Former legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban knows a thing or two about winning games, and the No. 3 Oregon Ducks might want to listen to his latest advice ahead of Saturday’s game against the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium.

During an appearance Friday on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” Saban said the key for Oregon to beat the Buckeyes is to emphasize running the ball.

“To beat Ohio State you have to be able to run the ball,” Saban told McAfee. “The last six games they’ve lost, the other team has run more than them because they’re going to try to run the ball. So if you can control the line of scrimmage, you’ve got a chance. Now Oregon can do that. Can they match up front ? That will be the big question.”

McAfee then brought up that some of the new Big Ten teams on the West Coast have struggled to match the physicality that the conference typically offers. However, Saban thinks Oregon is one of the teams equipped to handle this ground-and-pound style.

“They’re one of them,” Saban said of the Ducks. “… To me, that’s the big question, because the big question for Oregon going into the season was whether the offensive line could overcome the issues. Now they’ve overcome some of the issues from the first few games. (not) giving up sacks, being able to run the ball more effectively. But to be able to do it against Ohio State, that’s another question that needs to be answered.”

Saban then pointed out the lack of “big people” on the West Coast compared to the Midwest and Southeast. He thinks this can sometimes benefit the Big Ten from a physical standpoint.

“But I think the biggest thing on the West Coast — and I’ve always felt that way — you have to import great people,” Saban said. “There aren’t enough big people on the West Coast talking about interior linemen, unless they’re from Hawaii or Samoa or somewhere else, because they just don’t have the kind of big people that we have in the Midwest and Southeast.”

If the Ducks want to come away with a huge win at home. they may have to rely on running back Jordan James, who has 88 carries for 552 yards and six touchdowns so far this season. Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks hope to upset Ryan Day’s Buckeyes on Saturday, October 12 at 4:30 PM PT.