The Ohio State Buckeyes pulled off a spectacular victory in the Rose Bowl, but quarterback Will Howard had trouble celebrating with his team.
Howard threw for an impressive 319 yards and three touchdowns as the Buckeyes dismantled the top-seeded Oregon Ducks 41-21 in their game. college football Playoff quarterfinals.
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Ohio State took a 34-0 lead in the first half, scoring four touchdowns on drives that totaled just nine plays, and never looked back.
As is tradition, the winning team celebrated its victory on a stage adorned with red roses and the Leishman Trophy, but its star QB was initially unable to join his teammates.
In images that have appeared on social media, an official prevented Howard from getting on the platform.
Holding a rose in her hand, she went back and forth with the man who stood in her way as fans and other members of the media could be heard pleading her case.
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“Put it on stage!” one person shouted.
“He’s the quarterback, let him go up,” said another.
Seeing the funny side, Howard joked “there’s a weight limit” before he was finally allowed to join his teammates.
With its victory, Ohio State advanced to the semifinals, where it will face No. 5 seed Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, January 10.
And while Howard had a great day, he wasn’t named Rose Bowl MVP.
That honor went to teammate Jeremiah Smith, who had a record-breaking game.
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The true freshman wide receiver caught seven passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.
His effort was enough to break the Ohio State record for most receiving yards in a game, which previously belonged to Cris Carter (172 yards), and was set in the Rose Bowl in 1985.
Speaking after the game, Smith sent a warning to the rest of the CFP field.
“We’re just hungry, we’re trying to win everything,” he said.
“That’s what we’re going to do, without a doubt.”
Meanwhile, Oregon showed how difficult it is to remain undefeated.
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The Ducks entered the Rose Bowl with a 13-0 record, but were outplayed by the Buckeyes in Pasadena.
All the wins they racked up in the 2024 season will mean relatively little as Ohio State moved into the final four.
