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Final Call: Questions, players to watch and predictions for Ohio State in the No. 2 vs. No. 3 seed with Oregon

Vaseline October 12, 2024

It’s time for the game we’ve all been waiting for.

5 – 0 (2-0)

October 12, 2024 – 7:30 PM et

Autzen STADIUM

Eugene, OR

The entire first half of Ohio State’s 2024 season has been building up to tonight’s game in Eugene, Oregon, as the second-ranked Buckeyes take on the third-ranked Oregon Ducks in one of the biggest games of the whole season. While Ohio State was heavily favored to win all of its first five games, it faces a real test tonight against another national championship contender that is also seen as the Buckeyes’ best competition to win the Big Ten.

That leaves no shortage of questions to be answered in tonight’s game and calls for many Buckeyes to step up and play well if Ohio State wants to return to Columbus with a 6-0 record.

We dive into what we consider to be our biggest questions heading into the top-three showdown, which players we expect to have a big impact on tonight’s outcome and our predictions for some of the specific things we think will will happen tonight in Last Call: Oregon edition.

To ask

Will Ohio State’s pass protection hold up?

For all the well-deserved praise Ohio State’s offensive line has received for its play through its first five games, tonight will be the first time it faces a defensive line with the passing talent to truly test whether it can overcome the problems of last season has resolved. in the field of pass protection.

I’m fairly confident that Josh Simmons and Donovan Jackson will hold up on the left side and Seth McLaughlin will provide a strong anchor in the middle, but the right side is a concern given Tegra Tshabola’s inexperience in big games and Josh Fryar’s poor performance. in last year’s big games – especially after he admitted on Wednesday that he doesn’t like the spotlight at big games. Oregon will likely attack the right side in hopes of exploiting a weakness, and how well Fryar and Tshabola respond to that challenge could play a big role in whether or not Ohio State wins this game.

– Dan Hope

Are the Buckeyes’ linebackers prepared for the pass?

Michigan State and Marshall both had some success throwing quick passes over the middle against Ohio State, and even Iowa’s beleaguered passing attack connected with Luke Lachey five times for 39 yards last weekend. Lachey converted a 3rd-and-8 by catching a ball isolated against Cody Simon just in front of the sticks, then battled forward through the linebacker for a first-down conversion.

The combined threat of Oregon slot receiver Tez Johnson and tight end Terrance Ferguson over the middle is far greater than any the Buckeyes have faced thus far. Johnson has 43 receptions for 395 yards and Ferguson has 16 for 259. Sonny Styles showed clear strides against the Hawkeyes and both he and Cody Simon look strong against the run for the Buckeyes, but how they hold up in coverage will depend on be crucial versus the Ducks’ fast-paced passing attack.

– Andy Anders

Will Jeremiah Smith’s rise to stardom continue?

People know how good Smith is. But I don’t think people know how good Smit is. That’s largely because Ohio State has yet to face a ranked opponent this season, so Smith hasn’t had the same platform as, say, fellow freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams at Alabama. How will Smith look against a top three opponent on the road? I suspect he’ll continue his ascent with a solid performance, even if that performance doesn’t come with a must-see one-handed touchdown catch, as he has done the past two weeks in Ohio State’s wins over Michigan State and Iowa.

–Chase Brown

How healthy is Oregon DE Jordan Burch?

Rumors began circulating the interwebs on Thursday that Oregon defensive back Jordan Burch suffered an injury during practice. Oregon media confirmed Burch was hurting something in practice, but it sounded like it was just a minor adjustment. The full extent of the injury remains to be seen, but if Burch is limited at all or misses the game on Saturday, it could be a big boost for the Buckeyes, as Burch is one of the Ducks’ most important players defensively.

– Garrick Hodge

Players to watch

Caleb Downs

Games like this are why Ohio State pulled out all the stops to land Downs as soon as he entered the transfer portal. Against an Oregon attack that can attack the middle of the field through the air with Tez Johnson and Terrance Ferguson and run the ball effectively, Downs’ ability to both cover wide ground in the back and explode downhill as tackler are vital to the attack. The Buckeyes’ defensive success.

Downs has gotten better with each game this season and has shown he’s comfortable in the spotlight since he was a freshman at Alabama last year. Ohio State needs Downs to be a difference maker tonight, and I expect him to respond to the challenge.

– Dan Hope

Josh Fryar and Josh Simmons

As Dan mentioned in the previous section, Fryar was criticized this week when he admitted he doesn’t like big games on national television. Since it’s now an obvious target for Oregon’s defense, I’m curious to see how often Ohio State sends Fryar tight ends and running backs as reinforcements. If Ohio State does that often, it will likely leave Simmons on an island, making him another player to watch for the Buckeyes as he can handle several one-on-one snaps against a stout Oregon front seven.

–Chase Brown

Carnell Tate

Good defenses know how to slow down a team’s best one or two weapons. Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith should still play Saturday because they are that good, but because they are drawing so much attention, I expect a big game from Tate, who has been quietly great as the Buckeyes’ No. 3 wideout.

– Andy Anders

Tyleik Williams

Oregon’s interior offensive line is the weak point, which could spell a big day for Williams, one of the nation’s top defensive tackles. If Ohio State is going to limit Oregon on offense, clogging the middle can be a big part of the road to victory, and Williams can certainly be a difference maker in that regard.

– Garrick Hodge

Predictions

Will Howard defeats Dillon Gabriel

The transfer quarterback storyline in this game is fascinating, as most experts have more confidence in Gabriel than Howard. Both are experienced, talented signal callers, albeit with some obvious limitations. However, this night and in this game, I expect Howard to make fewer mistakes and play with more impact, leading OSU to a close victory.

– Garrick Hodge

Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton combine for three TFLs

It could be that Williams gets one and Hamilton gets two, or 1.5 each, or one gets three, but I expect a big game from Ohio State’s defensive tackles against an Oregon offensive line that has had questions all season struggling. The Ducks have struggled to run the ball at times, averaging no more than three per carry in the first two games before picking things up in recent weeks, but the TNT combo could also get TFLs in the form of quarterback sacks, as both have great abilities. as invaders.

– Andy Anders

Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson both surpass 100 scrimmage yards

In Oregon’s 37-34 win over Boise State, the Ducks allowed Heisman contender Ashton Jeanty to record 200 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 27 touches. Now Jeanty is a very good football player, but so are Judkins and Henderson. I think Ohio State often relies on their one-two punch in Eugene, with Judkins and Henderson both racking up 15 or more touches. Whatever those odds are, I expect both ball carriers to surpass 100 scrimmage yards in the top-three matchup – and maybe even add a few touchdowns to the box score.

–Chase Brown

There will be at least one lead change in the fourth quarter

I expect there will be a lot of ebbs and flows in this meeting between two elite teams, and I’ll be surprised if either team pulls away for a comfortable win. I expect both teams to hold the lead at least once in the fourth quarter, and I expect the game to last until the final minutes, with Ohio State needing either a late game-winning drive to earn a victory, or a defensive stance in the fourth quarter. to maintain a small lead.

– Dan Hope

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