Ohio State Football: 2019 Rose Bowl preview, prediction, live stream vs. Washington
By Zach Bigalke
Urban Meyer hopes to retire with one more win as he finally coaches in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State football will face Pac-12 champ Washington.
The oldest bowl game in the country returns to a showdown of the Big Ten champion against the winner of the Pac-12 on New Year’s Day 2019 with the battle between Ohio State and Washington. Two coaching legends of the 21st century match up against one another for the first time, and both make their maiden appearance in the Granddaddy of Them All.
For Ohio State, it is the last game with Urban Meyer on the sideline coaching the Buckeyes. Meyer has never before coached at the Rose Bowl, and he will be motivated to show that the committee opted for the wrong Power Five champion to face Alabama after ending the year No. 6 in the College Football Playoff Top 25. They boast Heisman finalist Dwayne Haskins at quarterback, and the talent has one final game in a Buckeyes uniform before turning pro.
Washington, on the other hand, earned their second Pac-12 title in three years thanks to their smothering defense. The Huskies finished fourth in points allowed and 11th in yards conceded, featuring top-20 units against both the run and the pass. Like Urban Meyer, this is the first time taking a team to the Rose Bowl for Chris Petersen. He will look for veteran offensive stars like Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin to match the defense’s effort.
Will Meyer go out with one more win to add to his impressive career record? Or can Petersen say he went 1-0 in his only chance to match wits with the Buckeyes head coach? Here’s how you can watch the Rose Bowl between Big Ten champion Ohio State and Pac-12 champion Washington:
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Date: Tuesday, Jan. 1
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
Location: Pasadena, Calif.
Venue: Rose Bowl
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV
Keys to Victory
Ohio State’s biggest issues in 2018 have come in the red zone, both on offense and on defense. When they get inside the opponent’s 20, the Buckeyes fail to score on nearly one-quarter of their opportunities. When opponents get inside the Ohio State 20, on the other hand, they score on nine of every 10 possessions. Narrowing that disparity will be critical as the Buckeyes try to send Meyer out with one more win.
Washington, conversely, needs to find some way to crack the Ohio State offensive line. The Huskies struggle to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and they enter the bowl game ranked 107th in sacks per game and 118th in total tackles for loss. They also need to do a better job punting and fielding punts, as they need to win the field position battle to prevent the Buckeyes from getting short fields.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com
Point Spread: Ohio State -6.5
Over/Under: 57.5
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Prediction
Ohio State has done a number on most opposing defenses this season, and Haskins is going to have his opportunities to carve up the Huskies secondary. But he will also toss at least one interception, and Myles Gaskin is going to find running room in a Buckeyes front seven that ranks 60th against the run. Look for Washington to win a low-scoring game as they get a defensive score.
Final Score: Washington 24, Ohio State 20