Posey had eight catches for 101 yards, and Brandon Saine caught an early TD pass for the Buckeyes (11-2), who put together a remarkably fluid offensive performance in their first trip to Pasadena since 1997.
That offense relied on Pryor, the sophomore quarterback who has had a hard time matching his enormous hype. With a Rose Bowl effort that evoked memories of Vince Young's breakout performance in the same stadium four years ago, Pryor shook off his early mistakes and led the Buckeyes confidently through a tense fourth quarter.
Yet Ohio State's defense did much of the work, largely reducing the Ducks' high-flying, no-huddle offense to ineffectiveness. Jeremiah Masoli passed for just 81 yards, while LaMichael James rushed for 70 - but a series of big plays and kick returns by Kenjon Barner kept the 96th Rose Bowl close until Pryor took control of the final minutes.
Oregon (10-3) made a remarkable comeback from its season-opening loss to Boise State, but it hasn't won the Rose Bowl since the game's third edition in 1917, back when the Granddaddy of Them All was a toddler.
