Ohio State vs. Oregon: First Glance at the Ducks

BuckeyesNow give its initial impressions of the Oregon Ducks, including which players stand out and what the Buckeyes must prepare to face this week.

Author:
Caleb Spinner
Sep 7, 2021 6:00 AM EDT

The Oregon Ducks come to Columbus later this week to battle the Buckeyes for just the 10th time ever. It's been a very good matchup for Ohio State over the years, despite the fact that these two programs don't see too much of each other.

Ohio State will work to defend its undefeated series record against Oregon at noon this Saturday on FOX.

The No. 11 Ducks opened the 2021-22 season at home against Fresno State last weekend, defeating the Bulldogs by a score of 31-24.

Quarterback Anthony Brown threw for 172 yards and a touchdown in the game. The senior completed 62.5 percent of his passes, connecting with his receivers on 15 of his 24 throws. Brown also got the job done with his legs, scrambling for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Johnny Johnson III was on the other end of a few of those completions. The Arizona native finished with 76 yards on three receptions (one of which was a 32-yard touchdown snag from Brown).

The bulk of Oregon’s scoring however, came on the ground. Each of the running backs who saw playing time for the green and yellow scored a touchdown and ran for at least 50 yards. C.J. Verdel led the charge, finishing with 74 yards on 18 carries. Travis Dye contributed 64 yards to the Oregon cause on 13 carries.

The Duck defense set up their offensive teammates on the second Bulldog possession, when defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux sacked and stripped the ball from Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener. Thibodeaux scooped up the loose ball and took it 13 yards before he was brought down at the Fresno State three yard line. The Ducks reached the end zone three plays later.

Thibodeaux, arguably the top-rated NFL Draft prospect in college football this year, was injured during the second half last weekend. His status is day-to-day, according to Ducks coach Mario Cristobal on Monday afternoon. If Thibodeaux is even remotely healthy, it's hard to imagine he wouldn't play.

Oregon’s defense tallied four sacks by the time all was said and done. This defensive pressure may prove troublesome for the young C.J. Stroud, Ohio State’s true-freshman quarterback.

Ohio State opens the week as a 14-point favorite over Oregon, with a scoring line currently set at 63.5 points. The Buckeyes have an 87.8% chance of besting the Ducks and remaining undefeated in the all-time series, according to ESPN.

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