One of the most highly anticipated matchups of the college football season is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. EST on Saturday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. In a clash between undefeated Big Ten foes, the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes.
The game marks the return of Chip Kelly to Eugene. Kelly coached the Ducks from 2009 to 2012, leading Oregon to the BCS championship game on Jan. 10, 2011.
After leading the Ducks to a 46-7 record over four seasons and receiving AP Coach of the Year honors in 2010, Kelly coached four years in the NFL (three at the helm in Philadelphia and one in San Francisco). He then took the head coaching position at UCLA, a job he held for six years, before accepting an offer on Feb. 9 to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator.
Addressing journalists about his return to Eugene, Kelly first noted that he still has family and friends in Oregon, with whom he intends to spend time. He also said he is excited for his players to get the opportunity to play in Autzen, which he described as one of the “truly special” places in college football.
While the capacity of Autzen Stadium is approximately half that of Ohio Stadium in Columbus (102,780), Autzen was rated the loudest stadium in the country and “10th-rowdiest” per a study conducted by BetMGM.
Adding to the ambiance, the Ducks feature seemingly limitless uniform variations. They have announced their game attire for the showdown with the Buckeyes.
The Ducks and Buckeyes have played 10 times, with the Buckeyes winning nine of the contests. However, when they last played in 2021, the Ducks came out on top in Columbus.
Much is on the line on Saturday, not only for the two teams but also for the head coaches, Dan Lanning and Ryan Day.
In Lanning’s two-plus seasons leading the Ducks, he has a 27-5 record but has yet to garner a signature win. This matchup presents the opportunity to achieve that objective.
Day is in his sixth season as head man for the Buckeyes. While he has put together an impressive 61-8 record, he faces exceedingly high expectations from an Ohio State fanbase that will be unsatisfied with anything but a national championship.
Many regard Ohio State and Oregon as the two best teams in the Big Ten, and it would be unsurprising if these two meet again this season — in the Big Ten Championship game or the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State is the betting favorite in Eugene on Saturday, favored by three points.
