Oregon is without one of its star defenders on Saturday.
According to a Saturday morning report from Pete Thamel of ESPN, Burch's status against Ohio State was "in flux" after he suffered a lower-body injury in practice on Thursday. Burch was officially listed as questionable on Oregon’s pregame status report and was seen wearing street clothes on the sidelines during the first half.
In five appearances this season, Burch paces Oregon's defense with five sacks and seven tackles for loss. He has also recorded four pass breakups and recovered one fumble.
Both Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said Burch had their attention this week as the Buckeyes prepared for the top-three showdown in Eugene.
"Burch is very, very good," Day said. "He's very athletic and strong. He's a good pass rusher and good against the run."
Kelly added, "His athletic ability for such a big player. You know, he's listed at 6-foot-6, 295, but he plays defensive end. Most guys that big are interior defensive linemen. He's a really athletic guy. ... You got to know where he is on every play. He's one of those guys that can disrupt a football game."
With Burch unable to play on Saturday, Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuitoti will fill his place in a joint effort. The sophomore edge rushers have combined for 4.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss in the Ducks' first five games of 2024.
