What once looked like a matchup between two of the best teams in the country has slowly lost its luster as the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes face off this weekend. The Buckeyes just lost their second game of the season, falling all the way to 11th in the AP Poll, while the Ducks are unranked with 3 losses on the season.
While Ohio State is the ranked team and entered this week as overwhelming favorites according to the oddsmakers, this isn't the same powerhouse most fans are used to. Given the way Ohio State has played without star quarterback Julian Sayin, this team can be picked off any weekend, like we've seen with Oregon without Dante Moore, and the Ducks could just play spoiler themselves.
Urban Meyer declares it's time to panic for Ohio State
While Luke Fahey isn't nearly as good as Julian Sayin, the freshman quarterback was far from the biggest issue for the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes let King Miller run wild for the Trojans while the secondary showed some cracks, finally allowing some big plays. Add in that the team looked very poorly coached, and there's a ton to be concerned about with this team.
On his podcast The Triple Option with Mark Ingram and Rob Stone, Urban Meyer declared that it's time to panic for Ohio State, and stated that Oregon has the roster to come into The Shoe and pick off the Buckeyes.
Coach Meyer: Oregon HAS the roster to come in and beat Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/TmU8UZ5YXI
— The Triple Option (@3xOptionShow) November 2, 2026
While Oregon isn't nearly as exciting as they are with Dante Moore at quarterback, this team showed last week under new playcaller Jay Johnson that the offense can survive without him. Players like Dakorien Moore and Jamari Johnson can change a game anytime they touch the ball, and if Johnson keeps scheming up ways to get his playmakers touches, Dylan Raiola doesn't need to be superman.
Without both starting quarterbacks, these rosters are both groups with incredible talent all over the field, with a big question at quarterback. Either team can lead on the overwhelming amount of former 5-stars and future NFL level talents to find success, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if both defenses dominated the game.
The biggest X-Factor may be how Luke Fahey starts Saturday's game, especially with a home crowd that may become restless. If Ohio State fans watch their team start another game slow, the fanbase could start to get on the group which could only make matters worse for a Buckeyes team searching for answers on offense.
If Oregon is going to go into Columbus and leave with the biggest win of the season, it's going to start with limiting the explosive plays. Jeremiah Smith can strike at any given moment, but if the Ducks force the Buckeyes to grind out drives, it creates more opportunities for Ohio State to make a mistake.
The Buckeyes are going to hear criticism all week long, and while the team can use it as motivation, if the game starts to go South, that's when the doubt can enter their minds and send the team into a tailspin.
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