Fans, are you ready for a rematch between Dan Lanning and Ryan Day? The Oregon Ducks are set to face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, January 1, at 2 p.m. PT on ESPN. This showdown is huge because the winner will advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals, while the loser heads home.

Now, here’s the scoop: according to national analyst Josh Pate, Lanning might have a tough hill to climb in this matchup. He pointed out that on paper, Lanning’s resources don’t stack up against Day’s. Pate said, “It’s a coaching staff game, just as the first one was. And I thought one of the biggest takeaways in the first game was if you look on paper. Ryan Day, Jim Knowles, and Chip Kelly should have a sizable advantage in terms of experience and quality of staff over Dan Lanning, Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi, and they didn’t in the first time around.”

That’s a pretty bold statement! Pate went on to say, “I thought Oregon in the aggregate had a better coaching staff afternoon than Ohio State did,” which is quite the compliment for Lanning and his crew. He added, “It could get flipped on its ear in this game, but that’s what’s running in the first half versus the second half. The precision is from Oregon. And the big day for that Oregon coaching staff. That’s what stands out to me about that first game.”

See, on paper, Ohio State is arguably loaded with talent. They’ve got a rock-solid defense led by defensive end Jack Sawyer, plus offensive weapons galore with guys like Jeremiah Smith, Treveyon Henderson, and Emeka Egbuka. But hold on! Ohio State was favored when these two teams met back in October, but Oregon pulled off a thrilling 32-31 victory that helped them snag the No. 1 ranking. So, we cannot ignore that at all.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Oregon has a 46.4 percent chance of beating Ohio State on Wednesday. The Ducks have had nearly a month off after their impressive win over Penn State in the Big Ten Championship game, earning themselves a first-round bye. But here’s the catch—they’re now matched up against one of the best teams in the country right out of the gate.

Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel has earned fans’ trust with his strong performances, while Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has been lighting it up against defenses like Tennessee’s. As we gear up for this epic clash in Pasadena, all eyes will be on how Lanning handles the pressure against Day once again. Moving forward, let’s discuss what Will thinks about the biggest clash of the season.

Is Will Howard ready for a rematch?

It’s not every day that college football teams get a chance to exact revenge, but that’s exactly what Ohio State will be looking to do when they face off against the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. We all remember how their first meeting went down back in October. It was an absolute nail-biter at Autzen Stadium, with Oregon pulling off a thrilling 32-31 victory. But it’s how that game ended that still haunts Ohio State quarterback Will Howard.

Yes! You heard it right. Although Will has had a phenomenal performance against Tennessee, is he ready to take over the Ducks? Well,  when the last time they met with just six seconds left on the clock and the Buckeyes driving for a field goal? Howard scrambled instead of throwing the ball away or running out of bounds to stop the clock. By the time he slid, the game was over.

“I still have nightmares about that play,” the quarterback said. “I’m thankful that we even get a chance to go out there and play these guys again. The way we lost that game, it still hurts.” Now, Howard and the Buckeyes get another shot at it—60 more minutes against the Ducks. Will he make it count?
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