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The No. 23 Oregon Ducks head to Columbus to face the No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes, determined to keep their slim College Football Playoff hopes alive. The return of one of their best offensive weapons, wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan, helps the Ducks' chances of reigniting their CFP aspirations and handing the Buckeyes two straight regular-season losses, something that's never happened in Ryan Day's tenure.
The junior wide receiver has been out since September with a broken foot, and his return to Oregon’s offensive lineup will be huge as the Ducks enter a must-win game against the Buckeyes on Saturday afternoon. This is especially important for a Ducks wide receiver group that has gone through its ups and downs.
The Ducks (5-3 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) enter Columbus ranked No. 23 after a 34-26 home win over the Northwestern Wildcats. What was once expected to be a potential top-five battle between two star quarterbacks, Oregon’s Dante Moore and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, now features a clash of two backups, Luke Fahey (Ohio State) and Dylan Raiola (Oregon).
Outside of Moore, injuries have been an issue for the Ducks throughout the season. Here's a look at Friday's availability report as Oregon's road matchup against the Buckeyes looms.
While the Ducks' offense will need to be consistent to upset the Buckeyes on Saturday, their defensive success is just as important for coach Dan Lanning's Oregon group.
The Ducks’ defensive success depends on the Buckeyes top wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith. Facing one of the country’s best players will be one of the toughest tests the Ducks' defense faces this season.
The last time the Ducks and Buckeyes met was in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2025. Smith impressed against Oregon in that Rose Bowl game, finishing with seven receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
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If they hope to upset the Buckeyes on Saturday, the Ducks defense can’t afford to allow Smith to replicate the performance that ended Oregon’s undefeated regular season in 2024. Lanning recently addressed the challenges of playing Smith, as the Ducks defense will give the wide receiver their best shot.
“Jeremiah’s special. He is a special player. You have to know where he’s at all times. He’s dynamic in every phase,” Lanning said. “He’s certainly pro-ready. I think anybody that’s played against him already would tell you that. He probably was two years ago, right? So he certainly is now.”
“I think Coach (Ryan) Day said it earlier in the year - if (Smith’s) one-on-one, he’s open. If there’s two guys covering him, he’s sort of open, right? If there are three, that means somebody else is open,” Lanning continued. “It’s a collective unit that everybody has to play together to try to limit explosive plays for players like him.”
Without Sayin, the Buckeyes are set to start Luke Fahey for the second consecutive game at quarterback. In the Buckeyes 30-18 loss to the No. 20 USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Fahey played well in his first career start, throwing for 260 yards and a touchdown on 21 of 38 passes.
What held the Buckeyes back, however, was their offensive line play, as the talented Trojans defensive line created pressure on Fahey throughout the game and recorded two sacks. Known for having a talented defensive line of their own, this is something the Ducks look to replicate on Saturday against the Buckeyes, as it’s one of the keys to pulling off their upset.
Consistent offense is also important for the Ducks. The biggest question is what type of Ducks team will show up in Columbus on Saturday? Will it be the offense that scored 30-plus points against Northwestern or the team that went three straight games scoring less than 20 points? That's the uncertainty for the Ducks, especially with Jay Johnson now calling the offensive plays
Raiola's performance is also crucial as he looks to build on his best outing against Northwestern, where he threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns on 22 of 31 passes. What version of Raiola shows up against the Buckeyes will be a difference maker for the Ducks' quest to pull off the upset.
With both teams missing their starting quarterback, expect a low-scoring defensive game. Given Day's track record, the Buckeyes are primed to bounce back, but the Ducks enter Saturday's game with new juice and confidence after their win against Northwestern.
The Ducks are currently 7.5-point underdogs, per DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds. It’s the first time this season the Ducks enter a game as an underdog, as they were the favorite in their three losses to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, No. 8 UCLA Bruins, and Illinois Fighting Illini.
The Ducks and Buckeyes will kick off at Ohio Stadium in Columbus at 12:30 p.m. PT, with the game broadcast on CBS. This will be the first time the Ducks face the Buckeyes in Columbus since 2021. The Ducks won that game 35-28.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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