The Oregon Ducks are a day away from playing their most important football game in a decade. Ten years ago, the Ducks fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2015 national championship game. Now they have a chance to exact revenge in the Rose Bowl.
What college football is all about.
Oregon hosted Ohio State in Autzen Stadium earlier this season and won 32-31. Eleven weeks later, the Ducks (13-0) are still undefeated, and the Buckeyes are 11-2. Their second loss was courtesy of a so-so Michigan team, but Ohio State is fresh off demolishing the Tennessee Volunteers — one of the top teams in the country.
Wednesday’s game will be one to remember, however it shakes out. While most sportsbooks have the Buckeyes favored by about a field goal, I see this game as a tossup. If the Ducks are to win, they’ll likely succeed in the three areas I’ve listed below. My three keys to victory.
Keep the run game locked up
If I had to boil down one reason the Oregon Ducks beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in October, it’s the defense’s effort to keep Quinshon Judkins and TreyVeon Henderson contained. Those are two of the best backs in college football, and the Ducks kept them from doing much of anything. Judkins was nonexistent with 23 yards. While Henderson had 87 yards, 53 came on one rush early in the game. It will not be easy to have the same success, but it will be an important point of focus for Oregon’s defense.
The ball, the ball, the ball
We’ve seen Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi repeatedy emphasize the importance of the ball, and how taking it away can change a game. Oregon’s offense will need to be at it’s best in this game regardless — and part of that is not turning the ball over. But if the defense can put the ball back in Dillon Gabriel’s hands with a takeaway once or twice, the Ducks will be in real good shape.
Win third down
When these teams faced in October, the Ducks converted nearly half of their third-down attempts, and the Buckeyes converted a third. That may seem like a small difference, but in games like these — fights between two heavyweights — every first down matters, and third-down stops can matter even more. If Oregon can create a similar gap in third-down efficiency, they’ll be in good shape to win.
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