10 Things We Learned: Oregon Beats Ohio State

10. Turn Up the Heat

Given Ryan Day's outrageous success in Columbus, suggesting his job is under pressure seems unthinkable. Still, the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes is held to a very high standard, and winning big games is critical. Although it was by a razor-thin margin, another loss in a big game has turned up the heat on Day. A Columbus radio host immediately went to X/Twitter and posted about Ohio State players getting paid big NIL money for “no-show jobs” and extending the “no show” portion to actual football games. Ohio State message boards were flooded all weekend with criticism. It’s fair to point out that Ohio State was the less physical team in Eugene, and the Buckeyes have a total of two sacks in their last five regular season losses (three to Michigan and two to Oregon). The Buckeyes travel to Penn State in November with incredible pressure.

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2. Oregon's Veteran Backfield Shines

Dillon Gabriel had excellent numbers during the early portions of the 2024 season. Still, it seemed like the Oregon offense was missing a top-end gear, and Gabriel came under criticism for the offense’s lack of execution during the first few games. That changed on Saturday night as Gabriel lit up the Buckeyes for 341 yards with two touchdowns plus a surprising 27-yard touchdown run in the second half. Gabriel had no turnovers and narrowly won the quarterback duel with Will Howard. Jordan James was the best running back for either side, grinding out a very tough and efficient 115 yards with five yards per carry.

3. Evan Stewart Explodes

Games like this are why you get a receiver like Evan Stewart in the transfer portal. Going against a secondary with All-American candidates at each position, the Texas A&M transfer went off for 149 yards on seven receptions with one touchdown. Stewart had a 69-yard catch and averaged 21.3 yards per catch. Tez Johnson and Terrance Ferguson were also quite good, but the Ducks lost Traeshon Holden to a personal foul penalty for spitting and needed Stewart to be a star. He was able to outshine the duo of Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka on the biggest stage.

4. Dan Lanning Answers Critics

Dan Lanning came under fire for big-game losses to the Washington Huskies. It was a long offseason as everyone talked about the genius of new Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer and UW’s wins over Oregon. Marquee opportunities don’t come around all that often, and this was a gigantic stage for Dan Lanning and his staff, and they delivered. Lanning went toe-to-toe with OSU offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and the Oregon defense held their own. His offensive coordinator, Will Stein, won the battle with Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and the Buckeyes defense. Oregon has been in the mix for a long time, but they proved on Saturday night they belonged in the same breath with other blue blood programs, and Lanning’s star is as bright as nearly anyone’s.

2024 National Title Odds: Oregon +550

5. Validation For the Ducks

The Oregon football program has spent much time around the national stage in the past two decades. The Ducks have had Heisman Trophy winners, played in national title games, and won PAC-12 titles. Under multiple head coaches and a rotating cast of characters, the Ducks have been right behind the best in the nation. On Saturday night, they went toe-to-toe with one of the country’s most talented rosters and as big of a program as there is nationally, and they prevailed with a win that was not about a more clever scheme or a unique offensive system. Oregon won because they were better on the lines of scrimmage. Oregon has elite facilities, an elite coaching staff, and elite resources, and now, they have shown they can be elite in the trenches as well.

6. Silver Bullets Defense Exposed

Ohio State’s defense entered the game against the Oregon Ducks as dominant as any in the country. They limited their first five opponents to a total of 34 points, and no team had more than 14 points against the famed “Silver Bullets” defense. The Buckeyes returned several front-seven players who could have gone to the NFL, but they returned for one more season in Columbus and a chance to win a national title. On Saturday night, the Oregon Ducks offensive line outclassed Ohio State’s defensive front. Ohio State had no sacks and only managed two tackles for loss. The secondary gave up 341 yards through the air, and Evan Stewart dominated anyone they threw at him. Ohio State still has an elite defense, but Oregon showed it was far from invincible.

Week 9: Ohio State vs. Nebraska

7. Offense Was Good But Not Great

Ohio State’s offense was good on Saturday night, and this should not be read as a criticism. Will Howard had a rushing touchdown along with 326 passing yards and two touchdowns. It appeared that he threw an interception early in the game, but he got away with it as the play escaped further review. Jeremiah Smith was again excellent, and Emeka Egbuka added 93 yards with a touchdown. The Buckeyes converted a pair of fourth downs and had 467 yards of offense against an outstanding defense. Chip Kelly’s attack just was not quite good enough. A critical offensive pass interference on the game’s final drive kept them from field goal range, and they were only 4 for 12 on third down. Outside of a 53-yard rush by TreVeyon Henderson, the Buckeyes were largely unsuccessful running the ball. Ohio State’s offense was not quite good enough in a game of very small margins.

8. Explosive Plays Allowed Doom Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes were undone by explosive plays made by the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks had eight plays of 25 yards or more, achieved on the ground and through the air. Jordan James had one run of 25 yards, and Dillon Gabriel had a 27-yard rush for a touchdown. Evan Stewart had a catch for 69 yards, Tez Johnson had one for 48 yards, and Terrance Ferguson and Traeshon Holden both had receptions for 32 yards. There were two other passes for more than 25 yards, and those explosive plays were just enough to get the Ducks the win.

9. End of Game Decision-Making

Ohio State trailed by one point with 1:47 to play in this epic contest. They advanced into Oregon territory with a 26-yard reception by Emeka Egbuka with just 34 seconds to play and one timeout remaining. An offensive pass interference penalty on Jeremiah Smith backed Ohio State out of plausible field goal territory, and then Will Howard made a critical error. Howard looked flustered under pressure and did the one thing he could not do: he scrambled forward and slid down with no time remaining on the clock. Game over. Howard’s slide did not even put the Buckeyes into field goal range, and Ohio State was denied an opportunity to make a final attempt to win the game.

2024 National Title Odds: Ohio State +450

10. Turn Up the Heat

Given Ryan Day's outrageous success in Columbus, suggesting his job is under pressure seems unthinkable. Still, the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes is held to a very high standard, and winning big games is critical. Although it was by a razor-thin margin, another loss in a big game has turned up the heat on Day. A Columbus radio host immediately went to X/Twitter and posted about Ohio State players getting paid big NIL money for “no-show jobs” and extending the “no show” portion to actual football games. Ohio State message boards were flooded all weekend with criticism. It’s fair to point out that Ohio State was the less physical team in Eugene, and the Buckeyes have a total of two sacks in their last five regular season losses (three to Michigan and two to Oregon). The Buckeyes travel to Penn State in November with incredible pressure.

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