This Saturday’s college football slate is loaded, and the top matchup on the docket is Ohio State at Oregon.
Two of the most successful programs of the modern era, the Buckeyes and Ducks come into this game undefeated and ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively in the AP Poll. Three years ago, they met in Columbus in a premium non-conference matchup, but this time they’re doing so in Eugene as members of the same league after Oregon joined the Big Ten before the season. Autzen Stadium should be rocking in primetime on NBC Saturday night.
Speaking of NBC, they have to be amped up about this matchup. The showdown between No. 2 and No. 3 is the network’s first top-three matchup since 1993, when No. 2 Notre Dame hosted No. 1 Florida State in the “Game of the Century.”
This will be only the fourth meeting of all-time between the Ducks and Buckeyes. Their most important was in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game, which Ohio State won, back in January 2015.
Ohio State comes in at 5-0 off a 35-7 thumping of Iowa. The 28-point margin of victory was the smallest of the season so far for the Buckeyes, who ran roughshod over Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall and Michigan State.
Oregon is also 5-0 after beating that aforementioned Michigan State team by three touchdowns last Friday. After close wins over Idaho and Boise State to start the year, the Ducks have blown out their last three opponents.
While NBC will broadcast the game itself, ESPN will be hosting College GameDay from the University of Oregon’s Memorial Quad on Saturday morning.
The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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