Oregon’s clearest path to an upset in Columbus runs through the air.
That’s the matchup that jumps off the page as the Ducks and Buckeyes head into a Week 10 showdown with both teams in unfamiliar territory. Oregon is carrying three losses and looking for a lifeline. Ohio State, after falling to USC a week ago, suddenly has no room to breathe.
The Ducks don’t need a perfect offensive night to make this interesting. What they need is a passing game that can hit enough explosive plays to keep Ohio State from taking over the game with its defense.
Oregon is averaging 285.3 passing yards per game, which ranks 14th nationally. That puts the spotlight squarely on the Ducks’ receivers against an Ohio State secondary that has allowed only 177.8 passing yards per game. Even with those numbers, the Buckeyes showed some vulnerability in the loss to USC, and that opens the door just enough for Oregon to attack.
The key is simple: the Ducks have to create separation on the outside and win those one-on-one battles downfield. If they can threaten vertically, Ohio State can’t just load up against the run and sit on the short game.
That also puts pressure on Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola, who will need time to get the ball out and make those throws work. Protection matters here just as much as route running.
If the Ducks’ receivers can consistently win their matchups, the whole offense gets a chance to breathe. And if Oregon can string together enough explosive passes to stretch Ohio State’s secondary, that’s the kind of formula that gives the Ducks a real shot at a road upset.
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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 🡒]