EUGENE, OR - OCTOBER 31: Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola (8) throws the ball during a college football game between the Oregon Ducks and Northwestern Wildcats on October 31, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Brett Ludwiczak · SB Nation Fri, November 6, 2026 at 11:31 AM UTC · 16 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio State returns home for their first game at Ohio Stadium in nearly a month when they host the Oregon Ducks on Saturday afternoon.
The Buckeyes will be hoping to put last week's 30-18 loss to USC behind them in Luke Fahey's first collegiate start. While Ohio State was able to snap a four-game streak where they failed to reach double digits on the scoreboard at USC, the Buckeyes failed to record their first win on the home turf of the Trojans since 1946.
The loss last week dropped Ryan Day's record as Ohio State's head coach to 88-14. Day enters this week with a 59-6 record in Big Ten play. In the month of November Day is 24-4, with all four of Day's losses in the month having come to Michigan in Ohio State's final game of the regular season.
During the month of November, Day's Ohio State teams have posted a 14-2 record during home games. The Buckeyes enter this week with 48 overall wins at home since 2019, which is tied for most in the country during that span.
The first of three homes games during the month of November for Ohio State will be against the Oregon Ducks. The Buckeyes are 10-2 all-time against Oregon but lately the Ducks have gotten the better of Ohio State, winning two of the last three meetings.
While Oregon won the last regular season meeting, 32-31 in Eugene in 2024, Ohio State got the last laugh that season when they routed the Ducks 41-21 in the Rose Bowl, ending Oregon's perfect season and hopes of winning a national title.
The last time the teams played in Columbus came in 2021. Oregon earned their first-ever win over the Buckeyes with a 35-28 triumph in what was a non-conference game at the time, since the Ducks were still a member of the Pac-12. Saturday's game will mark the first meeting between the programs in Columbus as conference foes.
Last week Luke Fahey became just the fifth true freshman in school history to start at quarterback for Ohio State. The California native completed 21 of his 38 passing attempts, finishing with 260 yards and a touchdown.
Since the Buckeyes weren't able to beat the Trojans last week, Fahey now holds the dubious honor of being the first quarterback during Ryan Day's time as head coach at Ohio State to lose their first start in the scarlet and gray.
Even with the Buckeyes losing last week, Day has already announced Fahey will again be the starter this week when Ohio State returns home to take on Oregon. Last week it was tough for Fahey to get into a rhythm since the Buckeyes were trailing the whole game.
It will be interesting to see how Fahey plays not only in his first home start, but if he is able to settle in easier if Ohio State gets an early lead.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 31: Bo Jackson #25 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs past Chasen Johnson #27 of the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ben Liebenberg/Getty Images) | Getty Images While there were questions about how the passing game would look with Fahey making his first start last week, the area of the Buckeye offense that stood out was their running game.
Bo Jackson had his best game of the season, finishing with 121 yards on the ground against USC. Isaiah West also had some good runs on Saturday night, recording a season-high 65 yards rushing.
After West struggled to earn snaps in the first half of the season, the sophomore from Pennsylvania has had two solid performances in a row after it was announced Ja'Kobi Jackson would be out for an extended amount of time with an injury.
Over the last two games West has 110 yards on 19 carries. Prior to the Indiana game, West had just 80 yards on 21 carries.
The star of the Ohio State offense is still Jeremiah Smith. Since arriving in Columbus in 2024, Smith has 225 receptions for 3,625 yards, and 40 touchdowns.
All of those numbers are Ohio State school career records, and now Smith has set the Big Ten career records in receptions and touchdowns. Last week's touchdown catch in the fourth quarter broke a tie with Braylon Edwards of Michigan.
Now Smith has his sights set on the Big Ten's career receiving yardage record. Currently Smith sits third in conference history, but he is just five yards from passing Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield for second. With 164 receiving yards, Smith will surpass John Standeford of Purdue for most in a career in conference history.
Smith also needs one more game with at least 100 yards receiving to take over Ohio State's record for most 100-yard receiving games in a career.
Smith finished last week with 10 catches in the loss to USC for 83 yards, both of which were high marks in the game for the Buckeyes. Chris Henry Jr., Mason Williams, Bo Jackson, and Phillip Bell all had two catches, with Henry's 50 receiving yards being the most in the game among that quartet. Henry now has at least 50 yards receiving in each of the last two games.
An interesting combo to watch the rest of the season will be Fahey and Phillip Bell. The two already have familiarity with each other since they are both from Mission Viejo and played on the same high school football team. The comfort level was obvious in last week's game, as Bell finished with 30 yards on his two catches and had a number of other targets in the game.
One thing is for sure, the Ohio State offensive line has to play better the rest of the season if they have any hopes of making the College Football Playoff.
Throughout the loss to USC there were numerous penalties, which backed the Buckeyes up and made things even harder for the offense. The Trojan defense was also able to put pressure on Fahey all night long, not allowing the first-time starter to get comfortable in the pocket.
Another major issue for Ohio State last week was the play of the defense.
