Three teams have booked their tickets to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Who will be the fourth?
Penn State got the quarterfinals started 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 win over Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Then Ohio State throttled Oregon from the opening moments of the Rose Bowl in a blowout win.
The final game of the quarterfinals — the Sugar Bowl showdown between Georgia and Notre Dame — was postponed to Thursday after a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans in the early hours of Jan. 1 left at least 10 dead and dozens of others injured.
Catch up on everything that happened Wednesday below.
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Ohio State wins Rose Bowl, advances to CFP semis
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Ohio State dominates Oregon
Ohio State overwhelmed No. 1 Oregon from the start in a lopsided Rose Bowl win. Next up for the Buckeyes: a CFP semifinal matchup vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
Here’s Nick Bromberg’s full recap of Ohio State’s win.
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Dillon Gabriel makes history
With his last TD pass, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel has tied Case Keenum for the most TD passes in FBS history (155). Likely cold comfort for Gabriel in an ugly loss.
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The iconic sunset
Hey, the game might not be competitive but nothing beats the 4th quarter Rose Bowl sunset.
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Touchdown Oregon
Dillon Gabriel throws a 27-yard strike to Traeshon Holden for the score. The 2-point try is no good.
Ohio State 41, Oregon 21
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End of 3rd quarter
Ohio State forces another Oregon punt and the last 15 minutes of this one seems like a formality.
Buckeyes very close to punching their CFP semifinal ticket.
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Ohio State touchdown!
TreVeyon Henderson barrels through for an 8-yard touchdown run, and the Buckeyes are very much still in control. Big answer for OSU.
Ohio State 41, Oregon 15
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Oregon goes nowhere
Dillon Gabriel is sacked twice in a row and the Ducks quickly punt it away.
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OSU goes 3-and-out
The Oregon defense gets a big stop and just like that, the Ducks have the ball back.
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Injury updates on Oregon stars
Oregon is now missing two of its top offensive weapons, WR Evan Stewart and RB Jordan James.
Dan Lanning told @Ianfitzespn on ESPN radio after halftime that star WR Evan Stewart got “banged up” during pre-game warm-ups. He didn’t play a snap in first half. Jordan James was being evaluated for a head injury in first half.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 2, 2025
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Touchdown Oregon!
Noah Whittington punches it in from the 2 as the Ducks try to chip away as this massive Ohio State lead.
Ohio State 34, Oregon 15
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First and goal for Oregon
Dillon Gabriel is moving around and making plays, and he’s got the Ducks inside the 5 and threatening to score again.
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Oregon moves the chains
The Ducks faced a 3rd and 22 and managed to convert after a 21-yard pass on third down set up a 4th-and-1, which Dillon Gabriel converted on a QB keeper.
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Second half begins
Oregon will get the ball coming out of the locker room. It has a ton of work to do to get back into this one.
Let’s see what the Ducks can do.
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Touchdown Oregon
The Ducks finally stopped the bleeding as time expired in the first half. Dillon Gabriel capped off 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
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Ohio State settles for FG
Well the Ducks were able to hold the Buckeyes to a field goal at least. Jayden Fielding nails a 36-yard attempt to extend OSU’s lead.
OSU 34, Oregon 0
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Oregon punts again
And Ohio State is closing in on another score. The Buckeyes are doing whatever they want early in this one.
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Touchdown Ohio State!
It’s a one-play drive for the Buckeyes as TreVeyon Henderson breaks off a 66-yard touchdown run on the next play from scrimmage.
OSU 31, Oregon 0
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Oregon punts it back to OSU
The Ducks just can’t establish anything offensively and are forced to punt again.
There’s still 9 minutes left in the second quarter.
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Touchdown Ohio State!
The Buckeyes are running away with things in the Rose Bowl! QB Will Howard finds talented freshman Jeremiah Smith for a 43-yard touchdown — his second long TD of the game and Howard’s third already.
What an incredible start for OSU.
OSU 24, Oregon 0
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Oregon stuffed on fourth down at midfield
The Ducks were facing a fourth-and-4 at midfield and opted to go for it, but Dillon Gabriel’s pass fell incomplete and the Buckeyes will take over.
