Ohio State passed over for College Football Playoff, will represent Big Ten in Rose Bowl

Following last night’s 45-24 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats in the Big Ten Championship Game, many in Buckeye Nation were hoping that the Ohio State Buckeyes had done enough to overcome their 29-point loss to Purdue earlier in the season in order to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, unfortunately for fans and the team alike, in a fashion not completely dissimilar to last season, the playoff selection committee saw fit to keep the Buckeyes on the outside of the final four yet again.

With No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Notre Dame, and No. 4 Oklahoma continuing their respective quests for a national championship, Ohio State will now set its sights on Pasadena, Calif., for The Granddaddy of them All. Georgia finished No. 5, ahead of the Buckeyes at No. 6.

As the B1G champs, the Buckeyes will represent the conference in the 105th Rose Bowl against the Pac-12 champion Washington Huskies. The trip to Pasadena will be the first for the OSU program since Jan. 1, 2010 when Ohio State defeated Oregon 26-17. The Rose Bowl appearance will not only be the first for the Buckeyes in nine years, but it will be the first time that head coach Urban Meyer has taken a team to the iconic venue in his 17 years as a collegiate head coach.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN on New Year’s Day 2019 at 5 p.m. ET. And, in case you were wondering, Chaka Khan will be the Grand Marshall of the Tournament of Roses Parade.