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C.J. Stroud is best QB Utah HC Kyle Whittingham has seen since Justin Herbert
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 37-of-46 passes for a school-record 573 yards and record-tying six touchdowns during the 48-45 Rose Bowl win. (Courtesy: Fox CFB/MGN)

C.J. Stroud is best QB Utah HC Kyle Whittingham has seen since Justin Herbert

PASADENA, Calif. (BVM) – The Utah Utes did everything in their power to win their first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl over the weekend. They scored 35 first-half points and held a 38-31 lead over Ohio State entering the fourth quarter. The Utes even stayed afloat after starting quarterback Cameron Rising left the game with an injury after being sacked with 9:56 left to play.

But even after backup QB Bryson Barnes — who had never thrown a collegiate pass — led Utah on a game-tying touchdown drive with just 1:54 left, there was no answer for Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud.

The freshman signal-caller calmly led Ohio State downfield in the game’s final seconds to set up an easy, game-winning field goal and cap a legendary performance.

Stroud completed 37-of-46 passes for a school-record 573 yards and record-tying six touchdowns during the 48-45 win. His 573 passing yards and six touchdowns are both Rose Bowl records and he finished just three yards short of the record for yards passing in any bowl game.

“Give credit to Ohio State. They played exceptionally well, particularly on offense,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said after the game. “That quarterback (Stroud) is terrific. Statistically the best in the country, as far as quarterback rating system, and he proved it tonight.”

Whittingham is right. Stroud’s 91.9 QBR this season is the best in the country and he’s been one of college football’s brightest stars since October. After throwing an interception in each of the Buckeyes’ first three games of the season, Stroud threw 35 touchdowns to just three INTs the rest of the way.

As great as Stroud was during the regular season, great quarterbacks are often judged by how they perform in the postseason. It’s why Stroud’s masterpiece in the Granddaddy of Them All has Whittingham comparing the Buckeyes’ star to another recent Rose Bowl champion.

“I would say that’s probably accurate,” Whittingham said when asked if Stroud was the best QB Utah has faced since former Oregon and current Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert. “The kid is tremendous. Like I said, the QBR, the quarterback rating system that ESPN uses, which in my estimation is the most accurate and the most telling of statistics for determining how well your quarterback’s playing, he leads the nation. I think you saw it tonight why.”

The comparison of Stroud to Herbert is a massive compliment. Herbert was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, voted Offensive Rookie of the Year and broke rookie records for passing touchdowns (31), total touchdowns (36) and completions (396).

Stroud appears poised to build upon his impressive freshman campaign where he threw for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and just six INTs (Herbert’s best season at Oregon saw him throw for 3,471 yards and 32 touchdowns). The optimism for improvement also stems from the return of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Quietly living in the shadow of some other stud WRs – Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson – for most of the season, Smith-Njigba showed elite flashes as early as Week 2 when he caught seven passes for 145 yards and two scores in a loss to No. 12 Oregon. But he put on the performance of a lifetime in the Rose Bowl.

Smith-Njigba set the record for any FBS bowl game with 347 yards receiving while setting a school-record with 15 receptions to go along with three touchdowns. With Olave and Wilson opting out, Smith-Njigba broke Cris Carter’s 1985 school record of 172 receiving yards in a bowl game in the first half alone.

With a bonafide star in Smith-Njigba to throw to next season, Stroud may end up a top-10 pick in the NFL draft just like the superstar QB Whittingham has likened him to.