The Rose Bowl was Urban Meyer’s last game as the No. 6 Ohio State football head coach and there was nothing his team wanted more than End the Meyer era with a win. That goal looked like a sure thing when the Buckeyes jumped all over the Huskies in the first half to go up 21-3 at the intermission The lead was built on touchdown passes from Dwayne Haskins to Parris Campbell, Johnnie Dixon and Rashad Berry. Meanwhile an Ohio State defense that had been iffy at best all season held Washington to just a field goal.
The Buckeyes (13-1) forced a punt on No. 9 Washington’s first possession of the second half, then drove to touchdown of their own when J.K. Dobbins scored to make the score 28-3.
It looked like the victory in Meyer’s last game was secure, but Washington (10-4) was not ready to give up. The Huskies finally got their offense going and the Washington defense make the OSU offense all but disappear the rest of the way to turn a game that looked like it was going to be a laugher into one that was in question late in the fourth quarter.
Washington scored 20 unanswered points over the remainder of the half to pull within a single score of the Buckeyes but an onside kick attempt with less-than a minute remaining was recovered by Dixon to ice the OSU win, the Rose Bowl championship, and the outgoing victory for Meyer.
OSU tailback Mike Weber, playing in his last game as a Buckeye, led all rushers with 96 yards on 15 carries. Haskins was efficient at quarterback completing 25 of 37 for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Washington quarterback Jake Browning went 35 for 54 for 313 yards and no touchdowns.