When Ohio State and Oregon were sitting at No. 1 and No. 2 in the AP preseason poll, this matchup had the feel of a heavyweight collision. Now they’re meeting on Saturday with both teams in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, but neither inside the top 10, and both are leaning on backup quarterbacks.
For Ohio State, the path is still right there: a Big Ten Championship and a playoff berth are in front of them. Oregon’s road looks far messier. The Ducks have three losses heading into November, which is why the question hanging over this game is simple: are they already done?
It’s easy to feel uneasy in Columbus after the loss to USC, but Oregon’s season has been far rougher. The Ducks dropped their first game against a power conference opponent this year and allowed nearly 40 points at Oklahoma State in Stillwater.
Then came the Big Ten opener, where star quarterback Dante Moore was knocked out against USC and ultimately lost for the season. Oregon then fell to UCLA, and after a third loss at Illinois, the season looked all but finished.
That’s what makes the Ducks’ latest response worth watching. A win over ranked Northwestern last weekend kept them alive, and the offense finally showed some life with 34 points - their highest total since September. Their placement at No. 23 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings caught some people off guard, but it also suggests Oregon isn’t ready to fold.
The Big Ten picture leaves at least a sliver of hope, too. Oregon has two conference losses and sits one game behind second place.
If the Ducks beat Ohio State, they would hand the Buckeyes a second conference loss. If Indiana loses again, only UCLA would have fewer than two Big Ten losses.
Depending on how the tiebreakers shake out, Oregon could still find its way to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game.
Even at 9-3, there’s a path to an at-large argument. Oregon would have three wins over ranked teams, including two road wins, and one of its losses is a two-point defeat against undefeated UCLA. It may still not be enough, but this season has already been chaotic enough that multiple three-loss teams could end up in the top 12.
And even if the national title dream is basically gone, Oregon still has plenty to play for in this one. The Ducks are talented, experienced, and very aware of what happened the last time they saw Ohio State.
That Rose Bowl CFP quarterfinal turned into a nightmare, with the undefeated, No. 1 Ducks trailing 34-0 in the first half.
So when Oregon walks into Columbus on Saturday, it won’t just be another game. It’ll be a chance to prove something against the standard in the Big Ten.
The Buckeyes haven’t won the conference since 2020, but they still carry that weight. Oregon doesn’t have Dante Moore, who was projected as the top pick in the 2027 NFL draft before the season, but the roster still has enough talent to make this interesting.
That’s the same talent that led me to pick the Ducks to win the national championship in August. It’s still there. Now Ohio State has to answer the moment.
In Other News...
Jeremiah Smith Can Add Another Big Ten Milestone Against Oregon
Jeremiah Smith keeps turning milestone games into routine business, and the next one on the schedule gives him another chance to add to a record book he already owns in just about every meaningful way at Ohio State. The Buckeyes star receiver has become the standard for production in Columbus, and his latest stretch has him positioned to keep climbing the Big Ten lists while the spotlight only gets brighter.
Oregon is the next opponent, and with it comes another opportunity for Smith to keep stacking history against a high-profile defense. The yards record is still within reach, and with every big catch he makes, the conversation around him shifts a little more from what he has done to what he might finish with before this run is over. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Faces A Familiar Threat In A High-Stakes Rematch
Dylan Raiolas path back into Ohio States orbit has been a winding one, but the matchup ahead brings the Buckeyes face to face with a quarterback they once had in their own recruiting class. Now at Oregon, Raiola arrives with the kind of talent that made him such a coveted name in the first place, and the film shows the same split that has followed him along the way: dangerous when he gets comfortable, far less settled when the pocket starts to tighten.
For Ohio State, the challenge is as much about discipline as it is about disruption. The Buckeyes have to keep Raiola from getting into rhythm and make Oregon earn every clean look, because once he settles in, the Ducks offense can move quickly. It sets up a familiar kind of test for Ohio State, one that asks the defense to turn pressure into control before a familiar threat turns the rematch into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Heads Into Ohio State With Key Offensive Questions
Oregons injury report is already shaping the conversation around its trip to Columbus, with the Ducks confirming that running back Jordon Davison and tight end Andrew Olesh will not be available against Ohio State. The latest updates also leave wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan in line for a possible return after a long injury layoff, giving the Ducks at least a little hope as they sort through the final pieces of their offensive plan.
The rest of the availability picture is still fluid, with other players carrying out or probable designations as Oregon prepares for one of its biggest tests of the season. For Ohio State, that means the focus is not just on who the Ducks will have, but on how much of their offense can be pieced together in time for a game where every healthy option matters. [Read more 🡒]