A week after the dismantling of Michigan State, No. 3 Oregon on the wrong side of a tight spread when No. 2 Ohio State Eugene visits. It’s strange that a top-three matchup between these two isn’t in the Rose Bowl, but welcome to the new-era NCAA. Not only is this game important for the national rankings, but it will also establish the alpha dog in the Big Ten (with Penn State hot on the heels of the winner).

The Buckeyes have tremendous offensive strength, with a top-five rushing attack and two elite wideouts in Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. The Ducks have been strong against the pass this year (18th in yards and seventh in TDs allowed) and have recently bolstered a run defense, holding opponents to an average of 79 yards over the last three games. However, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty went wild at Oregon earlier this season (192 yards, 3 TDs), suggesting a vulnerability for high-level runners. OSU’s Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson just carved up Iowa’s stout run defense, and if the Buckeyes can force Oregon to commit resources to stopping the run, Smith and Egbuka are deadly in single coverage.

With the Ducks offense, it all comes down to tempo. Oregon likes to move quickly and exploit spacing errors, and transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel is surgical when running at a clip of 2.5 seconds or less. But he has seen pressure on almost a quarter of his dropbacks, and when he does, Gabriel’s completion percentage drops by 20 percent. If OSU can dictate the pace, the Buckeyes can benefit from a talent advantage.

All odds from BetMGM. Looking for college football tickets? Find them here.

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No. 2 Ohio State at No. 3 in Oregon

How to watch Ohio State in Oregon

• Location: Autzen Stadium – Eugene, Oregon.
• Time: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

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(Photo by Cody Simon: Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)