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Oregon Given Underwhelming Chance to Defeat Ohio State on Road
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- Oregon Given Underwhelming Chance to Defeat Ohio State on Road
(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TO)
Despite everything that has gone wrong for the Oregon Ducks this season, the team is still somehow alive in the race for the College Football Playoff.
Oregon was ranked at No. 23 in the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings, giving thought, albeit a very slim chance, of them getting into the dance. The Ducks have completely underperformed this season, with the team going 5-3 so far this year.
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But where things sand, the committee still wants to see if Oregon can make a late season push to get into the playoff. The Ducks have a massive game upcoming this weekend against the No. 12-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on the road.
Ohio State is 6-2 on the season, and normally, this would be a much tougher game, but the Buckeyes will be without starting quarterback Julian Saying due to injury. The Buckeyes are still a very formidable team, but Oregon will be facing freshman Luke Fahey instead.
Oregon lost its own starting quarterback this season, with Dante Moore going out for the remainder of the year. Backup Dylan Raiola has stepped in for Moore, with the veteran putting together some inconsistent performances.
But Raiola is the more experienced quarterback between him and Fahey, giving a slight edge to the Ducks. However, Oregon will still have their hands full with the Buckeyes, even with Sayin out for the game.
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As the two sides get ready for the kickoff in a few days, the Ducks will be entering the game as heavy underdogs. According to the ESPN matchup predictor , Oregon only has a 16.9 percent chance of taking down the Buckeyes on the road this weekend.
The Ducks have no more room for error, and another dropped game could see the season come to an end, as far as the playoffs go. But if the team were able to get a win on the road against the Buckeyes, it could give them even more of a boost.
Raiola will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders this week to deliver, keeping the Ducks alive in the race. If he is able to limit turnovers while pushing the ball down the field, Oregon could find a way to pull off the upset on the road .
Kickoff for the game between the Ducks and the Buckeyes is set for 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET from Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
