In the days leading up to the 2015 Rose Bowl, the Emerald will take a unit-by-unit look at Oregon and Florida State, determining which team has the edge going into the showdown on Jan. 1 in Pasadena. Today, we’ll look at each team’s defensive secondary, with thoughts on Florida State from Perry Kostidikas of the Florida State View. 
Oregon
The Ducks secondary had been one of the lone position groups that hadn’t been hampered by injury this season. That is until starting senior corner back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu suffered a devastating knee injury that ended his final season at Oregon.
Now, the Oregon secondary has to adjust. Redshirt freshman Chris Seisay looks to be the likely replacement for Ekpre-Olomu on the outside. Seisay has seen his fair share of playing time this season, recording 20 tackles, three pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Along with Seisay, senior defensive back Dior Mathis will likely be asked to step up. Mathis hasn’t seen much playing time since Oregon’s win over Washington State on Sept. 21. Mathis has three interceptions in his Oregon tenure and 54 total tackles.
Seniors Troy Hill, Erick Dargan and sophomore safety Reggie Daniels round out the rest of the Ducks secondary. Dargan is tied with Walter Thurmond III for second all-time on Oregon’s career interceptions list with 12. He trails former Duck Jairus Byrd who finished his career with 17 total picks.
Florida State
The key to the Seminoles secondary might be the play of their nickel back. Former Florida State defensive back LaMarcus Joyner, now a member of the St. Louis Rams, made a living from the position. This year, sophomore Jalen Ramsey has successfully made the transition to the nickel spot. Ramsey is fourth on the team in tackles (75), tied for second on the team in sacks (three) and tied for first on the team with two interceptions. Ramsey also leads the Seminoles in passes defended with 13.
On the outside, junior corners PJ Williams and Ronald Darby run the show. Florida State View football beat reporter Perry Kostidikas believes the Florida State secondary, along with Michigan State, could be the toughest Oregon has faced all year.
“Michigan State is a team that comes to mind in terms of defensive prowess, and [Marcus] Mariota played well against them, so it’s hard to say what really will test him but FSU has talent in their secondary that is hard to match,” Kostidikas said. “Junior corner backs P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby could both be drafted in the first round, and in regards to safeties, Tyler Hunter is a redshirt junior and sophomore Jalen Ramsey is a human highlight reel.”
Advantage – Florida State
The big tipping point in this comparison is the loss of Ekpre-Olomu. With Ekpre-Olomu in the lineup, Oregon showcased a senior driven secondary that harped on its communication as being one of its greatest assets. Without Ekpre-Olomu, the Ducks will have to adjust to different players, like Seisay and Mathis, taking on bigger roles.
Talent-wise, the Seminoles are loaded in the secondary. PJ Williams and Ronald Darby both project to be considered highly in next year’s draft if they choose to enter. They’ll have their hands full with a deep Oregon receiving corps, but for now, they have the pregame edge.
12/24: Offensive lines
12/25 : Tight ends 
12/26: Defensive lines
Follow Joseph Hoyt on Twitter @JoeJHoyt