This will be the second meeting between the Buckeyes and Ducks this season. The first one went to the Ducks, 32-31 in Eugene, after Will Howard's late slide left no time on the clock. It was a back-and-forth game until the final seconds with eight lead changes. Howard, despite the last-second mental error, played well, going 28 for 35, 328 yards and throwing two touchdowns. He also rushed for a score in the first quarter. “It's going to be a heck of an opportunity for all of us,” Howard said. “I think we’ve all been looking forward to this one, another crack at these guys. The way the last one ended didn’t sit right with me.” Running back TreVeyon Henderson led the Buckeyes in rushing with 87 yards on 10 carries. RB Quinshon Judkins had a quieter day, with 23 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. The Ole Miss transfer had a fumble, which set up Oregon for its first TD of the game. It would be the closest game of the season for top-seeded Oregon (13-0). “We’re looking forward to the opportunity because it was not a great game for us,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. "They used that game as motivation. So, I’m sure they’re looking forward to another opportunity.” The Ohio State defense — now statistically the best in the nation — allowed Heisman Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks to pile up 496 yards. “You get to watch yourself play, and watch the mistakes that you’ve made, and you see how they attack you,” Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon said. “But also, there’s a lot of football played in between that. They’ve changed. We’ve changed, and we’re just, we’re going to look at what we need to do, and trust the game plan the coaches have, and we’ll go and tackle them.” Oregon coach Dan Lanning recognized the Buckeyes' ability to be explosive. “That's an elite football that we just played,” Lanning said after the October game. “They’re really, really talented. They don't have weaknesses.” The Rose Bowl will be played on Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. The Buckeyes are no strangers to "The Granddaddy of Them All," playing in Pasadena 16 times since 1921. Ohio State holds a 9-7 record in the Rose Bowl. Two of those wins came against Oregon (1958, 2010).