Ohio State Vs. Oregon: The Big Ten Battle Preview

The biggest game of the Big Ten regular season is just a day away between second-ranked Ohio State and third-ranked Oregon, and it could be the matchup that decides who makes the conference title game.

The winner of the game should have clear control over one spot in the Big Ten title game, and the loser will have a battle to climb.

The Buckeyes and Ducks hadn’t met since 2021, when Oregon walked into Columbus and pulled off a big win, but mostly everyone who participated in the game is no longer with either program.

College football playoff first year since BCS — Jan 12, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; The referee tosses the doing prior to the start of the game between the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2015 CFP National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj/CFP Images via USA TODAY Sports

Both schools have not been tested this year, so this will be the first time they see great competition. Oregon struggled early in the season against Idaho and Boise State. The Broncos do have the best running back in the country in Ashton Jeanty, but that’s not an excuse to struggle with a non-power-four school like that.

Ohio State has handled business well so far this season, but their schedule looked like a bakery for the first handful of games, who played cupcake after cupcake.

Last week, the Buckeyes played a nice team in Iowa and beat them 35-7, but the Hawkeyes can’t do much on offense, and they have one good player on that side of the ball in running back Kaleb Johnson. Ohio State did a great job slowing him down and making Iowa throw.

Ohio State Vs. Oregon Prediction

Ohio State lands Jeremiah Smith — Members of the Ohio State Marching Band form “Script Ohio” before Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks on September 11, 2021, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Oh.

The Buckeyes are a 3.5-point favorite on the road against the Ducks, and Vegas is pretty much saying Ohio State would be favored by a touchdown at a neutral site since home-field advantage usually is good for three points.

Ohio State has an experienced quarterback with Will Howard, and so does Oregon in Dillon Gabriel, and both have a hard time throwing the ball down the field, so this is going to be a contest of which of their playmakers pull off major plays.

Oregon has one of the best defensive lines in the nation, and Ohio State’s offensive line has improved a lot from last season, so this will be the biggest test they have faced since they played Michigan last year.

oregon ducks dakorien moore pete thamel recruit — Sep 24, 2022; Pullman, Washington, USA; Oregon Ducks helmets sit during a game against the Washington State Cougars in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Even though both teams have great offenses, the defenders will decide this game, and it should be a low-scoring matchup. Still, Oregon wins 24-20 due to having home-field advantage. They pull off a late game-winning drive, and their star wide receiver, Tez Johnson, makes a big play down the field to set up the late winning score.