Oregon is going to the Rose Bowl but who will they play first in the CFPs?

After clinching the Big Ten Championship and cementing their place as the No. 1 team in the nation, the undefeated Oregon Ducks are heading to the College Football Playoffs with a first-round bye. Instead of having to battle past an opponent in the first round, the Ducks will head straight to the Rose Bowl Game for their quarterfinal matchup.

So, the Ducks know exactly where they are going and when they are playing. However, who in the world will Oregon play in Pasadena?

The first-round matchup that funnels into the Rose Bowl is between the eighth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes and the ninth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers.

The game will be set in Columbus, OH at the Buckeyes' infamous Horseshoe Stadium. The Volunteers have gone 10-2 this season, with their only losses coming to the Arkansas Razorbacks and then-No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs –– both on the road.

Oregon knows the Buckeyes. They beat them already this season. However, it was only a one-point victory and Ohio State looked better after the game at Autzen Stadium until they lost to Michigan in the final game of the regular season.

So, who does Oregon want to play in the Rose Bowl?

Beating a team twice is hard, very hard. Recently, the Georgia Bulldogs proved that it was possible when they defeated the Texas Longhorns for the second time this season in the SEC Championship game.

However, Oregon looked powerful in the Big Ten Championship game. Despite some defensive lapses, the Ducks dominated the Penn State Nittany Lions as time expired. Not to mention, the Oregon offense put up a resounding 45 points on a defense that had only allowed 11 points per game by its previous opponents.

There is an argument for Oregon to want to play Ohio State but the Buckeyes have looked like one of the best teams in the country this season. Meanwhile, Tennessee has looked relatively shaky and would have to travel all the way to California – a two-time zone travel itinerary hasn't boded well for any team this season (other than the Ducks).

The Rose Bowl Game will kick off on Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. PT on ESPN. The Oregon Ducks won't know who they are playing until Tennessee and Ohio State clash for four quarters in their first round matchup which will kick off on Dec. 20 or 21.

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