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Rose Bowl Preview 2018: Ohio State vs Washington

By Barry Leonard Jr.

PASADENA, CA - OCTOBER 06: View of the entrance to the Rose Bowl before the game between the UCLA Bruins and the Washington Huskies on October 6, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - OCTOBER 06: View of the entrance to the Rose Bowl before the game between the UCLA Bruins and the Washington Huskies on October 6, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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We will get another classic Rose Bowl game?

In the “Granddaddy of Them All” we get the traditional Rose Bowl matchup between the top team in the Big Ten and the best team in the Pac 12. This year’s version features the Ohio State Buckeyes squaring off with the Washington Huskies.

While playing in the Rose Bowl is a great consolation prize, both of these teams started the season with College Football Playoff aspirations. And while they both did win their respective conference championship, both programs suffered disheartening losses during the regular season that tool them out of the playoff conversation.

Washington finished the season 10-3 after a loss to Auburn in the first game of the year. Defeats against Oregon and Cal further hindered the Huskies’ plans of big things this season. Ohio State finished with just one loss, but it was an embarrassing 49-20 loss at Purdue in October.

Ohio State boasts one of the most prolific offenses in the country, ranking second with an average of 549 yards per game and seventh with 43.5 points scored per game. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins threw for 4,580 yards and an amazing 47 touchdowns. He finished first in the nation in touchdown passes and second in passing yards.

Game: Rose Bowl
Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA 
Teams: No. 6 Ohio State  (12-1) vs No. 9 Washington (10-3)
Date: 01/01/19
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN

Haskins would be dangerous enough for a defense to prepare for, but the Buckeyes are loaded with talent on offense.

It’s no wonder the quarterback racked up so many passing yards, because the Buckeyes have perhaps the best wide receiver group in the nation. Parris Campbell, K.J. Hill, Terry McLaurin, and Johnnie Dixon all eclipsed 600 yards receiving and combined for 35 touchdowns. Campbell led the team with 992 yards and tied McLaurin for the team lead with 11 scores.

When Ohio State isn’t throwing, the two-headed monster of J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber makes things tough for opposing defenses. Dobbins rushed for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, while Weber added 858 yards and five touchdowns.

Fortunately, the Ohio State offense is great at putting up points, because the defense isn’t as strong as it usually is in Columbus. Linebacker Malik Harrison will be one to watch, as he led the Buckeyes this year with 74 total tackles. Cornerback Shaun Wade led the team with three interceptions.

For Washington, a win in the Rose Bowl will salvage a disappointing season.

The Huskies will use their strong defense to slow down the Ohio State attack. Washington allowed  less than 16 points a game this year while giving up just 302 yards a game. Linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven registered 165 total tackles this season.

On offense, Washington will look to quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin to lead the way. Browning threw for 2,879 yards with 16 touchdowns this season, while Gaskin ran for a team-high 1,147 yards with 10 touchdowns.

When Gaskin isn’t running the ball, look for Salvon Ahmed to spell him. Ahmed ran for 604 yards this season with seven touchdowns.

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Although very experienced, particularly at the skill positions, the Washington offense won’t have enough firepower to keep pace with the potent Buckeyes. This game may be close for a while, but the Buckeyes could prove too much for the Huskies in the end.

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