Na’eem Offord is walking into a game that gives him a clean shot at the people who never got over his recruiting decision.
Oregon’s trip to face No. 11 Ohio State this weekend comes with plenty of noise around the Ducks, who are coming off a win over No.
20 Northwestern and still have a slim path to the College Football Playoff. But for Offord, the matchup carries a different kind of edge.
The Ohio State crowd that once wanted him badly has not exactly moved on, and this is the kind of stage where he can answer them on the field.
Offord was one of the most coveted prospects in the country when he came out of high school. He was ranked as the No. 12 player nationally and the No. 3 cornerback in his class, and he spent most of his recruitment committed to Ohio State before Dan Lanning and Oregon flipped him in December. That decision did not sit well with Buckeyes fans, and the reaction has lingered.
Some Ohio State supporters have kept poking at Offord ever since, using his development at Oregon as a talking point and treating every snap like a referendum on his choice. Others have taken shots at Aaron Scott and Dakorien Moore too, framing their own decisions as mistakes. Even among Buckeyes fans, there’s been pushback on how far that obsession has gone.
This week, though, the noise gets a chance to meet the reality of the matchup. Oregon and Ohio State entered the season as two of the favorites to win the national championship, and both teams have dealt with quarterback injuries. Ohio State is also coming off its second loss of the season, so the Ducks have a chance to hand the Buckeyes a third.
Offord’s assignment will be a serious one. Ohio State’s offense is not at full strength without Julian Sayin, but the Buckeyes still have plenty of talent on the outside.
Jeremiah Smith lines up most of his snaps there, and Offord will have to help limit the best wide receiver in the country. Chris Henry Jr. is another big, talented target on the perimeter, and Oregon will need the same kind of success against bigger receivers that it has seen in games like the USC game.
The Buckeyes are also starting freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, which makes the early part of the game especially important. If Offord, Brandon Finney Jr., and Ify Obidegwu can close things down quickly, Ohio State could start to feel the pressure in a hurry, especially with the offense still trying to find its footing since Sayin went down.
In Other News...
Bucky Irving Just Gave Oregon Fans Another Reason To Dream
Bucky Irving keeps giving Oregon fans plenty to track on Sundays, and his latest outing was the kind that turns heads far beyond Tampa Bay. In a 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the former Ducks standout carried the offense in a way that felt almost old-school, piling up career highs with 27 carries and 170 rushing yards while finding the end zone once.
The Buccaneers also made franchise history with 323 rushing yards, and they did it in a game where they did not complete a pass, a rare feat in the Super Bowl era. For Irving, it was another sign that his rookie-to-second-year surge is real, with his season now on pace to be his best yet as he continues to build a reputation as one of the leagues most reliable young backs. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Heads Into Ohio State With A Worry Fans Cant Ignore
Oregon got past Northwestern, but the win came with the kind of injury fallout that can linger into a much bigger week. The Ducks took hits at running back and on special teams, with Jordon Davison leaving with a leg injury, Dierre Hill Jr. getting banged up and returner Dakorien Moore also dealing with an issue as the team turned its attention to Ohio State.
Dan Lanning said Davison will need further evaluation, while Hill is still being described as a little banged up. Moore, though, is expected to be ready for the Buckeyes, and Jeremiah McClellan is back practicing as he works his way back from a broken foot. Even with some encouraging signs, Oregons depth is about to be tested in a game where every healthy body matters. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Heads To Oregon With A New Test Fans Will Feel Fast
Autzen Stadium will get a noon kickoff for a matchup that already has a different feel to it, with Oregon set to host Michigan on Nov. 14 at 12:30 p.m. PT on FS1. The Ducks still have Ohio State coming to town a week earlier, also at 12:30 p.m. PT, so the stretch run is shaping up as a quick test of how well Oregon can handle back-to-back spotlight games.
The quarterback picture only adds to the intrigue. Oregon is working through injuries and changes at the position, with Dylan Raiola starting after Dante Moores concussion, while Michigan has turned to Tommy Carr after making its own switch. By the time the Wolverines arrive in Eugene, both teams could look a little different than expected, which makes this one feel like more than just another November date on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]