With the new conference alignment happening in 2023 and shaking up the college football world, the Oregon Ducks’ future was uncertain. Fans were left wondering, would they grow into a powerhouse realizing their full potential, or would they falter under the pressure, like fellow Big Ten greenhorn UCLA?
With thirteen straight wins for Dan Lanning and the Ducks, and a Big Ten championship in their debut, it’s safe to say they were qualified to compete with the long-standing Big Ten veterans. With an average margin of victory of 19.8 points, the Ducks were rarely challenged by their opponents: their closest game was against the #2 Ohio State Buckeyes, who bungled their final few drives resulting in a loss by one point.
The Ducks have had quite an eventful regular season, such as when Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden had his own LeGarrette Blount moment, in which he spit on the facemask of Buckeyes’ cornerback Davison Igbinosun and was ejected from the game. Ducks coach Dan Lanning has also built an image for himself, with many highly-publicized coaching stunts adding to his reputation. Some of these include having his team watch “Gladiator” and using Pavlov’s dog-esque tactics to rouse the Ducks’ players when Wisconsin played “Jump Around”.
However, the Ducks’ reign fell apart in the playoffs. Given a first-round bye, Oregon was faced with a rematch against Ohio State or underdog Tennessee, neither outcome was ideal. With Ohio State’s dominant win against Tennessee, Oregon was forced to prove themselves against the Buckeyes again, but this time in the Rose Bowl.
Unfortunately for the Ducks, the game started off about as poorly as possible. Ohio State immediately took a demanding lead as the Ducks defense crumbled against Jeremiah Smith. With a 34-8 score at halftime, hope had waned. The Ducks fought hard in the second half, but overcoming that first deficit was nearly impossible, and the game ended at 41-21.
However, Ohio State’s season wasn’t particularly flawless either.
“The Game,” competed annually between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines, is often one of the most exciting games of the year and possibly the most storied rivalry in college football, or even American sports. Frequently, the Buckeyes and the Wolverines top the Big Ten standings, making it extremely competitive.
However, this year, the disparity between the two teams was higher than usual. Prior to “The Game”, the Wolverines were ailing, unranked with a 6-5 overall record. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes were looking to be one of the top candidates for a national title, having a #2 ranking and a 10-1 overall record, their only loss going to the Oregon Ducks.
This game mattered even more than usual for Ryan Day, head coach of the Buckeyes, and his Ohio State team, with Day’s record against the Wolverines sitting at 1-3 prior to the game. Additionally, the Buckeyes had lost “The Game” three years in a row. A graduating class was on the verge of never seeing the Buckeyes defeat their biggest rivals for their entire college career. Every “M” covered in red tape, every Buckeye leaf sticker affixed to the players’ helmets, mattered more.
Thankfully for the Buckeyes, this game should have been a breeze for a #2 ranked team, with two of the top three college running backs, the best defense in the FBS, and one loss—which was to the #1 ranked team.
Maybe Michigan just has Ryan Day’s number. It seemed as though Quinshon Judkins’ and TreVeyon Henderson’s rushing prowess evaporated in an instant: they were folded by the Wolverines’ defense instantly, racking up a mere 77 rushing yards all game, nearly a hundred yards less than their average. It’s not like their passing game was any better, really: Will Howard’s one passing touchdown was something, but his two interceptions may as well have nullified this. Not to mention the Buckeyes kicker, who missed a 34-yard and a 38-yard field goal throughout the course of the game.
Whatever the cause, Ohio State was narrowly defeated by the Wolverines, marking a fourth year of Michigan domination, against all odds. The animosity between the two teams came to a tipping point, when a flag-planting stunt by Michigan’s players evolved into a full-on brawl, broken up by Ohio state police who maced two of Michigan’s players in the process.
When asked about the results, Day dodged questions, repeating the phrase, “I’m not there right now.” With fans calling for his head (figuratively and literally) despite a 10-2 season at #7 in the nation, Day’s career with the Buckeyes has been called into question.
