Best Ohio State vs Oregon Rose Bowl Props: Will Howard, Tez Johnson Top Picks on Jan 01

The only rematch of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal round has a pair of Big Ten squads doing battle in the Rose Bowl, as the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes faced the top-seeded Oregon Ducks. The Ducks edged the Buckeyes during the regular season, 32-31, when playing at home.

Both teams have explosive offenses, giving us plenty of NCAAF player prop picks to make for this matchup. Check out our picks and get your bets in before kickoff of this clash.

Ohio State vs Oregon Rose Bowl 2025 Game Information

• Game: Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2) vs Oregon Ducks (13-0)
• Date/Time: Wednesday, Jan. 1, 5:00 p.m. ET
• Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
• Ohio State vs Oregon Live Stream: Fubo.tv

Find Ohio State vs Oregon betting trends here.

3 Ohio State vs Oregon Rose Bowl Prop Picks

1. Ohio State QB Will Howard Over 250½ Passing Yards (-114)

Ohio State looked like a different team in the first round of the College Football Playoff compared to its regular-season finale loss to Michigan. Part of that was a renewed emphasis on the passing game that had been so successful for the Buckeyes all season long.

Quarterback Will Howard had a big game in the first-round win over Tennessee, throwing for 311 yards and two touchdowns. Against Michigan, Howard had just 175 yards and one touchdown, getting picked off twice.

If the Buckeyes are going to win this one, it’s going to be with offense, which means Howard dropping back to pass at least 30 times. In the first matchup with the Ducks, the senior was 28-of-35 for 326 yards and two scores, so he’s had success against the Oregon secondary.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s fun. It really brings out the chess game in football.”

🗣️ @OhioStateFB QB Will Howard on facing a team twice in a season#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/Eu4An7ztMW

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 30, 2024

Of course, that gives Oregon some experience against the Ohio State offense, but that shouldn’t mean the Buckeyes won’t have success again. Look for Howard to be throwing the ball a lot in this one, pushing himself over the 250-yard mark in a game for the sixth time this season and second against the Ducks.

Howard’s passing yard total going over should be one of your picks when you bet online.

Bet On Will Howard Over 250½ Passing Yards (-114)

2. Oregon WR Tez Johnson Over 80½ Receiving Yards (-114)

The Buckeyes aren’t going to be the only team passing a lot on Wednesday. The Ducks’ offense is second in the Big Ten in passing yards per game with 278.0.

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 341 yards in the first game against Ohio State, with Tez Johnson making seven catches for 75 yards in the victory. Johnson was injured in the latter part of the season, missing two games in November before returning for the regular-season finale.

He showed he was fully back in the Big Ten Championship Game victory over Penn State, making 11 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown. Despite missing two games and most of a third, Johnson was the Ducks’ leading receiver with 78 catches for 866 yards.

We like him to have another big performance against the Buckeyes in this one. Gabriel will need to have some time to find his senior playmaker, but Johnson can get yardage after the catch as well, so he doesn’t need deep balls to rack up yards.

Expect a high-scoring affair on Wednesday, with the Gabriel-to-Johnson connection to be a big part of it. Johnson’s over on receiving yards is one of the college football best bets today.

Bet On Tez Johnson Over 80½ Receiving Yards (-114)

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3. Oregon RB Jordan James Anytime TD Scorer (-251)

If you want the closest thing to a sure bet for Wednesday’s game, it’s that Oregon running back Jordan James is going to find the end zone. The junior has 15 rushing touchdowns this season, including two in each of the last two Ducks contests. This is a great prop to include in your college football parlay picks.

James has failed to score in just two games this season – vs Illinois and Boise State – and he had 23 carries for 115 yards and a score in the win over Ohio State earlier this season. With the Buckeyes worried about stopping the Ducks’ passing game, James should find some running lanes, including at least one into the end zone.

Jordan James just makes it look easy 😮‍💨@Oregonfootball makes it a 2 possession game with 7 minutes left to play 🦆

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/lNej7XcDQf

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 8, 2024

If you’re feeling a little feisty and want a better payoff, you can bet on James to extend his two-touchdown streak to three games at +200 NCAAF odds. It’s not a bad wager to make considering how hot he’s been of late, but we’re going to stick with a single score at -251.

Count on James to get a score for the Ducks as one of your NCAA football predictions for the Rose Bowl.

Bet on Jordan James Anytime TD Scorer (-251)

Question Of The Day

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets