Dan Lanning didn’t have an update on Teitum Tuioti’s injury after Oregon’s 41-28 win over Ohio State, but the Ducks coach made it clear he’s hoping for the best.
“Yeah, not right now,” Lanning said when asked if he knew Tuioti’s health status. “We’ll wait to hear from our medical staff. I know he’s tough, so I’m praying for good news there.”
Tuioti was helped off late in the game after suffering a leg injury and was later carted to the locker room with his left knee heavily wrapped. The senior edge rusher finished with two tackles, including one for loss, and also played a key role in one of Oregon’s biggest moments before halftime. On a fake punt, Tuioti threw a pass to fellow edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei for a trick play that helped set up points.
The injury came after Oregon had already taken control in “The Shoe,” where the Ducks stunned the Buckeyes by scoring 38 straight points at one point. By the start of the fourth quarter, the game was firmly in hand, and Oregon’s defense had been a major reason why.
Tuioti has been central to that surge. This season, he has 44 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, making him the heartbeat of Oregon’s defense as the Ducks have pushed back into the Big Ten conversation.
If he’s forced to miss time, Oregon will have a significant hole to fill on the edge. Nasir Wyatt is a likely option to step into that role.
The Ducks are back home next Saturday, when they host Michigan at Autzen Stadium.
In Other News...
Ryan Day Admits Oregon Delivered A Statement Ohio State Never Saw Coming
Ohio States home loss to Oregon landed with the kind of force that tends to linger, especially with the Ducks ripping off 38 straight points in a game that quickly slipped out of control. For Ryan Day, the surprise was as much about how it unfolded as the final result, with the Buckeyes left to sort through a performance that never found much footing once Oregon started piling on.
Day pointed to the need to take a hard look at everything, from a pivotal fake punt to the defenses inability to slow the Ducks surge. Freshman quarterback Luke Fahey also had a difficult night, and Day said the Buckeyes have to do a better job of supporting him going forward, a reminder that the fallout from this one goes beyond a single loss. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Made A Statement Ohio State Fans Wont Forget
Oregon walked into Columbus and turned a tense early hole into a runaway, beating Ohio State 41-28 after ripping off 38 straight points. Dan Lannings team kept its foot on the gas with bold calls, including a fake punt that helped swing momentum and a late gamble before halftime that fed into the Ducks control of the game. By the end, Oregon had the kind of road win that travels well, the sort that changes how a team is viewed beyond its own locker room.
Ohio State never found a clean answer after the opening stretch, and the offense largely stalled once the first quarter passed, with Luke Fahey unable to steady things. Oregon, meanwhile, kept piling on behind backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, who helped drive the Ducks to 395 yards and five touchdowns in the latter part of the game. For a program trying to make a national statement, this was the kind of performance that leaves a mark, even if the full ripple effect is still to come. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lannings Aggression Just Put Ohio State On Notice
Oregons comeback against Ohio State was built on more than just execution, it was built on conviction. After falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter, the Ducks leaned into a successful fake punt and a string of aggressive play-calls to flip the game and go into halftime with a 17-14 lead. It was the kind of response that fit the tone Dan Lanning has tried to establish, one where Oregon does not back off when the situation gets uncomfortable.
Lanning pointed to the need for the Ducks to stay true to their identity and cut down on turnovers if they want to keep giving themselves a real chance in games like this. The first-half surge against Ohio State showed what that looks like when it works, but it also left the bigger question hanging over the rest of the matchup: whether Oregon can sustain that edge once the pressure rises and the margin gets thinner. [Read more 🡒]