Five things to watch for

1. OSU is 7-0 all-time against Oregon, having last played in 1987.
2. The Ducks are ranked seventh in the nation in scoring at 37.7 points per game; the Buckeyes are fifth defensively, allowing 12.2 points per outing.
3. The impact of not having OSU wide receivers Ray Small and Duron Carter in the contest.
4. The psyche of the Buckeyes not winning their last three BCS Bowl games.
5. Whether OSU can effectively pass the ball.
OSU wins 27-24

The Ohio State University won’t have to wait as long this season between the end of the regular season and its BCS Bowl game, although Nov. 21 seems like a long time ago.
But the Buckeyes will take on Oregon at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the Rose Bowl.
The Big Ten champs earned a trip to Pasadena for the first time since 1996 with a win a Iowa, 27-24 in overtime Nov. 14, then closed out Michigan 21-10 the next week to win the conference title outright.
The Ducks had to pull out a 37-33 win over Oregon State in their regular-season finale to win the PAC-10 and ended Southern California’s three-year run in the Rose Bowl.
What do we know about Oregon? They have speed, speed and more speed. They have a fast-paced offense that can create problems. They are averaging 424.7 yards per game.
Jeremiah Masoli leads the attack. He’s thrown for 2,066 yards with 15 touchdowns. He can also run the ball.
Running back LaMichael James, the Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of  the Year, has rushed for 1,476 yards, which is ranked seventh nationally.
The X-factor is running back LeGarrette Blount, who returned after a season-opening suspension against Boise State and played a key role in the win over the Beavers.
Oregon’s losses were to Boise State, 19-8 and Stanford 51-42 Nov. 7.
While their offense has been proficient, the defense may be a little suspect. They are allowing 23.6 points per game (ranked 52nd nationally.).
The Buckeyes, meanwhile, are on a five-game winning streak after an inexplicable 26-18 loss to Purdue Oct. 17.
While OSU may have not faced the speed of Oregon, I’m not sure the Ducks have seen the power of OSU. This is a team that has done it the old-fashioned way, rushing the ball for more than 200 yards per game in the last five outings.
In November, especially, OSU went back to basics and ran the ball and it paved the way for wins against Penn State, Iowa and Michigan. The rushing between backs Dan Herron and Brandon Saine and quarterback Terrelle Pryor gave teams problems.
Pryor is OSU’s X-factor. He can run the ball as well.
But if the Buckeyes have a shot at winning, he’s going to need to pass the ball.
And how effective that is depends on the receivers. Dane Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey are solid, but not having Small and Carter, weakens the depth.
Small was third on the team in receptions with 15 and Carter checked in at 13.
That leaves Taurian Washington and Lamaar Thomas (one catch) as wide receivers likely to see the bulk of duty on the field.
Then, there’s the mental aspect.
Despite all the wins in school history, the Buckeyes are just 18-22 in bowl games, including 4-3 in BCS games. They are 6-7 in Rose Bowls.
The Buckeyes have the most to gain — and most to lose — with the Rose Bowl.
A win will erase some doubts that the Buckeyes can still win on the national stage. They haven’t beaten a top-ranked non-conference opponent since downing Texas 24-7 in 2006.
A loss will provide more fodder with the critics — either through talk or writing — that they can’t win the big one, after losses to Florida and LSU in the 2007 and 2008 BCS National Championship games and to the Longhorns in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.
Pryor is still searching for the signature win outside of the conference. I see it happening Friday.