EUGENE, Ore. — It’s all about the preparation for No. 2 Ohio State, no matter how much hype Saturday’s game at third-ranked Oregon is generating.
“All of a sudden you don’t just change because it’s a quote-unquote big game,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “They’re all big, but you want to make sure that you’re also tailoring it to the guys that you have. If we say it’s about us all the time, then it’s about us in the games like this. So we’re going to continue with the same routine.”
But certainly it is a big game, with possible implications in the chase for a Big Ten title and spots in the expanded College Football Playoff. Never before have two teams ranked within the top five met at Eugene’s Autzen Stadium.
The game took on even more meaning after last week’s upsets in the Top 25 — when four teams in the top 11 lost to unranked opponents — most notably No. 1 Alabama losing to Vanderbilt.
Oregon (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) was helped a bit by the chaos, moving up three spots in the rankings after soundly beating Michigan State 31-10. Ohio State (5-0, 2-0) likewise routed Iowa 35-7.
The Buckeyes and the Ducks are among just nine unbeaten Power Four teams.
The Ducks have never defeated a team ranked as high as the Buckeyes at Autzen, although coach Dan Lanning said he didn’t have the breadth of knowledge to call it THE biggest home game ever for the Ducks.
“I certainly can’t speak to the entire history of Oregon. I think this is a really big game. I think this is a great opportunity for two great teams to get to play against each other. I think that’s why you come to a place like this,” Lanning said.
There’s added incentive for the Ducks as they aim to make a splash in their debut season in the Big Ten.
“I’ve realized through my five-, now six-year plan is you’ve got to take it one week at a time and just the next step,” Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel said. “Of course the atmosphere, the college football in general, this is what you dream of. But you’ve got a job to do. You’ve got to execute, you’ve got to play hard and you’ve got to find a way to win.”
Chip Kelly is back
Chip Kelly, Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator, was head coach of the Ducks from 2009-12, leading the team to a spot in the 2011 national championship game.
During his time in Eugene, Kelly became known for his speedy “blur” offense, which featured running backs LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner. But he gave credit to his Oregon predecessors for the Ducks’ overall success: “I didn’t build the program, Rich Brooks and Mike Bellotti built the program.”
Kelly went on to coach in the NFL and had a six-year stint at UCLA before joining Day’s Buckeyes staff. He wasn’t about to juxtapose his experience at Ohio State with his time at Oregon.
“I learned a long time ago, I think it was Thomas Jefferson, that comparison is the thief of joy,” he said.
Ohio State’s long road trip
Ohio State’s longest Big Ten road trip to date is getting Emeka Egbuka closer to home.
The Buckeyes receiver grew up several hours north of Eugene, Oregon, in DuPont, Washington. He’s pretty excited just to be getting that close.
“Kind of going over to the Pacific Northwest is a homecoming game for me, being from Washington,” he said. “So, this is kind of the game you dream about when you commit to Ohio State, going and playing on a platform like that.
“I’m not denying that there’s games on the schedule that you look forward to maybe a little more than others,” he said.
Egbuka has been named the Big Ten’s co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Iowa. He had nine catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns.
What about the D?
The Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Week was Oregon defensive end Jordan Burch, who had a career-high 2 1/2 sacks, four tackles and a fumble recovery against Michigan State.
He’s tied for the Big Ten lead and ranks eighth nationally with a career-best five sacks this season.
“We’re doing a good job defensively of creating one-on-one opportunities for him, and he’s doing a good job of taking advantage of those,” Lanning said.
Jeremiah Smith living up to the hype
Freshman Jeremiah Smith has lived up to the hype that accompanied him to Ohio State this season. He has made freshman mistakes but he’s more than made up for them with incredible catches.
He made a one-handed grab earlier in the season and then had a pair of one-handed catches in the win over Michigan State on Sept. 28. Against Iowa, he used both hands to make a 43-yard catch to get to the 3-yard line. On the next play, he leaped in the end zone and brought in Will Howard’s floating pass with his right arm while keeping defensive back Deshaun Lee at bay with his left.
Smith leads Ohio State with 453 receiving yards, 20 more than Egbuka.
