3 takeaways from Ohio State's loss in nail-biter vs. Oregon
What a game. This one did not have the happy ending Ohio State was hoping for, but boy, did the much-anticipated Week 7 game vs. Oregon deliver on the expectations!
Heading into the season, this game looked like a it would live up to be a top-5 matchup, and that came true. ESPN’s College GameDay also made the trek to Eugene for the game, and it earned a crucial primetime slot for the weekend.
As for the game on the field, Oregon flipped the momentum with a big 2nd-quarter swing ahead of halftime, but Ohio State was right there to answer back in the 2nd half. It culminated in a go-ahead field goal from the Ducks with less than 2 minutes remaining and a wild final series for the Buckeyes.
That final series involved Ohio State getting into field goal range and then out of field goal range via a costly penalty. The Buckeyes nearly got back into range for a final field goal try at the win but ultimately came up just short on Will Howard’s final scramble to end the game.
The Buckeyes will lament their missed opportunities, but the chance to face Oregon in a rematch down the road is certainly in the cards. For now, here are the key takeaways from Ohio State’s first loss of the season in the 32-31 defeat at Oregon:
Will Howard is good enough to win the big one — but so is Dillon Gabriel
Saturday’s game lived up to the big-time billing in large part because of the starting QBs on either sideline. And make no mistake about it.
Whether or not Gabriel or Howard wind up in New York for the Heisman ceremony, both players have the arm, skill set, leadership abilities and weapons to win a national title.
On Ohio State’s sideline, Howard delivered his 2nd straight efficient game after a brilliant outing against Iowa. After Gabriel delivered his own go-ahead touchdown drive in the 4th quarter, Howard came right back and put the Buckeyes in position to potentially win the game.
Unfortunately, an offensive pass interference flag on Jeremiah Smith bumped the Buckeyes back out of field goal range and put Ohio State in a serious hole. Howard not getting down in time as the game clock expired will dominate headlines for the night, but don’t forget he would not be in that situation without Smith’s penalty.
And don’t let those headlines distract you from Howard’s overall performance. When the final buzzer sounded, Howard was 28-for-35 for 326 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception while adding a rushing touchdown.
From a statistical standpoint, Gabriel did outplay Howard, but the Buckeye QB was every bit his equal in going down the wire. And Howard, for all intents and purposes, did his job on that final drive.
Howard had Ohio State all the way to Oregon’s 28-yard line and looking for more before the fateful penalty on Smith. More than likely, Howard will get another shot at the Ducks, and it will be another must-see matchup.
What happened to Quinshon Judkins?
Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson have been splitting carries all season long in Ohio State’s backfield, and both have been similarly effective. Henderson’s 8 yards per carry entering Week 7 slightly trumped Judkins’s 7.8, but that’s a marginal difference.
However, things were totally different against Oregon.
Judkins had a costly fumble early in the game with Oregon DL Derrick Harmon ripping the ball away from the running back. Whether or not that turnover rattled Judkins might be a topic of debate, but he was not the same in this one.
Judkins ended the game with 11 carries — 1 more than Henderson Saturday night — but he was not effective on the ground. He had just 23 yards for 2.1 yards per carry and his longest carry of the game went for 6 yards.
In the passing game, Judkins delivered 38 yards and his 2 biggest plays of the night, but it was far from his normal performance. It will certainly be something to monitor moving forward.
Ohio State the edge in a rematch?
Unless this game ended in a blowout, I was always going to favor Ohio State if these two teams meet again down the road. There is still a long ways to go before we get to the B1G Championship in Indianapolis, but the expectation is the Ducks and Buckeyes will find a way to both get there for a rematch.
So, who has the edge in that game? I’m going with the Buckeyes for a number of a reasons.
We know travel is playing a major role in games in the Big Ten. Entering Saturday’s primetime window, the road team was 2-9 outright when traveling across 2+ time zones which is the scenario Ohio State encountered in Eugene.
And, if we’re honest, Saturday’s game played out just about exactly as I expected. There’s no shame in losing that game (though that rational take isn’t going to sit well with fans), and it’s really a true measuring stick game for both sides.
Ohio State should come away from this game feeling great about its chances of winning a rematch and hanging with any of the top teams in the country. The loss of Week 7 stings, but the lessons learned will be the fuel for a revenge game later on.