On Saturday, October 12, number two-ranked Ohio State suited up to take on the number three-ranked Oregon Ducks. Both teams came into this game undefeated and looking to solidify their spot as a top three team in the country. As fans projected, this game came down to the wire and was filled with trick plays, ejections, missed field goals, and lots of drama.
First Quarter: The game started with a controversial Ohio State catch that, if reviewed, could have been ruled an interception for Oregon. Nevertheless, the drive ended with quarterback Will Howard rushing the ball for a touchdown. About four minutes later, Oregon responded with a rushing touchdown. On the next play, the extra point placeholder dropped the ball and was forced to fling the ball into the endzone which was caught by the Buckeyes, but did not result in a score.
Second Quarter: Ohio State’s impressive pair of running backs, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins resulted in another touchdown, making it 14 – 6 Buckeyes. Oregon capitalized greatly on quarterback Dylan Gabriel, who threw for 341 yards. Evan Stuwart was on the receiving end of two huge throws, resulting in another score for the Ducks. Oregon then hit a line-drive kick into an Ohio State player. This led to Oregon getting the ball. This unforeseen play gave the Ducks momentum going into the third quarter.
Third Quarter: Oregon capitalized on this surprising play by kicking a field goal, which put them up 14 – 15. Both teams then exchanged touchdown passes, first Emeka Egbuka for Ohio State, then a 48-yard pass to Tez Johnson for Oregon. Ohio State’s pass rush prevented Dylan Gabriel from putting the Ducks in scoring opportunities, forcing them to punt. The Buckeyes star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith scored a touchdown after a big 38-yard gain.
Fourth Quarter: Dylan Gabriel easily ran through the Buckeyes secondary, scoring a 27-yard rushing touchdown. Both teams then traded field goals, making it 31 – 32 Oregon. With one minute to play, Will Howard led the Buckeyes offense downfield with throws to Carnell Tate, Jeremiah Smith, and Emeka Egbuka. With 28 seconds left, Howard overthrew Jeremiah Smith who was at the four-yard line. Howard then connected with Smith for a nine-yard gain, which was brought back due to an offensive pass interference by Jeremiah Smith. This Freshman mistake is one of the many miscues that pushed the Buckeyes to the 38-yard line with 6 seconds left. On the final play, Howard rushed up the middle and slid, attempting to call a timeout, however, the game clock expired and Oregon fans rushed the field.
Recap: While Oregon came away with the win, their inability to score on red zone opportunities made this game closer than necessary. The Ducks missed a field goal, failed to convert on a two-point conversion, and fumbled an extra point. While Dylan Gabriel played great, he did miss out on a few opportunities to pull away late in the game. On the other hand, Gaberiel’s experience and leadership showed, as Oregon fans don’t need to worry about their quarterback coming into the playoffs. If the Ducks clear up some minor miscues, they are a favorite to win the championship.
While this was a crushing loss for Ohio State, Buckeyes fans have a lot to look forward to this season. Though they will have to run through Penn State and undefeated Indiana, the rest of their games are winnable. Also, their running duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins is a one-two punch that defenses should fear. On the other hand, corner Denzel Burke performed poorly, getting beat on multiple deep routes, resulting in two Oregon touchdowns and big gains. While projected to go high in next year’s draft, the Buckeyes will rely on him to stay consistent down the stretch of the season. Also, the Buckeye’s late-game clock management was sub-par, as they had multiple opportunities to score on their last drive. If they clear up these issues, the Buckeyes could find themselves playing Oregon again in the BIG-10 Championship.
