Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning Previews 'Unbelievable' Ohio State In Highly-Anticipated Big Ten Game

The Oregon Ducks football team will host the Ohio State Buckeyes in Autzen Stadium on Oct. 12, in a matchup that features two of the top College Football Playoff contenders

Sept. 11, 2021: Oregon running back CJ Verdell runs past Ohio State safety Bryson Shaw (17) and cornerback Cameron Brown (26) for a 77-yard touchdown on Sept. 11, 2021. Verdell scored two touchdowns. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

With the 2024 college football season looming, one of the most-anticipated matchups is the game between the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes on Oct. 12 in Autzen Stadium. Their initial matchup as conference opponents in the Big Ten has a chance to become the first of many clashes between two blooming rivals.

When asked about the Ohio State game on the Jim Rome show, Oregon coach Dan Lanning said, “Unbelievable team. We’re certainly not looking ahead, but you can’t look at your schedule and not recognize who there’s opportunities to play and Ohio State has done an unbelievable job year in and year out. They’ve had a lot of success, they’re well coached, they’ve recruited really well, and they’ve built a history.”

Sept. 11, 2021: Oregon running back CJ Verdell runs past Ohio State safety Bryson Shaw (17) and cornerback Cameron Brown (26) for a 77-yard touchdown on Saturday. Verdell scored two touchdowns / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

In the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll, the Buckeyes rank No. 2 in the country. The Ducks are right behind them, sitting at No. 3. The potential for a top-3 matchup in Eugene has fans, players, and coaches eager in anticipation.

Over the summer, Lanning has praised Oregon’s relentless pursuit to market themselves differently than the rest of college football teams across the country.  In its first year in the Big Ten, the Ducks are looking to disrupt the traditional power structure of the conference.

An inflatable of the University of Oregon Duck mascot floats on the White River in front of the NCAA Headquarters on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in downtown Indianapolis. The float weighs in at 1,600 pounds and takes 1.5 hours to inflate. / Brett Phelps/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

“So, that’s the thing that excites you about joining the Big Ten is that you’re going to get to play teams like that, that have such a great history. I know that our fans will be unbelievable for that atmosphere. It’s gonna be a special game for sure, but fortunately we have to play some games before we get to that one and continue to improve,” said Lanning.

The last meeting between the teams occurred in Columbus in 2021, when the Ducks won 35-28 with Mario Cristobal at the helm. Ohio State was scheduled to make the trip to Autzen in the 2020 season before the game was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nov. 22, 2022: Lee Corso holds a duck alongside The Duck after picking the Ducks as the winner of Saturday's top-10 matchup against the UCLA Bruins on ESPN's College GameDay at the University of Oregon. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Another interesting story line of the Oregon-Ohio State matchup is the return of Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to Eugene. Kelly is the Buckeyes offensive coordinator and play caller in 2024, after stepping down as UCLA coach. Suffice to say, Kelly will have some surprises for the Ducks and they will have some twists of their own for their former coach.

The Buckeyes’ trip to Autzen stadium in 2024 will be one of the most highly anticipated games of the year. Although too early to tell, a trip to Eugene on Oct. 12 feels inevitable for the Kirk Herbstreit and the College Gameday crew.

Oregon looks to use the Autzen Stadium advantage to start a new rivalry with a Ducks’ victory.

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