Ohio State and Oregon are set to square off in a matchup that will decide one team’s season and end the other’s College Football Playoff hopes. 

At the beginning of the season, everyone had this game circled as one that could decide the outcome of the National Championship game. Little did anyone know Saturday would be a matchup to decide whether either team could still compete for the nation’s largest prize. 

Ohio State and Oregon have both suffered devastating, season-ending injuries to their starting quarterbacks, and both have had to rely on less-experienced backups to lead them to a potential championship. Luke Fahey started in his first career game last week at USC, where the Buckeyes couldn’t pull out a win and looked lost without the leadership of Julian Sayin.

Oregon, meanwhile, is coming off a home win against a strong Northwestern team that includes former Buckeye offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Dylan Raiola played lights out against the Wildcats, which may be the best game of his season. 

Oregon is expected to be without standout running back Jordon Davison against No. 12 Ohio State Saturday due to a lower extremity injury, sources tell @CBSSports.

On a positive note, it’s considered a short-term injury and a week-to-week type situation, per sources. https://t.co/W0MCLESIGF

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 4, 2026

What’s at Stake 

Ohio State is fighting for its season on Saturday. With a loss, the Buckeyes will likely be eliminated from the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2023. The Buckeyes have had high expectations this season, with one of the highest-paid rosters in the country. Anything but a playoff berth would be disappointing. 

On the other side, Oregon has had a season they would love to forget. After a loss to Oklahoma State, it felt like everything that could go wrong for the Ducks did. Oregon is playing for a potential berth to a College Football Playoff; with a win against Ohio State, the Ducks would still be in contention for a Big Ten Championship.

Dante Moore left the USC game with a serious concussion that will sideline him for the rest of the season. Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola, who committed this offseason, has been tasked with potentially turning the Ducks’ season around. 

Keys To Victory 

Ohio State needs to slow down and let Luke Fahey get his mind right if they want a chance to win this game. Fahey gets to play on his home field in front of home fans. Not having the pressure of a first-career game and being on the road shouldn’t stress Fahey as much as it did.

The Buckeye defense looked like a high school junior varsity team, making dumb mistakes and penalties they never make. Coach Patricia needs to lean on his captains to bring the defense back to the Buckeye defense we have seen and known for the past two years. 

Oregon, on the other hand, needs to come out firing to have a chance. The Ducks need to catch Ohio State off guard, especially after the news that their starting running back, Jordon Davison, was ruled out and half of their wide receiver core is in legal trouble.

Dan Lanning needs to rely on his experience in games like these and on a quarterback with over a season of starting experience: Dylan Raiola. Oregon has one of the most talented rosters in the country, but the loss of Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi has hurt the team. If the Oregon defense can disrupt Luke Fahey and make him uncomfortable, the Ducks have a great chance to spoil the Buckeyes’ season.

Both teams have everything on the line this week; one team will be eliminated from playoff contention, while the other will have its destiny ahead. This matchup was thought to be one of the best games of the season; now it’s viewed as a do-or-die moment for a team’s season.