Oregon Ducks stand as Ohio State’s biggest test, says Buckeyes writer

When you stand as one of the top teams in the nation, largely regarded as the No. 1 or No. 2 team in a majority of preseason polls, there aren’t many games on your schedule that should scare you.

However, when you’ve got a road game against a team that is ranked right behind you on the calender, then some heads might start to turn.

That’s the current situation for Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes , who are viewed as the second-best team in the nation going into the 2024 season, according to ESPN’s way-too-early ranking . There aren’t many games on their schedule — outside of Michigan — each year that give them trouble, but with an influx of teams from the West Coast joining the Big Ten this year, that could change.

Now they have to deal with the Oregon Ducks.

Dan Lanning’s team is ranked No. 3 in the preseason polls, per ESPN , and the meeting between the two will take place in Eugene at Autzen Stadium in early October.

Bill Rabinowitz, who covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch, recently went on with 750 The Game’s John Canzano, where he identified the Ducks as Ohio State’s toughest test this year.

“I happen to think it’s the most difficult game of the season for Ohio State. It’s on the road at Oregon. They’ve never played there. It’s still going to be early in the season. It’s a tough game. Michigan is the one game they absolutely can’t lose because you figure Michigan is going to be a little down this year… but in terms of difficulty, if you asked ‘What game is Ohio State most likely to lose?’ I’d say Oregon.”

While the Ducks have done a great job of reloading through the transfer portal this offseason, the Buckeyes are in a similar position, landing guys like QB Will Howard, RB Quinshon Judkins, and S Caleb Down. An early betting line has been released for the matchup, with Ohio State favored by 1.5 points on the road, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

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