Early on the group was gashed when Trent Mosley caught a screen pass and took it 69 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the game. From there things never looked right for the Buckeyes on defense.
Throughout the game there was plenty of missed tackles, and the rush defense couldn't stop King Miller and Waymond Jordan in critical spots.
Despite what USC was able to do last week on offense, the Buckeyes still rank 13th in country in scoring defense, allowing 15.5 points per game. Overall, Ohio State is giving up 273.5 yards per game, ranking 11th in total defense in the country.
Even with Miller and Jordan finding holes on the ground, the Buckeyes enter this week's game allowing just 95.8 yards per game rushing.
The Ohio State secondary took a hit late last week when it was announced Jay Timmons wouldn't be able to play on Saturday night. Timmons was coming off an outstanding game against Indiana, and has looked like one of the best freshman defensive players in the country when he has been healthy.
In limited time on the field, Timmons has broken up six passes, forced two fumbles, and recovered a fumble.
Two other Ohio State defensive backs who have six pass breakups this season are cornerbacks Devin Sanchez and Jermaine Mathews Jr. Sanchez has been targeted throughout his sophomore season with mixed results. Mathews brings experience to the secondary, as well as an ability to get into the backfield, as evidenced by his 3.5 tackles for loss.
The safeties for Ohio State on Saturday will be Earl Little Jr. and Jaylen McClain. Little enters this week tied for the team lead with 43 tackles. Last week Little forced a USC fumble, which was his second of the season. McClain has 37 tackles and an interception this year, providing steady play at safety this year in a unit that has had to shuffle some pieces at times.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 31: Kenyatta Jackson Jr. #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes rushes the passer during the game against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ben Liebenberg/Getty Images) | Getty Images To rattle Oregon on Saturday, the Buckeyes are going to need their pass rush to step up. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. has three sacks on the season and is the best defensive end on the team. If Qua Russaw can continue to play better then the combo on the ends could make some noise.
Last week Eddrick Houston suffered an injury but it sounds like the defensive tackle should be good to go.
The linebackers are led by Payton Pierce, who is tied for the team lead with 43 tackles. Pierce will team will dynamic playmaker Riley Pettijohn, who has 4.5 tackles for loss, a couple sacks, and an interception. TJ Alford and Christian Alliegro will likely also see playing time throughout the game on Saturday.
Much like Ohio State, Oregon is dealing with the loss of their starting quarterback. Earlier in the season against USC, Dante Moore was concussed after a vicious hit. Moore hasn't played since and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Ducks enter this game with a 5-3 record after suffering losses to Oklahoma State, UCLA, and Illinois. The only way Oregon has a shot at making the College Football Playoff for a third straight year is if they win out. Oregon, Ohio State, and Georgia are the only teams in the country to reach the CFP quarterfinals the last two seasons.
Since accepting the head coaching position in Eugene prior to the 2022 season, Dan Lanning is 53-11 with the Ducks. Oregon is 20-3 since joining the Big Ten in 2024, which includes a 10-1 mark on the road. Under Lanning, the Ducks are 17-9 against ranked opponents.
Following their loss to Illinois, Oregon rebounded with a 34-26 win over Northwestern last week. After falling behind 20-6 in the first half, the Ducks found a rhythm and outscored the Wildcats 28-6 the rest of the way. Brandon Smith's 2-yard touchdown on 4th & goal in the fourth quarter gave Oregon the lead for good.
After losing to the Fighting Illini two weeks ago, Lanning announced offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer was relieved of his duties. Mehringer was in his first season calling plays for Oregon after Will Stein accepted the head coaching job at Kentucky. Assistant quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson is now calling the plays for the Ducks.
Last week saw Dylan Raiola post his best game as quarterback for Oregon, throwing for 306 yards and three touchdowns. The former Nebraska quarterback is in his first year with the program and was thrust into action after the injury to Moore.
Raiola likely won't be shook by the atmosphere at Ohio Stadium on Saturday since he has a wealth of experience as a starter. Dating back to his time with the Cornhuskers, Raiola 5,916 yards passing, throwing 40 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in 28 games.
Last week marked the sixth time in his career that Raiola has tossed at least three touchdowns in a game.
After arriving at Oregon last season as one of the top wide receivers in the country coming out of high school, recently Dakorien Moore has shown why there was so much hype surrounding him. Over the last three games Moore has 23 catches, which is the most of any Big Ten receiver during that span.
Last week Moore has the best game of his college career, finishing with seven catches for 128 yards and two scores. Moore's second touchdown was a 75-yard reception which came immediately after Northwestern had cut the deficit to 27-26.
The 100-yard game was the first for Moore at Oregon. Moore currently leads the Ducks with 41 catches for 545 yards and six receiving touchdowns in 2026.
To compliment Moore's youth and talent, Oregon has a veteran receiver in Evan Stewart, who transferred from Texas A&M prior to the 2024. After missing all of last season because of an injury, Stewart has 31 grabs for 423 yards and four touchdowns despite missing two games this year.
