One of the Big Ten’s Games of the Year is a top 3 matchup as Ohio State and Oregon collide at Autzen Stadium.

The No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will travel out west to take on the No.3-ranked Oregon Ducks in what could be the game of the year. Both teams boast 5-0 records and are two of just a handful of undefeated teams left in college football.

Ohio State’s Roars Into First Conference Trip in Eugene

Both have new faces leading their offenses and new leaders under center, and they look a lot different from their last matchup in Columbus. In 2021, the Ducks got the last laugh and escaped Columbus with a 35-28 win. However, Ohio State has won every other matchup with Oregon and is 9-1 all-time.

The scarlet and gray opened as 3.5-point favorites and are now favored by three against the green and yellow. The over/under opened at 55.5 and has ticked down to 53.5. Kickoff is set for 7:30 est but won’t quite be under the lights as that means 4:30 local time. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

With plenty of headlines to dive into, here are where the teams stand in week 7 of the new-look college football season.

The World-Famous Buckeyes Face Their Biggest Test

Ohio State has built up to this game after facing two scrappy conference opponents and handling them with minimal issues. On their last outing, they started slow but finished fast in a 35-7 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Will Howard put together a complete performance during the last outing and is one of the leaders on the offensive side of the ball. He is completing 71.5 percent of his passes with 12 passing touchdowns to just three interceptions. He’s thrown for 1,248 yards through the air but has also been a threat on the ground and has four rushing touchdowns.

The two-headed monster at running back has been doing exactly what Buckeye fans had hoped for. They continue to make big plays and open up the passing game and have been able to stay fresh as they work off one another. Quinshon Judkins is up to 468 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the year averaging a whopping 7.8 yards a carry.

Henderson is up to 8 yards per carry this season and has added 337 rushing yards and four touchdowns. This experienced rushing duo will be asked to do a lot this weekend to help calm down the offense and open up the air attack.

Speaking of the air attack, freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith has made a highlight reel of plays every single game. Smith leads the offense with 453 receiving yards and has 23 catches with seven total touchdowns. Emeka Egbuka has come on very strong the past two weeks and leads the team with 30 receptions. He’s close to Smith in the other categories, as he’s up to 433 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Carnell Tate was having a solid season but was replaced by Brandon Inniss in the last game due to injury. One of them will need to step up in key moments against the Oregon defense.

The Silver Bullets defense have been flying around and have been amongst the best in the country in every major statistical category. This will likely be their toughest test all season, but they have shown us they should hold their own and then some.

The defense has 17 sacks and four interceptions on the year, and winning the battle in those categories will be huge against a good team. Some of the individual stats will only grow as the starters play full games and are able to gain momentum. Overall, players like Jack Sawyer and Sonny Styles have been flying to the ball, and transfer Caleb Downs has proven why he’s one of the best in all of college football. The defense will be leaned upon heavily throughout this matchup with the Ducks.

Oregon Welcomes the Team from Columbus

The Oregon Ducks also had a slow start to their season, but it was slower than what Buckeyes fans experienced. They opened the year with a 10-point win over Idaho, then narrowly escaped Boise State 37-34 the following week.

They bounced back against rival Oregon State, winning by five touchdowns, before handling UCLA and Michigan State to open Big Ten play. They are a good team but have shown weaknesses at times that the Buckeyes will look to exploit.

Oregon is led by a veteran transfer quarterback as well as the lefty Dillon Gabriel. He already has 1,449 passing yards on the year with 11 passing touchdowns to three interceptions. The ground game is led by third-year back Jordan James. James has 552 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the season while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Noah Whittington has added 165 yards on the ground behind James.

Through the air, fifth-year receiver Tez Johnson has been the man. He already has 43 receptions for 395 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The next closest receiver has 19 receptions. They have spread the ball around through the air and have five players with 112 receiving yards or more. Evan Stewart is a name to always keep an eye on but he has had just one game with more than 26 yards when he exploded for 112 against Boise State.

Cornerback Jabbar Muhammad will be playing on Sundays next season and leads the Ducks secondary. Defensive ends Jordan Burch and Matayo Uiagalelei have combined for eight and a half sacks this year and will test the Buckeye offensive line which has been great thus far. Linebacker Bryce Boettcher holds down the middle of the field and is by far the tackling leader for the Ducks with 32 total tackles.

Keys to the Game

When Oregon struggled in week two and needed a field goal as time expired to win, Boise State found success on the ground. Granted, they have arguably the best back in college football who should be in New York for the Heisman ceremony. However, the Buckeyes have two of the best in the country at the position.

I expected a bigger dose of the running game especially more touches for Henderson. He is someone who has been in these big games and will want to avenge the Oregon loss he experienced in 2021. With good defensive ends on Oregon, Ohio State will need to get the ball out quickly and limit sacks and turnovers. I see a steady dose of ground and pound and short throws as the Buckeyes feel out the game.

This team sometimes starts slow, but once they turn it on, they can explode and put up points on anyone. I expect the offense to put some longer drives together and the defense to make enough plays to limit Oregon’s at-times explosive offense. A key turnover in the second half by the defense and a Judkins touchdown right after will help seal the game as Ohio State earns an enormous victory to remain undefeated.

Prediction: Ohio State 34 Oregon 24