Ohio State beats Utah 48-45 in the 2022 Rose Bowl

The Ohio State football team faces Pac-12 champion Utah in the Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. today in Pasadena, California.

It’s the first Rose Bowl game ever for the Utes while Ohio State makes its third appearance since 2010. The Buckeyes have won three straight Rose Bowl games dating back to 1997 and coach Ryan Day looks for his first non-College Football Playoff bowl game win since taking over the Buckeyes.

The last time Ohio State played a game without Day as its head coach? That was the last time Ohio State was in the Rose Bowl in 2019. It was Urban Meyer’s final game at Ohio State.

Buckeyes: How motivated and ready is Ohio State for the Rose Bowl? ‘We’ll find out,’ Day says

Urban Meyer: Ryan Day, Kyle Whittingham praise Urban Meyer but avoid discussing NFL debacle

College Football Playoff: Alabama rolls through Cincinnati 27-6 en route to another national title game

After several key Buckeyes opted to skip the Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes plan to give opportunities to their younger players, including a group of receivers who have been waiting in the wings behind Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.

Who wins the 2022 Rose Bowl? Follow the action live as The Columbus Dispatch Ohio State coverage team provides updates from Pasadena.

Ohio State picks up a commitment from Cedrick Hawkins

During tonight’s Rose Bowl win, the Ohio State Buckeyes also scored a recruiting victory. Four-star safety from Cocoa (Florida) High School Cedric Hawks posted on social media that he plans on playing his college ball at OSU. He joins fellow four-star prospects Joshua Padilla and Ty Lockwood in the Buckeyes’ recruiting class of 2023.

Standout performances for Ohio State in the Rose Bowl

There were certainly some performances of note in OSU’s dramatic win over Utah. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 297 yards and 3 touchdowns on 15 catches. Marvin Harrison had six catches, including the first 3 TDs of his college career. C.J. Stroud threw for 573 yards and 6 scores. He completed 37 of 46 attempts.

Story continues

On a night that was a tad bit rough for the defense overall, Tommy Eichenberg had 17 tackles and one tackle for loss.

Final Rose Bowl score: Ohio State 48-Utah 45

Ohio State ends the season 11-2 after a comeback victory over the Utes in the Rose Bowl.

“We’re not going down like that,” coach Ryan Day said his team decided at halftime.

Noah Ruggles gives OSU the lead with nine seconds left: Ohio State 48-Utah 45

It was only a 20-yard kick, but Noah Ruggles has been a little dinged up tonight, adding drama to the field goal that gave Ohio State the edge in the final moments of the game.

Utes backup QB, Bryson Barnes, ties the game: Ohio State 45-Utah 45

Coming in for an injured Cameron Rising, freshman Bryson Barnes, who has not played all year, has completed two passes, including a 15-yard pass to Dalton Kincaid that has tied up the 2022 Rose Bowl with 1:54 remaining. The game is headed toward a dramatic finish, one way or another.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s remarkable night continues with another TD: Ohio State 45-Utah 38

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has three touchdowns in the 2022 Rose Bowl. They have gone for 50, 52 and 30 yards. He has 277 yards on 13 completions, all part of a record-setting performance that has given Ohio State the lead with 4:22 left in the fourth quarter

C.J. Stroud ties game on fifth touchdown strike: Ohio State 38, Utah 38

OSU quarterback C.J. Stroud has his fifth touchdown toss of the day. It went to Marvin Harrison for five yards.

Harrison has three TD catches. Meanwhile, his teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba has two touchdowns on 11 catches and 238 yards.

Stroud has 475 yards on the day.

Ohio State, Ruggles counter with a field goal of their own: Utah 38, Ohio State 31

The Buckeyes also chewed up around four minutes (4:06 to be precise) in a drive that ended with a field goal. Noah Ruggles, despite appearing to be a little beaten up earlier, converted a 31-yard kick.

Utes extend lead with field goal: Utah 38, Ohio State 28

After an eight-play drive that traveled 59 yards in 4:10, Utah’s Jadon Redding made a 24-yard kick that marked the first field goal of the Rose Bowl.

C.J. Stroud finds Marvin Harrison again: Utah 35, Ohio State 28

C.J. Stroud threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day, his second to Marvin Harrison. It was an 8-yard pass over the middle, and it gives the Buckeyes 400 yards in the 2022 Rose Bowl.

Utah botches a punt giving Ohio State a short field

Michigan Williams couldn’t handle a slightly off target snap. Bryson Shaw pounced on it, but it was also fourth down, so the end result in either case would have been OSU taking over on the Utah 11-yard line.

C.J. Stroud picked off

Utah freshman Clark Phillips kept with Julian Fleming step for step, and so was able to haul an interception on Ohio State’s opening drive of the second half.

