Ohio State football survived the first test of 2021. A new one is coming to town with the Oregon Ducks looking to make a bold statement at the Horseshoe.
After a tough season opener for both Ohio State and Oregon, the Big Ten-Pac-12 foes meet up in a rematch of the 2015 National Championship Game.
The Buckeyes have to prove their struggles against Minnesota were Week 1 jitters and not natural attrition. The Ducks have to answer questions after letting Fresno State take them to the limit.
5 bold predictions for Ohio State football vs. Oregon
1. Kayvon Thibodeaux will play
There’s really nothing the Ducks can do to force this, but the Buckeyes are, and should be, planning for Kayvon Thibodeaux to play on Saturday.
Oregon’s star edge rusher sprained his ankle in the season opener against Fresno State and remains day-to-day. Head coach Mario Cristobal said he’s not “not there yet” on Wednesday. However, he’s hopeful Thibodeaux will get there.
Let’s put it this way: This game is too big for Thibodeaux to miss. He’ll be out there. The question is how effective he’ll be when he is.
2. Chris Olave will have two receptions of 30-plus yards
Olave needed just four catches to put in his first 100-yard receiving performance of the season against Minnesota. It won’t be his last.
A big chunk of his 117-yard total came on one 61-yard touchdown. The score essentially put the game away with under five minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
Look for Olave to show off his big-play ability again this week. Oregon only gave up one pass of more than 30 yards last week, but this group of receivers is much more dangerous than the one they saw against Fresno State.
3. C.J. Stroud will be the Big Ten Freshman of the Week again
Stroud made his Ohio State debut on the road and threw four touchdowns en route to a Big Ten Freshman of the Week nod. He struggled early but pulled it together and had his moments.
This week, Stroud will be in much more friendly territory and he’ll have a much brighter start because of it.
With Thibodeaux either hampered or unavailable, Stroud should be able to navigate this game without issue. This isn’t a prediction that he’ll hit another four touchdown passes in Week 2…but he could.
4. Both teams will rush for 200 yards
Miyan Williams was a revelation for the Buckeyes with 125 yards rushing in the opener, including a 71-yard romp to the endzone in the first quarter.
The Ducks’ triple-headed rushing attack also looked formidable with touchdowns for CJ Verdell, Travis Dye and quarterback Anthony Brown on the ground.
The trouble? Both sides gave up big plays on the ground to their opposition. Minnesota had a 56-yard run while Fresno State had a runner break free for 45.
The offenses in this game will have the upper hand and it’ll show on the stat sheet, if not the scoreboard.
5. Ohio State will cover the spread, winning 38-23
Ohio State had the misfortune of beginning the first week of full college football action on Thursday night in Minnesota. They struggled on the road. The longer the weekend went on, the better that outing looked. Everyone else struggled as well, including Oregon.
No team is impervious, including Ohio State, but they’re heading back home while the Ducks are flying to the Horseshoe to play the Buckeyes at 9:00 a.m. Pacific. Pac-12 teams don’t have a good track record playing that early.
This game is set up for Ohio State to win relatively comfortably, covering the 14-point spread even if Oregon gives them a tough time for a stretch or two.
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