No. 3 Oregon vs. No. 2 Ohio State

“The Game” usually refers to the annual rivalry game between Michigan and Ohio State at the end of the year. But this year, “The Game” comes much earlier and Michigan isn’t there.

The biggest game of the year in the Big Ten, and possibly all of college football, is Saturday between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Oregon. The Ducks host the Buckeyes in an unforgettable game at Autzen Stadium. The Buckeyes are currently three-point favorites on the road, but the Ducks rarely lose at home, their last home loss coming in Washington in 2022.

It will also be the first top-five match in Autzen Stadium history, as hard as that may be to believe. It will be the first real test for Ohio State this season, as all other games have been decided by at least 28 points. The Buckeyes have also never played a ranked opponent at any point this year. Meanwhile, the Ducks have only played a top-25 team when they beat Boise State 37-34. The Ducks looked shaky at the start of the season, but now appear to be firing on all cylinders.

Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has been strong so far this season, throwing for 1,248 yards and 12 touchdowns, including four rushing touchdowns. On the other hand, Dillon Gabriel is as experienced as a quarterback can be. He has over 15,000 career passing yards, one of only eight quarterbacks to achieve such a number. The Buckeyes' top receivers are true freshmen Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. They are as good a duo as any in the country. The Ducks also have tremendous talent, including Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden and Evan Stewert.

Ohio State also leads the nation in total defense, but has never faced an offense like this Ducks unit. Former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly is the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator, which makes for another interesting storyline. These two teams also have a recent history with each other. They played each other in the National Championship during the 2014 season, with Ohio State emerging victorious. The last time they played was in 2021, when Oregon beat the Buckeyes on the road in another big ranking showdown.

This game may not be the last time these two teams meet this season. There's a strong chance they'll meet again in the Big Ten Championship. Still, the eyes of the college football world will be on Eugene, Oregon on Saturday night.

For a few hours, the Big Ten will dominate the sport. Hopefully the game lives up to the hype.

MORE: McMaster's Big Ten Football Pick'em: Week 7

MORE: Indiana football hosts first blowout of the season against Nebraska

MORE: Nebraska football's Dylan Raiola tops list of best freshmen in CFB

MORE: I-80 Club: Andy “Dirt” Johnson on Ohio State-Oregon and more Big Ten football

MORE: Top 10 highlights from the first half of the season at Nebraska (6-10)

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers on SIsubscribe Husker Max on YouTubeand to visit HuskerMax.com daily.