The preseason's most hyped Big Ten showdown has turned into a near must-win for both sides, with No. 12 Ohio State and No. 23 Oregon arriving banged up and behind schedule.
Ohio State hosts Oregon Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on CBS, and despite the modest rankings attached to both teams, a loss could badly damage either program's playoff hopes. The Buckeyes, No. 12 and 6-2 overall at 4-1 in the Big Ten, need the win to keep their postseason case alive. Oregon comes in at No. 23, 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten.
It is a steep fall from where this matchup was supposed to be. Ohio State and Oregon combined for 54 of 69 first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25, and both programs are reportedly set to carry rosters valued around 50 million dollars apiece, among the most expensive in the sport. Three months and five combined losses later, neither team is anywhere close to its preseason perch.
The game is still one of seven ranked matchups on a loaded Saturday slate that also includes No. 1 Miami at Notre Dame, No. 5 Alabama at No. 14 LSU, and No. 9 BYU at No. 3 Utah. But for Ohio State and Oregon, Saturday is less about living up to the hype and more about avoiding an outcome that puts the playoff conversation to bed early.