whereas Utah is 12th nationally successful full defence (315.4 yards allowed per game) and led the Pac-12 successful points allowed per contention (20.6).

It’s a akin vibe erstwhile the Utes person the ball, too. Utah ranked 14th nationally successful rushing yards per game, with Thomas’ 20 crushed touchdowns earning him a five-way necktie for the astir successful the country. Ohio State, meanwhile, held opponents to 118.5 rushing yards per crippled down its 6.7 tackles for nonaccomplishment per game.

What’s astatine stake?

This crippled is not a College Football Playoff semifinal this season, truthful some teams volition beryllium playing for a accepted Rose Bowl championship. That would beryllium capable for this Utah team, picked to decorativeness 2nd successful the Pac-12 South successful the pre-season poll. Worried that Ohio State won’t beryllium motivated without a nationalist title connected the line? You don’t person to be: In the 2019 Rose Bowl Game, the Buckeyes held disconnected a furious fourth-quarter comeback by Washington to triumph 28-23.