Ohio State doesn’t get to treat Oregon like a background opponent.
The Buckeyes are back home this week for a Big Ten showdown with the Ducks, and even after last weekend’s loss to USC, the stakes are still sitting right in front of them. Ohio State is 6-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play, and the season still has plenty left to chase despite the unfortunate injury to star quarterback Julian Sayin.
That loss to USC made this one feel even bigger.
Oregon arrives at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten games, a record that reflects a season filled with inconsistency and injuries. The Ducks haven’t lived up to the kind of hype that surrounded them earlier in the year, but that doesn’t make them harmless. Ohio State still has to deal with a roster that includes playmakers on both sides of the ball, and if the Buckeyes let their guard down, they could end up in a tiger game.
For Oregon, this is the kind of road win that could change the mood around the season in a hurry. Beating Ohio State in Columbus would be a major statement and a reminder of what kind of program the Ducks can still be.
For the Buckeyes, the message is simpler: stay locked in and don’t fall into the trap.
One way to do that is by getting the ball to Jeremiah Smith early. The star wideout has put together a special season and is still pushing toward the Heisman Trophy. Even with Sayin out, Smith should remain a central part of the offense, and Ohio State can lean on him to help set the tone.
Ryan Day knows what’s at stake, even with Oregon’s record and the absence of Sayin changing the look of this matchup. The Buckeyes don’t need to reinvent themselves here. They need to keep doing what has worked.
These two programs have met a few times in recent years, and the games have delivered fireworks. Another Big Ten win would mean plenty for Ohio State, which makes this one in Columbus feel every bit as important as it should.
In Other News...
Ohio States Bigger Problem In Los Angeles Was Never The Freshman QB
Ohio States trip to Los Angeles quickly became less about a true freshman quarterback making his first real imprint and more about a team that kept tripping over its own mistakes. Luke Fahey did enough to keep the offense moving in the first half, completing 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards, and the coaching staff clearly trusted him to handle the job despite his inexperience. But by halftime, USC had built a 20-6 lead, and the bigger issues were showing up everywhere else.
Missed tackles, penalties, special teams problems and defensive miscommunications all helped put Ohio State in a hole before the game could settle in. Fahey was not the reason the Buckeyes were chasing the scoreboard, and the way the first half unfolded made that plain. The more pressing concern for Ohio State was how many different areas were breaking down at once, leaving the freshman quarterback to absorb blame he never really owned. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Has A Bigger Problem Than One Road Loss
A road loss in Los Angeles already had Ohio State dealing with the usual fallout from a stumble away from home, but the bigger issue was how USC controlled the game from start to finish. The Trojans held the No. 2 Buckeyes to one touchdown, and Ohio State never found much rhythm with backup quarterback Luke Fahey under constant pressure from a USC defense that stacked up tackles for loss and sacks.
The Buckeyes also had no answer for the explosive play that tilted the night, with Mark Bowman ripping off a 70-yard catch-and-run that helped put USC in position to finish the job. It was a statement win for Lincoln Riley, his first top-five victory with the Trojans, and for Ohio State it leaves a lot more to sort through than just the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Added More Fuel To Ohio States Ugly Night
USCs 30-18 win over Ohio State was already the kind of result that left a mark, but Lincoln Riley added another layer to the night in the aftermath. In his postgame press conference, the Trojans coach leaned into the idea that the satisfaction came from inside the building, not from outside approval, a fitting tone after a victory that sent Ohio State back to Columbus with plenty to sort through.
The scene around the tunnel at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was less polished. Riley and his family ran into a bottleneck on the way out, and the moment escalated into a verbal exchange in which Riley reportedly directed profanity at Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and other staff members. Former Buckeye Maurice Clarett stepped in to try to calm things down, a reminder that even after the final whistle, the emotions from a game like this can linger well beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]