Last week’s game against Fresno State was an appetizer for the Oregon Ducks. It was nice to get a taste of football inside Autzen Stadium once again, but in the end it left us hungry for more.
We are going to get much more this week, as the Ducks head to Columbus to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the main course. For well over a year we have been preparing for this moment, only made more anxious and excited once the Buckeyes’ trip to Eugene was canceled last fall due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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But now the time has actually come, and it’s getting to a point where the talking is over; all that’s left to do is play the game and find out who the better squad is.
There are several things that we don’t yet know about this game, the first and foremost regarding Oregon’s best player in Kayvon Thibodeaux, and whether or not he will play when all is said and done. That alone has a chance to potentially make or break the Ducks’ chances to upset Ohio State, and while there is a general feeling that No. 5 will indeed suit up in what could be one of the biggest games of his college career, the ramifications of him sitting out still loom large.
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If Thibodeaux does play, however, I think there are some real reasons for Oregon fans to be optimistic. The Ducks’ showing against Fresno State left a lot to be desired, but they have had this game circled for months, and Mario Cristobal is sure to have his guys ready to go.
For the Ducks, this game is going to be won or lost in the trenches. If KT is healthy and able to act as a destructive force on the defensive line, it has the chance to flush Ohio State QB CJ Stroud out of the pocket, limiting his ability to find his two All-Pro receivers in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. The defensive line also proved against Fresno State that they were lethal vs. the rushing attack of Fresno, allowing -8 yards on the ground in the first half. Should both of those things continue, and Oregon keep the score relatively manageable, their chances at an upset increase.
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Then the job is on the offense to carry out. We were frustrated with Oregon’s rushing attack in Week 1, though they showed some real glimmers of hope in the fourth quarter off of the back of CJ Verdell. Should the Ducks get him and fellow RB Travis Dye going early in this one, it will be a massive advantage, as it both opens up the passing game for QB Anthony Brown, and eats up the play clock, keeping Ohio State’s offense on the sideline.
Should Brown have room to throw the ball, assuming that the offensive line can take a step forward from their season-opening performance, then a lot of our focus can finally be shifted to the Ducks’ receiving core, which is arguably the most talented that Oregon has ever seen. With Troy Franklin reportedly healthy, and Johnny Johsnon, Mycah Pittman, and Jaylon Redd all looking for big plays on the big stage, the possibility for points gets high.
You boil all of that down, and there is certainly an avenue for the Ducks to walk out of Columbus on Saturday afternoon with a massive victory, one of the biggest program history.