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Oregon football history: Ducks seeking another win over Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes have done well historically against the Oregon Ducks, but was the 2021 meeting a turning point in this series?

By Ethan Lee

Oregon running back CJ Verdell runs past Ohio State safety Bryson Shaw (17) and cornerback Cameron Brown (26) for a 77-yard touchdown on Saturday. Verdell scored two touchdowns. Oregon Ducks At Ohio State Buckeyes Football
Oregon running back CJ Verdell runs past Ohio State safety Bryson Shaw (17) and cornerback Cameron Brown (26) for a 77-yard touchdown on Saturday. Verdell scored two touchdowns. Oregon Ducks At Ohio State Buckeyes Football / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn
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Throughout the long, storied history of the Oregon Ducks football program, the Ducks have faced numerous formidable foes. And as the Ducks make the jump from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, those sorts of meetings are going to continue to become more common. Especially with a program as talented as the Ohio State Buckeyes.

What was once an interconference series spanning over six decades will now have the chance to become a regularly played matchup. 

The first meeting between Oregon and Ohio State took place in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1957. And unfortunately for the Ducks, that game ended in a 10-7 loss for the Oregon football team. Which set the tone for one of the more frustrating series in Oregon football history.

Oregon football vs. Ohio State Buckeyes history

For just about the entirety of this series, it was dominated by Ohio State, with the Buckeyes winning the first nine meetings (which, interesting enough, is also 90 percent of the meetings).

The vast majority of these games took place in Columbus, Ohio, where the Ducks struggled on a routine basis. Notable Oregon losses to Ohio State include a 30-0 shutout all the way back in 1967. Oh, and there’s that 42-20 defeat to an Ohio State team on its third-string quarterback in the 2014 College Football Playoff National Championship game.

But, on September 11, 2021, Oregon traveled to Columbus and stunned the Buckeyes by securing a 35-28 victory over Ohio State.

Oregon Ducks football vs. Ohio State Buckeyes series summary:

  • First meeting: January 1, 1957 (Rose Bowl)
  • Last meeting: September 11, 2021
  • Oregon's record: 1-9
  • Total games: 10
  • Largest margin of victory: Oregon by 7 (35-28 in 2021), Ohio State by 30 (30-0 in 1967)

With the move to the Big Ten, Oregon will need to start winning these games more regularly. That’s a tough ask, but the Oregon football program is in pretty good standing and has a ton of talent. So, here’s to hoping that, as more chances to face Ohio State come available, the Ducks can follow through and get some notable wins here and there.

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