“The Game” usually refers to the annual year-end rivalry game between Michigan and Ohio State. But this year, “The Game” comes much earlier and does not include Michigan.

The biggest game of the year in the Big Ten and possibly all of college football takes place Saturday between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Oregon. The Ducks will host the Buckeyes in what should be a game to remember at Autzen Stadium. The Buckeyes are currently a three-point favorite on the road, but the Ducks rarely lose at home, with their last home loss coming in 2022 at Washington.

It will also be the first top-five match in Autzen Stadium history, as hard as that is to believe. It will be the first real test Ohio State has had this season as all of their other games have been decided by at least 28 points. The Buckeyes also haven’t played an opponent ranked at any point this year. Meanwhile, the Ducks have played just one top-25 caliber team as they defeated Boise State 37-34. The Ducks looked shaky early in the season, but now appear to be firing on all cylinders.

Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has been strong so far this season, throwing for 1,248 yards and 12 touchdowns with four rushing touchdowns. On the other hand, Dillon Gabriel is as experienced as a quarterback can be. He has more than 15,000 passing yards in his career, one of only eight quarterbacks to reach that number. The Buckeyes’ top receivers are true freshmen Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. They’re as good a duo as anyone in the country. The Ducks also have a ton of talent, including Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden and Evan Stewert.

Ohio State also leads the nation in total defense, but hasn’t seen an offense quite like this Ducks unit. Former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly is the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator, which makes for another interesting storyline. These two teams also have a recent history with each other. They played against each other in the National Championship during the 2014 season, with Ohio State coming out on top. The last time they played was in 2021, when Oregon defeated the Buckeyes on the road in another major rankings showdown.

This game may not be the last time these two teams meet this season. There’s a good chance they’ll meet again in the Big Ten Championship. Nevertheless, the eyes of the college football world will be on Eugene, Oregon on Saturday night.

For a few hours, the Big Ten will own the sport. Hopefully the game lives up to the hype.

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