COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The fourth quarter had just begun when the chants around the Horseshoe started.
"We want Oregon."
In the tunnel underneath the Ohio State student section, Rose Bowl staffers readied red roses for the locker room celebration, as Brutus emerged from the catacomb with the first bouquet.
The Ohio State backups still had several minutes to play before Tennessee was officially put away. But the Buckeyes had already mentally moved on to their looming rematch against Oregon in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal on New Year's Day.
With its empathic 42-17 victory over the Volunteers in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Ohio State set the stage for a second showdown with the Ducks, who defeated the Buckeyes 32-31 in Eugene on Oct.