Ohio State Coach Chip Kelly 'Big Smile' After Beating Former Team Oregon Ducks

With one of the most decisive first half performances in Rose Bowl history, former Oregon Duck coach and current Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has succeeded in finally beating his former team 41-21 in the Rose Bowl.

Dec 30, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly on the Big Ten Network stage during Rose Bowl media day at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

To say the Ohio State Buckeyes’ performance at the Rose Bowl was a shock to the Oregon Ducks is an understatement. The Buckeyes kept the Ducks without many answers till the second half, finishing out a decisive victory 41-21. From the first quarter, it was clear the Buckeyes were in control.

In the first half, the Buckeyes put up 390 yards of offense before entering the locker room, with 269 of those yards in the passing game. Six of their seven drives in the first half were scoring drives. Four of those drives were touchdowns.

When observing how fast, blitz heavy, and dominant the Buckeyes’ offense has acted it may feel a bit familiar. That’s because the man behind Ohio State’s offense used to be the leader of the Ducks, and led Oregon to the last Rose Bowl against the Buckeyes in 2010: Chip Kelly.

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly looks on before the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game against the Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

So far this game, Kelly has called an almost perfect offense. Ohio State’s pass first offense has allowed Will Howard to easily find targets in the backfield. Though quarterback Will Howard’s accuracy is at 61 percent compared to Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s 65 percent completion percentage, Howard’s throws are deeper to receivers that are able to move in space and create availability while also being accurate when the passes counted the most. Howard’s passer rating is almost double Gabriel’s at 241.6 to end the first half.

To round out the game, Howard threw 17-26 for 319 yards and three touchdowns. He ended the game with a 206.5 rating compared to Gabriel’s 148.1 rating.

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Overall, Ohio State put up 500 total yards of offense with 319 of those yards being from the passing game. Out of 57 plays, those that were passing plays earned 18.8 yards per completion. Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith shined with 187 yards and 2 touchdowns off 10 targets.

"Everybody in the world knows you can't leave No. 4 all alone, and yet he is. And why is that?... Give Chip Kelly all the credit in the world for this plan,” said football analyst Kirk Herbstreit during the Rose Bowl broadcast.

Before the Rose Bowl, Oregon’s defense was a force to behold. Throughout the 2024 regular season, Oregon only allowed 17.77 points per game and 221 yards per game with 109 passing yards per game.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) catches a pass in front of Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during the first half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I thought Chip (Kelly) called a great game," said Buckeyes coach Ryan Day after the victory. "I thought the whole offensive staff worked hard to put the plan together. But ultimately it comes down to the players putting it on the field. I've said that all along. I think sometimes in this game coaches get too much attention. This is about these guys right here.

"A lot of good plays out there, but they've got to make it work. And I thought they really put it on the field and we came out aggressive. But I thought Chip called an aggressive game and certainly had a big smile on his face after,” Day continued.

Earlier in the week, Kelly spoke to the media about what facing his former team for the second time this season meant, and how the Buckeyes were preparing.

“You get to play a team twice. That's rare in college football that you get to play a team twice. You've got a game against them, and they also have a game against you, so they're looking at the same exact thing,” Kelly said.

Dec 30, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly during Rose Bowl media day at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I think our players are intrinsically motivated to be successful and they have one goal and that's to win the whole thing," Kelly said. "And the only way you can win the whole thing is to win game two. So that's been their attention since the Tennessee game was over. It's been, 'What do we got to do next?’”

What’s next for the Buckeyes? They’ll face Texas in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Semifinals on January 10th at 5:30pm PST.

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