The Oregon Ducks got some tough injury news ahead of their Week 10 game against Ohio State on the road.
The Ohio State Buckeyes host the Oregon Ducks on Saturday in Columbus. Before the season, this looked like a surefire top-10 battle in November. That's not how things played out. The two teams have five losses between them, and Oregon owns three of those.
The Ducks sit at No. 23 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and there's a slim chance they end up in the field. Both Ohio State and Oregon are in must-win situations this weekend. Now the Ducks have taken another real injury hit ahead of the trip to Ohio Stadium.
According to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz, Oregon will be without standout running back Jordon Davison against Ohio State due to a lower extremity injury. Zenitz noted the injury is considered short-term, meaning Davison could be back soon after Week 10 action.
Still, it's a massive loss for the Ducks. Oregon will be without its No. 1 running back while it's already down starting quarterback Dante Moore. Moore's absence forces Dylan Raiola to start for the Ducks once again on Saturday. Losing the top option in the backfield on top of that puts more pressure on Raiola in a tough road environment.
Davison has 91 carries for 439 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. As a freshman in 2025, he ran for 667 yards and 15 touchdowns. He's a huge part of what Oregon wants to do offensively, and the Ducks' rushing attack will look different without him.
With Davison out, Oregon will rely on Dierre Hill and Brandon Smith as its running back duo in Columbus. Hill has been productive with 399 rushing yards on 83 attempts. Smith has 207 rushing yards on 32 attempts.
How Oregon divides the work between Hill and Smith is worth watching early in the game. If the Ducks can't establish the run, more of the offense falls on Raiola's shoulders, which is likely good news for the Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes have their own injury issues at running back with Ja'Kobi Jackson out. These are two teams that aren't as healthy as they'd like to be heading into a game with this much on the line.
Even without Davison, Ohio State's defense has plenty to worry about. The Ducks still have three pass-catching weapons for Raiola to take advantage of in Dakorien Moore, Evan Stewart, and tight end Jamari Johnson.
Those three give Oregon a chance to make plays down the field even if the run game takes a step back. The Buckeyes' secondary will need to be sharp to keep Raiola from finding a rhythm. Don't sleep on Oregon's ability to create explosive plays through the air.
Either way, losing Davison is a legit blow for the Ducks on Saturday. It helps Ohio State out slightly, but it doesn't change the stakes for either side. Both programs need this one, and Saturday will be telling for where each team's season goes from here.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Oregon Ducks have taken a real hit ahead of Ohio State hosting them in a must win game on Saturday
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