Buckeyes sink Ducks in Rose Bowl

1/1/2010
BY MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

PASADENA, Calif. — The Ohio State Buckeyes beat Oregon 26-17 to win the Rose Bowl here tonight, and in the process halted a string of three-straight defeats in high-profile post-season games.

Ohio State limited Oregon's high octane spread offense to just 260 yards and two short touchdown runs. The Buckeyes (11-2) found surprising success through the air, passing for 266 yards on their way to 419 yards of offense.

Ohio State trailed 17-16 early in the second half, but shut the Ducks out the rest of the way. Oregon (10-3) had averaged better than 38 points per game during the season. The Buckeyes took a two-score lead when quarterback and Rose Bowl MVP Terrelle Pryor hit DeVier Posey with a 17-yard touchdown pass with about seven minutes left in the game.

The Buckeyes' defense then held Oregon without a first down, and Ohio State ate up the final five minutes of the game driving the ball down the field. Pryor led the Buckeyes with 72 rushing yards, and went 23-of-37 passing for a pair of touchdowns with one interception.

Ohio State had lost BCS bowl games the last three years, twice in the national title game and last year in the Fiesta Bowl.