Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud led the Buckeyes down the field to Utah’s 2-yard line with just under two minutes left in the game.
Noah Ruggles kicked the game-winning field with nine seconds left to give No. 6 Ohio State a 48-45 win over No. 11 Utah on Saturday in the 108th edition of the Rose Bowl.
The Buckeyes offense put on a show with a Rose Bowl record 683 total yards. Stroud’s 573 yards passing are a school record and he also threw a record-tying six touchdown passes.
“Every game I go out there, I try to do my best and make sure I prepare the right way and do the right things because you never know what can happen in the game,” Stroud said. “My job is to lead the team, lead our offense, and I’ve got to watch; I have to do everything I need to do to lead our offense on the field.”
Ohio State wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba set a bowl game record with 347 receiving yards and caught a school record 15 passes with three touchdowns.
“Got to give thanks to Coach and C.J., of course, for giving me opportunities,” Smith-Njigba said. “I just try to take in every moment every time the ball’s in the air. I feel like I did that today.”
After forcing Ohio State to go three and out on its opening possession, Rising hit Britain Covey for a 19-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Utah took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter when Rising connected with Long Beach native Micah Bernard on a 12-yard touchdown. Bernard was able to keep one foot in bounds for the score.
The Rose Bowl.(Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360news)
Ohio State marched down the field with a 10-play, 76-yard drive that was capped by a Stroud 25-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. on fourth and one. Utah responded with a 6-yard touchdown run by Tavion Thomas to extend the lead 21-7 in the second quarter.
Stroud started to heat up after he hit Smith-Njigba in stride down the left sideline for a 50-yard touchdown to cut the lead 21-14. Covey returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for the score and gave Utah a two-touchdown lead with 8:17 left in the second quarter.
Stroud comes back and throws a dime to Smith-Njigba, who outruns the defense for a 52-yard touchdown. Ohio State trailed 28-21. Not to be out done, Rising keeps the ball on fourth and one, breaks a couple tackles on his way to a 62-yard touchdown run.
Utah went into halftime with a 35-21 lead. Utah’s 35 points are tied for the most ever scored in the first half of a Rose Bowl. It’s the highest-scoring first half in the game’s history.
Ohio State was driving down the field when Stroud was intercepted in the end zone by Clark Phillips. On the following drive, Utah fumbled a fake punt and Ohio State recovered.
The Buckeyes scored two plays later when Stroud found Harrison Jr. in the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown. Ohio State trailed by a touchdown.
After trading field goals, the Utes took a 38-31 lead into the fourth quarter. Stroud tossed another touchdown pass to Harrison Jr. and the game was tied 38-38.
Smith-Njigba gave the Buckeyes its first lead of the game with his third touchdown catch of the night. Utah stormed back with backup quarterback Bryson Barnes who was in for an injured Rising.
Barnes led the Utes down the field and threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Kincaid to tie it 45-45 with 1:54 remaining in the game.
“I’m just very proud of the coaching staff, the players, and the leaders of this team for playing the way we did, especially in the second half, and winning this game,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said. “We were shorthanded, and there were some guys who weren’t here today. For us to respond the way we did at halftime and to come out and play in the second half says a lot about the character of this team to win this game.”
