The No. 23 Oregon Ducks have known for some time that they'd enter Columbus with quarterback injuries shaking up the battle against No. 12 Ohio State.
And following a physical battle against the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, the Ducks will now likely be without one of their leading running backs, too. Jordon Davison is expected to miss the upcoming premier Big Ten matchup with a lower-extremity injury, according to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.
Oregon running back Jordon Davison makes a catch as the Oregon Ducks host the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Davison exited the Northwestern win with an injury. He returned to the sidelines later in street clothes and on crutches. Zenitz reports that Davison is considered week-to-week, with it expected to be a short-term injury.
Coach Dan Lanning hesitated to provide insight into Davison's official status during his Monday press conference, but backed up the notion that the injury should be short-term.
"Our status report will come out on Wednesday," Lanning said. "You know, don't think it's long-term with Jordon, but you guys will find out when the injury report comes out."
Davison's status will become official with the release of Oregon's first injury report ahead of Ohio State at 5 p.m. PT on Wednesday.
Oct 31, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (6) prepares for the start of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
All eyes are now on who steps up in the backfield against the Buckeyes. Strong running back play was the story of the last time the Ducks stormed into "The Shoe" and upset Ohio State. Back in 2021, Duck' running back CJ Verdell rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, while also receiving a touchdown to take down the No. 3 Buckeyes.
Davison is the Ducks' leading rusher in 2026, with 439 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 91 carries. Dierre Hill Jr. is behind him with three touchdowns and 399 yards on 83 carries. Lanning said that Hill also got "banged up" in the Northwestern game, which ended up creating opportunities for other players.
True freshman Brandon Smith continues to emerge in the backfield. After he drew attention with 85 yards and a touchdown against Portland State in Week 3, he punched in his second collegiate score against the Wildcats.
Oct 31, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Brandon Smith (26) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the second half against theNorthwestern Wildcats at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Smith contributed 82 yards for 10.2 yards per carry against Northwestern, while veteran Da'Juan "Dink" Riggs also chimed in with 15 total yards.
"We talk about guys like Brandon or Dink is those guys that are getting those third and fourth reps. Those are a lot of reps that they executed today that they didn't get in practice," Lanning said after the game. "They had to get the mental rep right and be able to execute the mental rep, and they did an outstanding job of that."
Hill is expected to lead the rushing efforts against Ohio State if healthy. He's notably stepped up against big opponents. Hill notched 82 yards on the ground and 12 receiving yards with a touchdown as a true freshman in the "White Out" win over No. 3 Penn State.
But with Davison's status becoming clearer, Smith and Riggs will likely see second and third team reps ahead of the trip to Columbus.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram for the latest news.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oregon as Jordon Davison Injury Reshapes Oregon's Running Back Depth Ahead of Ohio State .
