Ohio State Buckeyes HC Drops Bold Statement Ahead of Oregon Matchup

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day spoke out with a bold statement ahead of the Oregon matchup.

Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches from the sideline during the first half of a College Football Playoff first round game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns-Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes are now set for a massive rematch against the Oregon Ducks on New Year's Day in the College Football Playoff. After losing and coming up just short on the final drive of the team's matchup earlier this season, Ohio State is highly motivated to get revenge.

After dominating the Tennessee Volunteers, confidence is beginning to rise for the Buckeyes.

From a pure talent perspective, there is no reason why Ohio State shouldn't beat Oregon. They can play with and beat any team in the nation.

With that in mind, head coach Ryan Day has spoken out with a bold statement ahead of their game against the Ducks.

On the defensive side of the football, the Buckeyes played at an extremely high level against Tennessee. Going up against Oregon brings a much bigger challenge, as the Ducks have a far superior offense to what the Volunteers have.

Day believes that Ohio State will be ready for Oregon.

“Our defense is playing with great confidence right now … I know we got a great challenge ahead, but our guys are ready for it.”

No one should expect the Buckeyes' defense to "shut down" the Ducks' offense. However, they can absolutely slow them down.

Dillon Gabriel is an elite quarterback and Oregon plays very fast offensively. In order to slow them down, Ohio State has to put pressure on Gabriel and force sacks. Should they be able to get consistent pressure on Gabriel, the secondary will have a chance to force a turnover or two.

In addition to the pass rush, the Buckeyes have to limit big chunk plays. They can't allow the Ducks to move down the field quickly with 20-yard gains.

Making Oregon slow down and earn their yards will be a major key.

Ohio State has the defensive talent to make a huge impact in this game. Will Howard and the offense will still have to score quite a few points, but the defense can make things difficult on the Ducks.

Hopefully, Day is correct and the Buckeyes' defense is ready. They will be facing an even better team than they played earlier this season. If Ohio State comes ready to play defensively, they will give themselves a shot.