Oregon defensive end Jordan Burch (#1) awaits the snap as the No. 7 Ducks face the Boise State Broncos in a college football game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Saturday Sept. 7, 2024. Credit: Sean Meagher via TNS
A three-hour time difference, 2,500 miles and a near-five-hour flight — it’s finally here.
The No. 2 Buckeyes are preparing to travel across the country to Autzen Stadium, where they will take on the No. 3 Oregon Ducks Saturday in one of the most highly anticipated college football games on the 2024 schedule.
“A lot at stake this weekend, which is exactly the way we want it,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said.
Despite what will inevitably be a lengthy travel process, Day said the Buckeyes aren’t letting that psych them out; rather, he said the team views its upcoming trip to Eugene, Oregon as only a bit further away than its familiar travel to Lincoln, Nebraska in 2023.
Ohio State has always tried to block out the outside noise to remain focused. But the Buckeyes will be blocking out something different this weekend as well.
Day said the team is going to ignore the Pacific Time zone that rules over Oregon.
“We’re going to stay on our time schedule,” Day said. “The time of the game and everything fits how we practice, so we’re not gonna look too much into it.”
The game will start and end in the trenches. The Buckeye offensive line will enter the game having only allowed four sacks all season, but Oregon’s defense is a different beast.
For the Ducks, defensive end Jordan Burch has already amassed five sacks in as many games, helping push Oregon’s total sacks to 16.
“Very, very good front,” Day said when describing what stands out about Oregon. “Burch is very very good, very athletic, very strong, good pass rusher, good against the run.”
However, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard believes the Buckeye offensive line will be up for the tall task.
“I’m super confident in my O-line,” Howard said. “I think we got the best O-line in the country. They’re playing at a really, really high level right now.”
As an offense, despite a slow start to the 2024 season, the Ducks are red hot.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel will enter the game having completed 77.8% of his passes, which leads the country.
“They get the ball out quick and Gabriel is very accurate,” Day said. “They have very good playmakers out in space. They make you defend the field from sideline to sideline and then they take their shots.”
Gabriel, paired with leading running back Jordan James and leading receiver Tez Johsnon, will be a lot for Ohio State to handle, but the Buckeye defense has proven it can contain them.
Ohio State’s defense is ranked No. 1 in total and scoring in the country.
No matter how the teams match up on paper, the Buckeyes know they need to win their individual matchups and are only worried about themselves. Howard is focusing on staying level-headed ahead of one of the biggest games in his career.
“We know the emotions are gonna be running rampant in this game,” Howard said. “We know the implications of this game, we know it’s a big one, but at the end of the day, you have to stay neutral.”
