Five Things To Know About Oregon Before Ohio State Buckeyes' Week 7 Matchup

Here are five things to know about the Oregon Ducks before Ohio State travels to Eugene in Week 7.

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson carries the ball up the sideline as the Ducks host the Spartans Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes are set to take on the Oregon Ducks in Week 7 of the 2024 College Football season in what many believe will be the biggest matchup so far this season.

Here are five things to know about the Ducks before the matchup against the Buckeyes.

Dynamic Rushing Attack

Oregon has been able to effectively run the ball this season thanks to junior running back Jordan James.

The Ducks' leading rusher is up to 552 yards on the ground, along with five touchdowns. His 6.3 yards per carry ranks 10th amongst all Big Ten running backs with at least 20+ carries this season.

James just racked up a season-high 166 rushing yards against Michigan State. In three of his five games this season, James has rushed for over 100+ yards, so look for the well-rounded running back to have an impact against the Buckeyes.

Efficient Passing Game

After losing star quarterback Bo Nix, Oregon landed former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel via the transfer portal in an effort to make up for the lost production.

Gabriel has done well in offensive coordinator Will Stein's scheme this season, throwing for 1,449 yards and 11 touchdowns while maintaining a 77.8 completion percentage. The experienced quarterback has a pair of veteran pass catchers at his disposal in wide receiver Tez Johnson and tight end Terrance Ferguson.

Johnson and Ferguson have accounted for 654 receiving yards and five touchdowns this year. Gabriel will likely favor the duo against Ohio State's stout defense.

Struggling Offensive Line

Ohio State's front seven may have another successful game on Saturday against Oregon.

The Ducks' offensive line has been subpar this season in both pass protection and run blocking. Through five games this season, the Oregon unit has allowed seven sacks and an average pass blocking grade of 74.2, according to PFF. The offensive line has done worse against stopping the run, averaging a 63.5 run blocking grade in 2024.

Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer is coming off a spectacular game in Week 6, and Tyleik Williams showed promise after returning from an injury.

Talented Pass Rush

Oregon may struggle in the trenches on the offensive side of the ball, but the defense has many stand-out pass rushers.

Senior defensive end Jordan Burch leads the team with five sacks, which is tied for eighth-most amongst all FBS players. On the other side of Burch, Matayo Uiagalelei has put together a terrific sophomore campaign so far in 2024. Uiagalelei has racked up 3.5 sacks, along with 13 total tackles and one forced fumble.

The Ducks have demonstrated the ability to generate pressure from the interior, as junior Derrick Harmon has recorded three sacks and a 91.2 pass-rush grade, according to PFF.

Ohio State's offensive line will be tested on Saturday against Oregon's highly-touted front seven.

Potential Weakness In Defense?

Despite being No. 3 ranked team in college football, Oregon's kryptonite could be easily exposed by offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

The Ducks, while having multiple prolific pass rushers, struggle against the run. Oregon's unit has given up an average of 101.4 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks eighth amongst Big Ten teams. Boise State running back and Heisman Award-hopeful Ashton Jeanty faced Oregon in Week 2 and proceeded to rush for 192 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.

While Jeanty is clearly the best running back in all of college football, this could be a potential advantage for the Buckeyes' duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.