Before each Ohio State game, Eleven Warriors catches up with a media member who covers the opposing team to get his or her perspective on the Buckeyes' upcoming opponent.
#1 Oregon
Ducks
The Buckeyes and Ducks met earlier this season in Eugene, and The Oregonian's James Crepea was kind enough to assist us with our preview of the two squads in mid-October.
Crepea again agreed to join us for a College Football Playoff edition of Across The Field, with a star-studded Rose Bowl in store for Jan. 1. Our discussion touched on the CFP bracket, takeaways from the last time these two played, Jordan Burch, Dillon Gabriel and more.
The first time Oregon and Ohio State met, it was arguably the game of the year in college football. What do you expect to be applicable from that game that may factor into the matchup the second time around?
James Crepea: I expect both offenses to be productive. Both defenses are talented and very good, but they also each padded stats by crushing weaker teams. The caliber of offensive skill players will still lead to points both ways.
Taking a 30,000-foot view for a second, I wanted to get your thoughts on the CFP seeding. I cannot imagine Oregon fans (or coaches and administration, privately) are thrilled that their reward for being the only undefeated team is facing arguably the most talented roster in the sport. Do you think a seeding readjustment is needed for next season, and if so, what solution to you makes the most sense?
Crepea: I truly don’t have many thoughts on this. It’s one year into a new system and everyone already wants to change it for their own purposes. The smartest thing I’ve heard suggested is to assure conference champions a top-8 seed but not necessarily a top-4 seed with the bye. If the field moves to 14 in 2026 it could all be moot.
Jordan Burch didn’t play in the first matchup between these two teams, but should be available for the second go-around. How much of an impact could he make against an offensive line that’s suffered multiple injuries?
Crepea: Burch could be the most disruptive defensive player on the field in any game he plays. His impact could be enormous.
In the past matchup, Oregon exposed Ohio State’s defense a bit by converting on multiple deep passes. Do you expect a good chunk of the gameplay to be tailored around attacking Denzel Burke (or whoever else) deep?
Crepea: I expect Oregon to exploit whatever weaknesses are present. If the speed of Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart is an advantage, as it clearly was against Burke, Oregon could go there again. If Ohio State counters with more safety help, Oregon can respond by turning to its tight ends to gain over the middle.
Oregon has had vast success with transfer quarterbacks the past couple years, and Dillon Gabriel played his way into being a Heisman finalist this year. How much has he meant to the team and what are the areas he thrives in?
Crepea: I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say Oregon is a national title contender because it has the most experienced quarterback in the country. Gabriel has lived up to expectations. He came to Oregon to win. Oregon brought him in so it could compete for a championship. He’s outperformed in the late and close scenarios, which Oregon has been in five times this season, and been nearly flawless.
In the first season of being in the Big Ten, the Ducks have already won the conference and have capitalized on it with plenty of recruiting momentum in the high school and the transfer portal ranks. Oregon was already a prime destination spot for athletes, but how much has this season helped to bolster the Ducks’ national recruiting?
Crepea: I can’t speak for that volume of recruits, but suffice to say winning big games that are televised across the country each week can’t hurt Oregon’s efforts. Oregon was already recruiting nationally before Dan Lanning got here, but he and his staff have taken it up a notch in caliber and made strategic decisions in recruiting that have paid off as well. It still takes a different kind of player to come to Oregon because of geography, but when it’s performing at an elite level some of those excuses appear to become less of a concern.
Finally, these arguably might be the best two teams in the sport and they’re playing in a quarterfinal matchup. How do you envision the game playing out the second time around and do you have a score prediction?
Crepea: I see it being like the first game, only perhaps a few points less. These are probably the two best quarterbacks in the CFP, definitely the two best receiving corps and two elite defenses. The margin for error is extremely thin for both teams and three or four plays probably decide the game. Oregon won the first meeting, at home, but without Burch. It’s playing better now and Burch is healthy. Ohio State’s defense has been better, against mostly weaker teams, and its offensive line is depleted compared to the first game. I gave Ohio State the slight edge in October and was wrong. I’m giving Oregon the edge this time, 31-28.
