The Buckeyes are heading into a different kind of Big Ten showdown this week, and the matchup with Oregon suddenly looks a lot less familiar than it did a few weeks ago. Ohio State will be without star quarterback Julian Sayin for the rest of the regular season, which pushes freshman Luke Fahey into the spotlight as the Buckeyes prepare to host the Ducks.
Ohio State enters at 6-2, while Oregon sits at 5-3, and the game now comes with both teams leaning on backup quarterbacks. That puts even more weight on the details for the Buckeyes, who will need a few things to break their way if they want to come out on top.
The first and most obvious issue is keeping Fahey clean. Ohio State got enough from its offensive line last week to help him throw for 260 yards and one touchdown, but it still wasn’t enough to finish the job.
Against Oregon, the Buckeyes need that protection to hold up even better. If Fahey has time to operate, he has enough skill to distribute the ball and create scoring chances.
That leads straight to Jeremiah Smith, who has to remain a central part of the plan. Even with Sayin out, Smith can still swing the game with the kind of impact he brings every week.
Ohio State needs to keep feeding him, especially against an Oregon defense that has been vulnerable to giving up big chunks of yardage. This is the kind of matchup where Smith could do real damage.
The other side of the ball matters just as much, and the Buckeyes need to get after Dylan Raiola. With Dante Moore out, Raiola will be the quarterback for Oregon, and while the talent is there, his season has been uneven.
Ohio State can’t let him settle in. Early pressure will be a major part of the plan if the Buckeyes want to control the game.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Explains Tense Ohio State Exchange After USC Statement Win
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Riley brushed it off in his press conference, calling it a non-issue and saying the emotions of the moment spilled over before the two sides moved on quickly. He did not get into what set it off, leaving the scene as one of those tense little footnotes that follows a big win and invites a little more curiosity than the coach was willing to satisfy. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A Brutal CFP Wake-Up Call
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Notre Dame checked in one spot ahead of Ohio State at No. 11, leaving both programs with work to do if they want to climb back into position. For the Buckeyes, the path forward is about more than style points now - they need to steady the season and make the committee reconsider before the bracket starts to harden. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Oregon Matchup Just Got Complicated By Key Injury Changes
The buildup to Ohio States trip to Oregon has already taken a sharp turn, with both teams dealing with notable injury changes before they ever get to kickoff. The Ducks are bracing for a week-to-week absence for running back Jordon Davison after a lower-extremity injury, while wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan is trending toward a return after missing time with a foot issue.
The quarterback situation is the part both sides will be watching most closely, with Dante Moore and Julian Sayin among the key names affected as the matchup approaches. For Ohio State, the challenge now is less about the original game plan and more about how quickly the Buckeyes can adjust if the availability picture keeps shifting, because this one already looks a lot different than it did when it first appeared on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]