PASADENA, Calif. — Denzel Burke stood on the field, Rose Bowl trophy in his hands and a smile on his face. The cornerback glanced down at the trophy to soak in the moment.
Ohio State had just defeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl in a dominating 41-21 performance that included a 34-0 lead in the first half.
It was redemption for Ohio State, which lost to Oregon on Oct. 12 by one point, and no player deserved the moment more than Burke.
He’d been heavily criticized after giving up 162 yards and two touchdowns. But on New Year’s Day, he was targeted one time and didn’t give up a catch, according to Pro Football Focus.
He looked like a different player. Ohio State looked like a different team.
“Last game, if we didn’t give up the (big plays) it would’ve been a whole different game, like it was tonight,” Burke said.
GO DEEPER
Ohio State defense gets its revenge by shutting down Oregon in Rose Bowl
It felt like destiny that the trophy ended up in Burke’s hands as the team sang the school song, “Carmen Ohio,” with its fans. Not just because of his redemption arc, but because Burke was the first player, in the preseason, to comment publicly about the team’s “natty or bust” expectations. Those have followed the team all season.
It has been called the most talented team in the country, the deepest team and one of the most expensive teams, when it comes to name, image and likeness (NIL) roster budgets.
And it finally looks the part.
In two College Football Playoff games, Ohio State has outscored its opponents 83-38 and outgained them 973-532. A mentality shift has helped this team reach its potential. Tennessee in the first round was a start. And Wednesday was the statement game, against a previously unbeaten, top-seeded team, for the rest of the country.
“We went out there today and beat the best team in the country, so what does that make us?” defensive tackle Ty Hamilton said.
It makes them the best team in the country, and the margin is getting wider every week.
On Wednesday, former Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins had 85 yards on 17 carries and was part of an offense that ran up 500 total yards against Oregon.
“I thought when we won the Peach Bowl at my last school that was huge, but this is amazing man,” Judkins said. “It’s been quite an experience for me.”
He was a big reason why Ohio State had such high expectations this offseason.
Ohio State added Judkins, one of the best running backs in the country, to pair with TreVeyon Henderson, who was already considered one of the most explosive running backs. Ohio State also added All-American safety Caleb Downs, Rimington Trophy winner Seth McLaughlin and quarterback Will Howard to a roster that was also returning a loaded senior class.
The expectations were higher than any other Ryan Day coached team.
The results didn’t necessarily add up to the talent on the roster, which left some people around the country confused, and critical, of Day.
Ohio State lost to Oregon in October and saw a defense that was thought to be the most talented in years give up 500 yards of total offense to Oregon. Though the defense turned things around after that, Ohio State’s offense was inconsistent, and the units rarely meshed at the same time.
Until the Playoff
GO DEEPER
An Ohio State vs. Penn State finale? Big Ten powers proving that identity still matters
There has been a shift since the Buckeyes ended the regular season with the loss to Michigan. Ohio State is playing, and coaching, angry, as Howard said on ESPN after the Rose Bowl victory.
But that’s leading to a focused and detailed team behind the scenes.
“Coach (Jim) Knowles points out all the small things and sometimes we can get so annoyed, but it pays off,” defensive end JT Tuimoloau said of the Buckeyes defensive coordinator.
In two Playoff games, Ohio State has 12 sacks. It had 35 in the first 12 games of the regular season. One of the major questions for Ohio State’s defense was its lack of pressure, and it looks like it has fixed that, but the most impressive change has been with the offense.
After scoring just 10 points against Michigan, the Buckeyes offense has been a more aggressive group, tallying 973 total yards in two games and finally using its playmakers on the perimeter.
Howard has totaled 630 yards passing in the Playoff. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has caught 13 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns in the two games. But the ball is moving around. Emeka Egbuka has 10 catches and one touchdown, tight end Gee Scott has been playing well, and Ohio State has found ways to get its running back duo involved even with an injured offensive line.
“I thought Chip (Kelly) called a great game,” Ryan Day said of his offensive coordinator, who was coaching against his former school. “I thought the whole offensive staff worked hard to put the plan together.”
While Kelly has been calling a great game, his philosophy has seemed to focus more on getting his playmakers the ball in space.
“We are all playmakers so just give us the ball, we’ll make plays,” Judkins said.
If Ohio State keeps that type of aggressiveness, on offense and defense, it will be nearly impossible to beat, and that sentinement rings true within the team.
“We don’t feel too much pressure, we just go out there and compete,” cornerback Jordan Hancock said. “If we can compete as hard as we can, nobody can mess with us.”
Ohio State has had one goal all season, a national championship. It’s now two games away from reaching it. That is a surreal feeling for Hamilton, who was on the 2022 team that lost to Georgia in the final second of the College Football Playoff semifinals.
This team feels different, though. That 2022 team was good, but there was no gap between them and national champion Georgia. This year, though, it’s starting to feel like nobody can reach Ohio State’s ceiling.
“It’s been a lot of times we’ve been close to it, but this is the best team to get to it this year,” Hamilton said. “We have the best team, the best guys to play as hard as we can, and we can make it there.”
But first, Ohio State, and Burke, have a singular focus: Texas, which defeated Arizona State on Wednesday in double overtime of its Peach Bowl quarterfinal.
Burke met with the media briefly, and his last three answers were, “We’re on to Texas.”
Mix the most talented team in the country with one that is also angry and focused, and you have an Ohio State group that looks capable of hoisting a national title on Jan. 20.
GO DEEPER
College Football Playoff 2024 projections: Ohio State has best title odds after beating Oregon
(Photo of Oregon running back Jayden Limar and Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimoloau and cornerback Denzel Burke: Robert Hanashiro / Imagn Images)
