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Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State summer preview: 3 Ohio State Buckeyes to know

It's time to become familiar with some of the dangerous weapons that the 2024 Oregon Ducks will face this year. Let's look at the stars on the Ohio State offense.

By Ethan Lee

April 13, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) catches a pass for the scarlet team while defended by cornerback Jordan Hancock (7) of the grey team during the first half of the LifeSports Spring Game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
April 13, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) catches a pass for the scarlet team while defended by cornerback Jordan Hancock (7) of the grey team during the first half of the LifeSports Spring Game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. / Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
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As we get set for the start of the 2024 Oregon Ducks football season, it’s hard not to look ahead a bit to the highly anticipated matchup between Dan Lanning’s Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes on October 12 at Autzen Stadium.

The Ducks will certainly be looking to make a statement against Ohio State in the first Oregon football season in the Big Ten. But, they’re going to be facing a true blue blood college football program that is loaded with talent.

Here are three Ohio State Buckeyes that Oregon football fans need to know.

No. 1 Will Howard - Quarterback

He’s a graduate transfer from the Kansas State Wildcats and he arrived in Columbus with a wealth of experience. Howard is a large quarterback at 6-foot-4 and nearly 240 pounds. He’s certainly someone who will boast the size and arm strength to challenge Oregon’s defense. 

During his time with the Wildcats in Manhattan, Kansas, Howard managed to throw for 5,786 yards and 48 touchdowns. On top of that, he’s a dual threat and ran for 921 yards and another 19 touchdowns in his career. 

While those aren’t the most amazing numbers ever, he’s demonstrated that he can be a dynamic threat and he’s now getting paired with an even more talented roster and a brilliant offensive mind in Chip Kelly. He could be a problem.

No. 2 Quinshon Judkins - Running Back

Ohio State’s offense will likely be a lot of fun to watch this season. It’s hard to imagine that they won’t put up a ton of points. Oh, and they’re going to thrive at running the ball. Partially because Quinshon Judkins made the move to leave the Ole Miss Rebels and is bringing an explosive rushing element to the Ohio State ground game.

During his time in Oxford with the Rebels, Judkins managed to rack up a total of 2,725 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns. He’s a seasoned, proven running back. To do that in the Southeastern Conference is a pretty impressive feat.

No. 3: Emeka Egbuka - Wide Receiver

Let’s stick with the offense for a moment. Emeka Egbuka may have gotten overlooked a bit last season because of how much fun Marvin Harrison Jr. was last season. Egbuka is a playmaker in his own right and he’s been a consistent producer throughout his career.

So far, Egbuka has managed to tally up 1,826 receiving yards and he’s caught 18 touchdown passes throughout the past couple seasons. With someone like Quinshon Judkins adding another dangerous element to the rushing attack and defenses having to further account and commit to stopping the run, Egbuka will have chances to score with relative ease as he gets better matchups in space. 

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