TreVeyon Henderson appears to injure his shoulder

Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson absorbed two hits to his left shoulder and then landed on it after an 8-yard rush. It was his seventh rush of the day (for 17 yards). Now the question is whether it will be his last of the afternoon. Medical staffers attended to him on the field and then on the OSU sideline.

Ryan Day on the Ohio State defense: “Ridiculous”

Before he headed into the locker room to talk to his players, Ohio State coach Ryan Day told ESPN that allowing “35 points in the first half is ridiculous.”

Day pointed to poor tackling, run fits and kickoff coverage as major concerns for the second half.

OSU has given up 324 yards. They have allowed Utah to dominate time of possession (19:51 to 10:09). And they have allowed the Utes to convert on three of their six third downs.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba fumbles

Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba looked poised to rush for a third long touchdown reception. Instead, he had the ball poked free. It rolled into the end zone, where Utah recovered for a touchback.

Cameron Rising dings OSU again: Utah 35, Ohio State 21

Kerry Coombs’ and Matt Barnes’ defense continues to struggle. Cameron Rising has added a rushing touchdown to his two passing TDs, and it was a spinning, crazy-legged 62-yard run that sent him into the end zone.

C.J. Stroud has his second 50-plus yard touchdown: Utah 28-Ohio State 21

Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud has a second long touchdown throw and it’s again to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Including this 52-yard score, Stroud has four passes that have gone 25 yards or more.

OSU’s Lathan Ransom carted off

On Utah’s kick return touchdown, Ransom was injured, requiring an air cast on his leg, and the medical staff carted him back to the locker room.

Ohio State allows a kick return touchdown: Utah 28, Ohio State 14

Utah’s Britain Covey returned Noah Ruggles kick off 97 yards for a score. Ruggles appeared to be banged up on the play, one of several Buckeyes who was hurt. The most severe of those injuries was that of Lathan Ransom who was carted off with an air cast on his leg.

C.J. Stroud’s 40th touchdown of the season was a beauty: Utah 21, Ohio State 14

C.J. Stroud found a streaking Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 50-yard touchdown.

Utes have scored on three straight drives against the Ohio State defense: Utah 21, Ohio State 7

With around nine minutes before the half, Utah has 218 yards and a two-touchdown lead.

Dayton native Tavion Thomas, who grew up a Buckeyes fan, rushed it in six yards untouched to mark the third straight drive on which the Utes have scored.

Jack Sawyer ejected for targeting

Ohio State’s defense has been plagued by missed tackles, they have shown confusion in dealing with Utah’s bunch formations, and they have been flagged for a couple crucial penalties.

And now, on a 16-yard, Cameron Rising scramble, OSU’s Jack Sawyer has be penalized for targeting, costing the Buckeyes 15 yards and leading to the freshman’s ejection.

OSU’s Marvin Harrison gets his first college TD: Utah 14, Ohio State 7

Ohio State halved Utah’s edge as Buckeyes freshman Marvin Harrison made his first collegiate touchdown grab. C.J. Stroud’s pass went for 25 yards, and he now has 78 yards today.

That was Stroud’s 39th touchdown pass this season.

Emeka Egbuka makes comeback after battling COVID

Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka has a 30-yard reception for the Buckeyes today, after going five straight games without a reception.

According to ESPN’s broadcast, Egbuka missed both the Michigan State and Michigan games this year with COVID-19. OSU does not disclose the reasons for a player’s absence.

Utes go up two touchdowns on Buckeyes: Utah 14, Ohio State 0

Cameron Rising now has two scores in the first quarter. The latest was off Micah Bernard’s stretched-out grab that traveled 12 yards.

Utah has 135 yards, is averaging 7.1 yards per play and 13.8 yards per completion with Rising having completed six of his eight attempts.

Utes score first at the Rose Bowl: Utah 7, Ohio State 0

Utes quarterback Cameron Rising found Britain Covey for a 19-yard pass that opened today’s scoring. The drive was aided by a pass interference call that went against Kourt Williams.

Ohio State’s offense and defense have now seen the field

The Buckeyes defense held Utah to 27 yards on their opening drive and forced the Utes to punt. Cade Stover, Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg were OSU’s starting linebackers. Kourt Williams was a starting defensive back.

When Ohio State had its turn, the Buckeyes went just 13 yards. Matt Jones was at left guard with Thayer Munford at left tackle.

A note regarding new Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles

Jim Knowles wasn’t leading the Oklahoma State defense today. He departed soon after announcing he would be joining Ohio State Jan. 2. But as senior cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse pointed out, the Cowboys had “the same structure, same game plan” for today’s kick off against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.

The result? Oklahoma State did hold the Fighting Irish ever so slightly below their season average for points per game (35.3).

Oklahoma State triumphed 37-35 in the Fiesta Bowl. Former Buckeyes linebacker Marcus Freeman was coaching Notre Dame, having taken over after Brian Kelly left for LSU.

