No. 3 Ohio State (1-0) plays host to the No. 12 Oregon Ducks (1-0) in front of what is likely to be a packed ‘Shoe. Pointing to Oregon’s talent, head coach Ryan Day said the Buckeyes will need every bit of crowd noise to fluster the Ducks.
“We need Buckeye Nation in this game,” Day said. “This is a very, very big game for our program. We need it to be loud, especially on third down. We need it to be loud when they have the ball.”
The Ducks enter Saturday’s marquee matchup after a surprisingly difficult affair with Fresno State. Trailing 24-21 early in the fourth quarter, Oregon ripped off 10 straight points, including a 30-yard, go-ahead touchdown by senior quarterback Anthony Brown with less than three minutes remaining.
Brown, who made his first start in an Oregon uniform against the Bulldogs, put together a solid outing against Fresno State. The Boston College transfer went 15-for-24 for 174 yards and a touchdown through the air, while adding 56 yards on the ground — including his game-winning score.
With attention to Brown’s dual-threat ability, sophomore safety Bryson Shaw said the Buckeyes will be prepared for everything that Brown brings to the field.
“He’s a great player. Watched a lot of film on him; very athletic, strong-armed guy. He brings a lot of tools to the table. We’ll have answers for all the stuff he can bring,” Shaw said. “He’s got all the weapons to be a great quarterback. He is a great quarterback, but we’ll be ready for him.”
Joining Brown in the backfield are juniors C.J. Verdell and Travis Dye, a duo of talented running backs. Verdell, Dye and Brown combined for 194 yards on 47 attempts, each finding the end zone once.
As the Ducks play with speed on the offensive end, they add power to their repertoire on the defensive side of the ball.
Oregon boasts one of the best front sevens in the country, giving Ohio State’s talented offensive line a difficult challenge Saturday.
Oregon’s defensive success starts with junior defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, whose status for Saturday’s contest remains in the air. Despite taking minimal snaps against Fresno State, Thibodeaux was dominant — picking up two tackles alongside a strip sack — before exiting the game early with an ankle injury.
Redshirt center Luke Wypler said the Buckeyes’ offensive front is practicing as if Thibodeaux, the projected top pick in the 2022 NFL draft, will play.
“I think we’re preparing like he’s playing, which is what we have to do no matter what happens, if he’s out there or not,” Wypler said. “I think we have our game plan ready and how we’re going to block him. I think Dawand [Jones] and Nick [Petit-Frere] are so excited for the challenge of being able to get after him.”
Although the Ducks may be without Thibodeaux, they still have a host of young talent that could stifle Ohio State’s running back by committee approach to its rushing attack.
True freshman linebacker Justin Flowe burst onto the scene in his collegiate debut, racking up a game-high 14 tackles, including one for a loss against Fresno State. Flowe joined the Ducks as one of the top-ranked interior linebackers in the nation.
Joining Flowe in Oregon’s linebacking corps is fellow freshman Noah Sewell — brother of former Duck and top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL draft Penei Sewell.
The younger Sewell brother had a strong debut for the Ducks, picking up five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
Wypler said regardless of whether Thibodeaux plays or not, the Buckeyes will have their hands full with Oregon’s fast and aggressive defense.
“I think they’re a very good defense,” Wypler said. “I think they’re very talented and have a lot of speed and play fast, play downhill. I’m excited to see what we’re able to do against them.”
As Ohio State welcomes fans back in the stands for the 2015 National Championship rematch, Wypler said he was excited for his first opportunity to showcase his talents in front of Buckeye Nation.
“I think Oregon’s a great team. I think it’s going to be a great challenge here at the Horseshoe. I’m excited to get the fans back in and see how much they can disrupt this game, see how loud they can get,” Wypler said. “Overall, I think we just got to be us. That’s all that matters. Like C.J. [Stroud] always says, ‘Just focus on us.’ If we can take care of what we need to do, the game will go smoothly.”
