Cody Simon discusses changes Ohio State made from first matchup with Oregon

Just one regular season rematch has occurred thus far in the College Football Playoff. Just over 80 days after their first matchup in Eugune, Ohio State and Oregon faced off again at the Rose Bowl. This result was quite different, with the Buckeyes earning a blowout victory and advancing to the semifinals.

Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon was asked about the differences between the two games, saying the team’s mindset was different. Simon admitted at times, defensive players were not ready for plays back in October. Oregon took full advantage when opportunities arose.

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“Obviously, that was one of our letdown games for our defense,” Simon said. “So, one of the biggest things we changed was our attitude and our mentality. It was a lot of plays in the first game where we weren’t even aligned, we weren’t ready to go. Against an offense like that, for Oregon, they thrive on that stuff.”

Offensive success ran rampant for both teams in the first matchup. Oregon finished with 496 offensive yards, 341 of which came through the air. Dillon Gabriel was quite efficient too, completing 23 of 34 passes and two touchdowns. Gabriel’s 27-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter gave the Ducks a lead too.

Looking at the Rose Bowl, the numbers are drastically different. Gabriel had a good day on paper, throwing for 299 yards and two touchdowns. But Oregon as a whole rushed for -23 yards and the Ohio State pass rush was consistently in the backfield.

Simon reiterated a point from head coach Ryan Day — everything comes down to executing at a high level. When pulled off, the results are going to be favorable for Ohio State.

“For us, it was just that mentality change,” Simon said. “We went through a lot of tough conversations after that game, changes we had to make. But I think we’re better for it now and we made those changes… It’s all about execution. No matter who is across the ball, you have to do your job. If you do your job, you’re going to like your result.”

The same mentality will now need to carry over into Friday’s Cotton Bowl against Texas. Ohio State is just two wins away from a national championship, breaking a decade-long drought.