One receiver Oregon hasn't had the services of for most of the year has been Jeremiah McClellan, who has missed the last six games.
After hauling in 38 passes for 557 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, McClellan was expected to be a big part of Oregon's passing attack. The injury to McClellan has led to Messiah Hampton seeing more time in the field.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: Oregon Ducks tight end Jamari Johnson (9) catches the ball for a gain during a college football game between the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans on September 26, 2026, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images After Ohio State was gashed by USC tight end Mark Bowman last week, the Buckeyes won't be happy to see another talented tight end on Saturday. Jamari Johnson has 26 receptions for 328 yards and three scores this year.
Earlier in the season against USC, Johnson had 119 yards receiving, which were the most by an Oregon since Pharaoh Brown in 2016.
Last time the Ducks came to Columbus they used a strong rushing attack to beat the Buckeyes in 2021. This year Oregon enters the game with three backs with at least 200 yards rushing this season.
The group is headlined by Jordan Davison and Dierre Hill Jr., who have earned a "Thunder & Lightning" moniker. Davison leads the way with 439 yards in the ground and seven touchdowns, while Hill has added 399 yards rushing and fiend the end zone three times.
Joining the duo is freshman back Brandon Smith. Last week against Northwestern, Smith averaged over 10 yards per carry, finishing with 82 yards rushing against the Wildcats. Smith also had the touchdown which put Oregon ahead for good in the fourth quarter.
Helping the Ducks find success on offense over the past few years is one of the best offensive lines in the country. The unit is led by center Iapani Laloulu, who has given up just one sack in 51 games. The 61 sacks Oregon has allowed since 2022 are the fewest among Power 4 programs.
The group hasn't even really gotten a chance to truly gel yet, as they have had to use six different starting combos over the first eight games. Last week marked the first time the offensive line had the same five starters in back-to-back games.
At times Oregon's defense has been hit-or-miss this year, but the Ducks still have a talented group that will try and keep the Buckeyes out of the end zone. A strength of their defense is their ability to stop the run, holding five of their eight opponents this year to under 150 yards rushing.
The most dangerous player on the Oregon defense is defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei, who leads the team with six sacks. Entering this week's game, Uiagalelei ranks fourth in school history with 24.5 career sacks across 50 contests. Joining Uiagalelei on the line are defensive tackle Bear Alexander and defensive end A'Mauri Washington.
EUGENE, OR - OCTOBER 31: Teitum Tuioti #44 of the Oregon Ducks lines up for a play during a game between the Northwestern Wildcats and Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 31, 2026 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Al Sermeno/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images The linebackers of the Ducks are led by Teitum Tuioti, who has made 37 straight starts. So far in 2026, Tuioti has 42 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. During his Oregon career Tuioti has amassed 198 stops, 35.5 TFLs, 22.5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles. The other primary linebackers on Saturday will likely be Devon Jackson and Jerry Mixon, who have combined to make 86 tackles this season.
What will challenge Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey this week is an active Oregon secondary. The Ducks currently are tied for first in the Big Ten with 49 passes defensed. Since Lanning took over as head coach in 2022, Oregon has picked off 61 passes, which is tied for eighth-most in the country.
At the center of the secondary is safety Koi Perich. The Minnesota transfer leads the team with 53 tackles, and has picked off two passes this year. Over his two seasons at Minnesota, Perich intercepted six passes, including five picks in 2024. The other safety spot will likely be manned by Peyton Woodyard.
Lining up at cornerback for the Ducks will be Brandon Finley and Ify Obidegwu. Finley has made 28 tackles this year and broken up six passes. Obidegwu has 24 stops to go along with eight pass breakups. Na'eem Offord has also seen time in the field and broken up seven passes in 2026.
Much like the last two regular season meetings between the two programs, Saturday's tilt figures to come down to the wire.
Ohio State and Oregon both enter this game without their starting quarterbacks, which adds even more uncertainty to the result. Even though Dylan Raiola has plenty of experience starting, including a game at Ohio Stadium under his belt, throughout his career he has been inconsistent.
The wild card in this game will be Luke Fahey, who will be making his second career start for the Buckeyes. Being at home should calm the freshman's nerves a little bit. Plus it doesn't hurt he has Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr. to throw to. Fahey will have to be careful since the Ducks have an opportunistic secondary that is great at getting their hands on passes.
In the end this game is going to come down to the running game and coaching. Ohio State has been better in the ground of late, with Bo Jackson hitting 100 yards in two of the last three games, and Isaiah West regaining some of the form he showed in the second half of last season.
Oregon will likely be licking their chops after seeing what USC did on the ground to the Buckeyes last week.
If Ryan Day is able to relax and not overthink everything then Ohio State should stay alive in the College Football Playoff race. Dan Lanning will likely be coaching loose since his team's backs are against the wall and he has already made a major move in firing his offensive coordinator a couple weeks ago.
In a game that is bound to be a tight finish, Ohio State has the edge with home field advantage. The Buckeyes and Day kick off a run they hope replicates the 2024 season when they had to win their last four games.
Source: Sports
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