There are many storylines surrounding Oregon and Ohio State’s matchup. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to two teams competing against each other in Arlington, Texas.
From stars like Oregon’s quarterback Marcus Mariota and junior defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to Ohio State’s sophomore quarterback Cardale Jones and sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliot, the game is sure to feature plenty of future NFL talent.
Here are the matchups to watch:
Oregon offensive line vs. Ohio State defensive line: It’s really simple for both teams. If Oregon can run the ball, the Ducks will win, and if Ohio State can stop it, the Buckeyes will win. The Ducks feed off the combination of Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner. Combine that running attack with Mariota’s prolific passing arsenal, and the Ducks’ offense is nearly unstoppable. The only way Oregon succeeds is if the offensive line can control the line of scrimmage. Likewise, Joey Bosa leads a fierce front seven that has done a formidable job of holding opponents in check. Ohio State will not be able to stop Oregon’s offense entirely, but if it can contain and limit it, that will be considered a success.
Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliot vs. Oregon front seven: Jones is an absolute beast, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 250 pounds. Elliot is 6-feet tall and weighing in at 220 pounds. Even though Jones will not out-run anybody on the Oregon defense, he’s a perfect option on third-and-short situations where he falls forward two yards nearly every time. Combine that with Elliot’s surprise speed and agility and you get a vaunted rushing attack. Junior defensive linemen Arik Armstead, Alex Balducci and Buckner are all going to have to play their best combined game if they’re going to contain this unit. The linebacker crew of redshirt seniors Tony Washington and Derrick Malone, redshirt juniors Rodney Hardrick and Tyson Coleman, and junior Joe Walker will have plenty of opportunities to make big plays and stop Ohio State drives.
Turnover Battle: Turnovers will be the key in this one. Oregon has caused 30 turnovers on the year while only giving it up 10 times. The Buckeyes have 32 takeaways yet have given it up 22 times. Last week, the Ducks caused five turnovers in their dominating victory over Florida State, while the Buckeyes took the ball away three times from the Crimson Tide.
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