Officials for Ohio State’s Rose Bowl matchup with Utah

• Referee: Jason Autrey

• Umpire: Tom Quick

• Linesman: Ryan Hagan

• Line Judge: Chad Lorance

• Back Judge: Martin Hankins

• Field Judge: Phillip Davenport

• Side Judge: Sean Petty

• Center Judge: Jason McArthur

A very pro-Utah crowd in Pasadena as Ohio State fans stay home

All the Indications leading into today were that OSU fans were less likely to travel to the Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes matchup with Utah than Utes supporters.

That has borne out as the crowd settles in for the kickoff.

How Ohio State made the Rose Bowl: The 2021 schedule

• Sept. 2: Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31

• Sept. 11: Oregon 35, Ohio State 28

• Sept. 18: Ohio State 41, Tulsa 20

• Sept. 25: Ohio State 59, Akron 7

• Oct. 2: Ohio State 52, Rutgers 13

• Oct. 9: Ohio State 66, Maryland 17

• Oct. 23: Ohio State 54, Indiana 7

• Oct. 30: Ohio State 33, Penn State 24

• Nov. 6: Ohio State 26, Nebraska 17

• Nov. 13: Ohio State 59, Purdue 31

• Nov. 20: Ohio State 56, Michigan State 7

• Nov. 27: Michigan 42, Ohio State 27

• Jan. 1: Ohio State vs. Utah, Rose Bowl

Ohio State wears special helmet for Rose Bowl

Everything is coming up roses in Pasadena. Ohio State has added a special rose detail to the stripe that runs down the center of players’ helmets. Utah has added the flower to side of the Utes’ helmets.

Here’s a little bit of a closer look at the OSU helmet.

Multiple Buckeye starters out for 2022 Rose Bowl

PASADENA, Calif. — Multiple Ohio State defensive starters who were missing from practices earlier this week will also be out for the Rose Bowl.

Linebacker Cody Simon, along with cornerbacks Sevyn Banks and Marcus Williamson, were listed as unavailable on the team’s pregame availability report released two hours ahead of Saturday’s kickoff against Utah.

While starting as the Buckeyes’ middle linebacker since Week 3, Simon has been banged up for the past couple of months, dealing with a shoulder injury and wearing a protective brace.

He was the team’s second-leading tackler during the regular season with 54. Without Simon suited up in practices on Tuesday and Wednesday, Tommy Eichenberg was seen taking reps in his place alongside Steele Chambers.

With depth at the position limited, tight end Cade Stover also moved over to linebacker for the bowl game.

Which Buckeye players opted out of the 2022 Rose Bowl

There are no Utah Utes who opted out of the 2022 Rose Bowl, but there are several key Ohio State players not playing in the Rose Bowl:

• Garrett Wilson

• Nicholas Petit-Frere

• Haskell Garrett

• Chris Olave

Rob Oller: Me argues with Myself about Ohio State players opting out of Rose Bowl

No Chris Olave for Ohio State

Ohio State star receiver Chris Olave has confirmed to The Dispatch’s Rob Oller that he will be opting out of the Rose Bowl.

That is not a surprise. Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said on Friday he did not expect Olave to reverse his decision to sit out this game.

“I don’t think so,” Day said, “but certainly, we would be excited if he did.”

Olave, who announced Monday that he would be skipping the New Year’s Day bowl game against Utah in order to begin preparing for the NFL draft, practiced with the team in Southern California throughout the week.

Kirk Herbstreit questions bowl game opt outs

As Ohio State prepares to take the field missing several players, ESPN College GameDay host Kirk Herbstreit, a former Buckeye quarterback, seemed annoyed and emotional over the recent trend of players skipping the bowl season.

“Why play?” said Herbstreit. “What’s the difference between the bowl game not mattering and the Akron game? Why does the Akron game matter?”

Fellow GameDay co-host David Pollack said there has been a mindset change in college football players.

“You used to go play for the Ohio State logo,” Pollack said to Herbstreit. “And it meant a lot.”

Ohio State football schedule 2022

Here is what next season looks like for the Buckeyes.

• Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Sept. 2 in Columbus

• Ohio State vs. Arkansas State, Sept. 10 in Columbus

• Ohio State vs. Toledo, Sept. 17 in Columbus

• Michigan State vs. Ohio State, Sept. 24 in East Lansing

• Penn State vs. Ohio State, Oct. 1 in State College, Pa.

• Ohio State vs. Rutgers, Oct. 8 in Columbus

• Ohio State vs. Iowa, Oct. 15 in Columbus

• Ohio State vs. Indiana, Oct. 29 in Columbus

• Northwestern vs. Ohio State, Nov. 5 in Evanston, Ill.

• Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Nov. 12 in Columbus

• Maryland vs. Ohio State, Nov. 19 in College Park, Md.

• Ohio State vs. Michigan, Nov. 26 in Columbus

Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football score vs Utah: Live Rose Bowl updates