LOS ANGELES — A throng of reporters descended on Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke from the moment his team’s designated interview period began in a crowded meeting room two floors below ground at the Sheraton Grand, a downtown hotel outfitted from top to bottom with decals, signage and bouquets in anticipation of the Rose Bowl. So prominent and ubiquitous are the floral displays around the property that any guests unfamiliar with this year’s College Football Playoff, which pits the Buckeyes against Oregon in a highly anticipated quarterfinal, could certainly be forgiven for thinking Valentine’s Day arrived early.
For all the wrong reasons, Burke had developed into a central figure ahead of Wednesday’s rematch between two of the Big Ten’s best…
