Oregon’s win over Ohio State came down to one simple edge: the Ducks found explosive plays through the air, and the Buckeyes never found enough of them in return.
That was the separator in a game that tilted hard once Oregon pushed the margin to 38-14 early in the fourth quarter. By that point, the contest had effectively slipped into garbage time. Oregon had reached that point at the end of its 11th meaningful possession, while Ohio State had only 10 possessions before the game got out of reach.
The Ducks didn’t exactly hum on offense, but they did enough damage in the passing game to break the Buckeyes open. Oregon attacked soft zone coverage with intermediate throws and turned those windows into chunk gains.
A couple of well-timed interior screens against Ohio State blitzes also produced explosive plays on touchdown drives. The offense also got help from defense and special teams, which set up favorable field position.
Still, there were warning signs underneath the scoreboard. The offensive line remains stable, but it is still underperforming relative to what it should be given the talent and experience on the roster.
Dylan Raiola has shown again that he can be effective, but his limitations are still there. And the play calling still has some head-scratching stretches, including too much between-the-tackles running against this defensive structure and too many perimeter screens.
Oregon also didn’t change much up front. The line stayed the same as it had the previous two weeks.
The Ducks did break out their “TACO” look - “tackle over” - on one play, moving an offensive tackle into a tight end position and sliding the tight end into a tackle spot. That was the extent of it.
On the other side, Ohio State’s offense never found a real rhythm. The Buckeyes’ first touchdown drive came from a cluster of otherwise limited mistakes by Oregon’s defense.
Their second score came when Jeremiah Smith turned into a “glitch in the Matrix” on a coverage bust. But after that, Ohio State didn’t trust backup QB #13 Luke Fahey to consistently get the ball to Smith deep, so the Buckeyes used Smith as a decoy and shifted to short routes for other targets.
Oregon didn’t bite. The Ducks stayed disciplined, didn’t overcommit to Smith, and with the run game offering no real threat, Ohio State’s other pass catchers couldn’t do enough to score again until garbage time.
That lack of balance was a major problem. The Buckeyes’ run game was never a threat, and once Oregon took away the short passing game they were leaning on with Fahey in the game, Ohio State had nowhere to go.
There were also major personnel notes heading into the game. The players listed as “out” on the game day availability report and presumed lost for the season were QB #5 Dante Moore, DB #21 Aaron Flowers, ILB #23 Brayden Platt, and OL #56 Trent Ferguson.
DL #55 Matthew Johnson and OL #74 Dave Iuli have also been out for several weeks. WR #15 Messiah Hampton was listed out as well and is likely to remain sidelined indefinitely for presumably different reasons.
Oregon’s backfield situation also remains in flux. Both starting running backs, RB #0 Jordon Davison and RB #6 Dierre Hill, exited last week’s game and did not return. Davison was out again this week, while Hill started and handled most of the carries.
There was at least one encouraging development on the receiver front. WR #3 Jeremiah McClellan was listed as a “Game Time Decision” after breaking his foot during warm ups before the Portland State game. He was only spotted once, on a five-yard catch in the second quarter.
Defensively, Oregon’s secondary continued to show some shifting pieces. DB #4 Brandon Finney is still moving between nickel and outside corner.
CB #2 Na’eem Offord and CB #7 Ify Obidegwu are playing outside exclusively, while DB #5 Davon Benjamin rotated at nickel and also serves as the dedicated dime back. At boundary safety, Jr.
DB #12 Peyton Woodward is getting the most snaps, with freshmen DB #24 Jett Washington and DB #22 Devin Jackson also seeing time.
In Other News...
Oregon Left Its Biggest Win With Serious Questions Before Michigan
Oregons win over Ohio State gave the Ducks a signature result, but it also left behind a few issues that are hard to ignore heading into Michigan week. Edge rusher Teitum Tuioti went down during the game, and his status is still unclear, adding another layer of concern to a defense that will need to be sharp again in a hurry.
There were other warning signs in the victory, too. Safety Koi Perich had a rough outing that drew public criticism, and the rushing attack never really found its rhythm, averaging under two yards per carry outside of one touchdown run. The Ducks and their coaching staff know the performance was enough to win, but not enough to feel settled about what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lannings Ohio State Statement Just Changed Oregons Week
Oregons football win over Ohio State did more than just reshape the national conversation, it gave Dan Lannings program a fresh jolt at exactly the right time. After the Ducks reentered the AP Top 25 at No. 18, the ripple effects of that performance are still being felt around Eugene, where the football teams rise is landing alongside a strong start for the mens and womens basketball teams, both of whom opened 2-0.
The broader week has also carried some personnel news that matters for the long haul. Tyrone Riley IV is dealing with a hand injury that will be re-evaluated in four weeks, while Kelly Graves added another major piece to the future by landing a commitment from five-star recruit DeAndra Minor. For Oregon, it has been the kind of stretch that reminds everyone how quickly momentum can spread across a program when one headline win changes the tone. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Unleashed Its Wildest Brand Flex Yet
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The timing makes the whole thing feel even more on-brand, with Oregon set for a 2026 preseason trip to Japan and the promotion also bringing back the inflatable Duck used in previous events. Fans can already find the collection online and at The Duck Store, and for a program that has never been shy about making a statement, this one looks built to travel well beyond Eugene. [Read more 🡒]