Ohio State on NBC4: Three things to know about Oregon game

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- It's the date that Ohio State fans have had circled on the calendar for months.

On Saturday, No. 2 Ohio State visits No. 3 Oregon in a 7:30 p.m. game on NBC4. The game features two of nine teams that are still undefeated, and even though it'll be the 11th meeting between the programs, it's the first since the Ducks joined the Big Ten this year.

"You get to control your own destiny, because you're playing the best teams in the league on our schedule. Every time you're playing one of these teams, you're fighting for an opportunity to go to Indianapolis, and that's important," Day said. "And obviously there's the playoff scenario. So a lot at stake this weekend."

Here are three things to watch.

Scouting the Ducks

Oregon's offense is orchestrated by former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has thrown for 11 touchdowns against three interceptions, with 1,449 passing yards.

He's also a big part of a ground game that has proved difficult to contain. The Ducks have had six carries over 10 yards, including a 41-yard gain last week against Michigan State. The running game is led by Jordan James, who has five touchdowns and averages over six yards a carry.

"Not going down on first contact ... I think you saw that multiple times from Jordan, where he got hit and he continued to to push for extra yards," Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. "I thought we ran the ball effectively. And that's something we have to continue to do."

The Ohio State offense will have its hands full facing Jordan Burch. The defensive end is noted for his athleticism and has seven solo tackles and five sacks.

Chip Kelly's homecoming

Saturday presents a homecoming for a trio of Buckeyes starters who call the Pacific Northwest home. Receiver Emeka Egbuka is from Steilacoom, Washington; tight end Gee Scott Junior hails from Seattle, and defensive end JT Tuimoloau grew up in Edgewood, Washington.

But it's a New Hampshire native who is getting the most attention. Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly returns to Eugene, where he coached the Ducks from 2009 to '12. He led Oregon to a 46-7 record and won three conference titles. The highlight of his tenure was leading the Ducks to the 2011 national championship game, a 22-19 loss to Auburn.

"The big thing is that we had great players. The success we had when I was there was a direct correlation to how good our players were," Kelly said. "I learned a ton. Not only from the coaches that were there but from the players I had an opportunity to coach."

Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn is an ex-Oregon assistant, spending two seasons there before joining Ohio State in April.

Big game experience

The Ducks are the first ranked opponent the Buckeyes will face this season. And while critics may argue that Ohio State hasn't faced a real challeng, that doesn't mean there isn't big game experience on the roster.

Quarterback Will Howard comes into the game with plenty from his time at Kansas State. His 28 career starts with the Wildcats include a win over TCU in the 2022 Big 12 championship game and a career-best four-touchdown performance against Texas last season.

"From my experience in playing in them, the biggest thing is staying neutral, not getting too high or getting too low," Howard said. "We know emotions will be running rampant in this game. We know the implications of this game. We know it's a big one. Can't let things that happen affect you."

Howard is embracing the challenge and said games like this are why he transferred to Ohio State.

"This is what you sign up for. This is what I was looking forward to," Howard said. "It's what you dream about as a kid."