This was not the first time a great team came into Autzen Stadium and lost to the Ducks. But it was a first—and we can credit conference realignment—it was the very first time that Autzen Stadium hosted a game between two teams in the Top-5. The Ducks did their job and fans did theirs helping their team along by inciting two false start penalties in two separate possessions—one leading to a three-and-out in the first half and one leading to a couple of three-and-longs and a field goal and a two point lead instead of possibly more.
Ohio State took the lead right from the get-go taking the ball to start the game and driving 75 yards down the field in 10 plays with Senior QB Will Howard running it into the end zone one play after completing a 17 yard pass to Junior RB Quinshon Judkins down to the Oregon 1 yard line. After forcing Oregon to punt on their first possession and then starting off theirs with a 13 yard run for 1st down it kinda seemed for a little while there that the Ducks might be in trouble here. But on third and 10, just 8 yards outside their own red zone, they fumbled the ball back to the Ducks who took possession and handed it off back-to-back to their Junior RB Jordan James who ran for 25 yards and then 3 more into the end zone, down by just one at 7-6 after a failed two-point conversion. After holding Ohio State to a three-and-out Oregon would get a chance to go ahead but their great Place Kicker Atticus Sappington missed from 44 yards out. The scorekeeper was pretty busy the rest of the half because other than one three-and-out each both teams scored every time they had the ball. Two TD’s for Ohio State and two TD’s and a field goal for the Ducks to go up by one, 22-21, at the half.
Oregon got the ball first after the break but had to punt after getting bogged down at their own 44 yard line. Six plays later, including two passes from Will Howard of over 25 yards, he would connect with Jeremiah Smith in the end zone to take back the lead at 28-22. Oregon would take the ball 73 yards down to the Ohio State 9 yard line. An incomplete pass and a seven yard Jordan James run would get the Ducks to 3rd and goal at the 2 yard line. After another pass incompletion Oregon would go for it on 4th down instead of kicking the field goal but had to turn the ball back over to the Buckeyes after they failed to get it into the end zone. But digging in defensively the Ducks would get the ball back five plays later after Ohio State had to punt. This time they wouldn’t be stopped and on the back of a 16 yard Jordan James run and Dillon Gabriel 8 yard pass completion to Evan Stewart the QB would take the matter into his own hands and run it in from 27 yards out to put Oregon back up by a point, 29-28, early in the 4th Qtr. Determined to take the lead as well as take time off the clock, Ohio State would spend well over seven minutes on their next 13 play 53 yard drive but would stall out at the Oregon 22 yard line and have to settle for a Jayden Fielding 40 yard field goal to go back up in front 31-29 with six minutes left in the game. With a mix of five passes, five runs, and one pass interference call the Ducks worked themselves all the way down to the Ohio State 1 yard line. Unlike their 2nd possession after the break where they would go for it on 4th and goal and not make it, they sent out Atticus Sappington who kicked a 19 yard field goal to put the Oregon back up by one, 32-31, where the lead would stay after a poor decision by the Oregon QB during their eight play drive to retake the lead but instead literally ran the Buckeyes out of time.
Both QB’s had great games although Will Howard for Ohio State was more accurate, completing his throws at an 80% clip for 326 yards and 2 TD’s, one each to Freshman WR Jeremiah Smith and Senior WR Emeka Egbuka, who combined for 19 receptions and 193 yards. TreVeyon Henderson handled most of the hard work on the ground for Ohio State rushing 10 times for 87 of their 141 total yards. But it was Junior RB Quinshon Judkins and Will Howard himself who are credited with the two rushing TD’s. For Oregon, Senior QB Dillon Gabriel connected on 23-of-34 for 341 yards, 2 TD’s, one to Senior WR Tez Johnson and the other to Junior Evan Stewart who also collected 7 receptions for 115 yards of the total. Ohio State led in first downs, completed both 4th down attempts they tried, had just 29 less yards in total offense and had the ball six minutes longer. Where they hurt themselves a few times was with penalties. They had 8 for 70 yards, four of which had a negative effect on the outcome of their drives and one pass interference penalty which moved the Ducks into easy field goal range to take the lead. Ohio State has a bye week coming up while the Ducks have to travel on a short week to take on Purdue this Friday night at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.