Atticus Sappington scored a 19-yard field goal with 1:47 left to give No. 3 Oregon a thrilling 32-31 victory over No. 2 Ohio State.
After Sappington's kick, Ohio State had plenty of time to get close enough to make the game-winning field goal attempt, and that's exactly what they did. But just as Emeka Egbuka's catch put the Buckeyes in Jayden Fielding's coverage, a pass interference penalty by Jeremiah Smith pushed them back 15 yards.
After Smith's field goal, an incomplete pass and an Oregon field goal, Ohio State had six seconds before a third down and within field goal range. However, QB Will Howard inexplicably tucked the ball away and ran up the middle instead of throwing it away or tackling it faster. By the time Howard slipped, the clock had run out.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning sent Sappington down the field a yard from the end zone after Ohio State called its second timeout of the half with 1:51 left. There was a compelling argument for Lanning – a coach who had been unabashed about fourth-down decisions throughout his career at Oregon – to go for a TD rather than kick a field goal.
Yes, Ohio State stopped Oregon on the previous two plays. But that doesn't mean the Buckeyes could do it a third time. Especially since the Oregon team is more prone to passing, not wanting to run down the clock. And even if Ohio State had stopped Oregon, the Ducks would have had all three timeouts and would have gotten the ball back with great field position if they had stopped Ohio State from getting a first down from their own end zone.
Instead, Lanning played for the lead. And it worked. Hardly.
Six lead changes
Much like Alabama's victory over Georgia in the first top-five team matchup of the season, the first game between the top three teams did not disappoint on Saturday night. Sappington's kick was the sixth lead change of the night.
The second quarter was especially crazy. Oregon wide receiver Traeshon Holden was ejected for spitting During a game against Ohio State's Davison Igbinosun, Oregon's extra point attempt went comically wrong, and the Ducks recovered the ball after a line drive that deflected off an Ohio State blocker.
At the beginning of the second quarter the score was 7-6. Oregon led 22-21 at halftime after Dillon Gabriel found Tez Johnson for a 48-yard TD.
Gabriel finished the game 23 of 34 passing for 341 yards and two passing TDs. He also rushed for a 27-yard TD that gave Oregon a 29-28 lead with 13:20 left.
Ohio State responded with a methodical 13-play pass that traveled 53 yards and clocked in at 7:20. With six minutes left, Fielding hit a 40-yard field goal to give the Buckeyes a one-point lead.
After Sappington's decisive kick, Howard had the opportunity to show Ohio State fans why he was the preferred QB choice heading into the 2024 season. The former Kansas State QB has been solid so far, but he has also been overshadowed by Smith's one-handed catches and the excellence of running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.
However, the first action of the last round was a sign of what was to come. Howard fell on a four-yard sack, then regained his composure and completed four straight passes until a Smith penalty. However, the Buckeyes lost 12 seconds after the penalty as they seemed unprepared to start the clock after the referees' whistle following a pass interference call.
Big Ten title game preview?
It's easy to imagine Oregon and Ohio State meeting again in December in the Big Ten championship game with the top four of the College Football Playoff at stake. With all due respect to undefeated Indiana, the Buckeyes and Ducks are two of the conference's three best teams along with Penn State. Even if Indiana does end up in the championship rankings in the second half of the season, Ohio State and Oregon should be considered the favorites to fight for the title.
The Buckeyes' loss also adds another data point about Big Ten teams heading into the cross-country road trip. Teams traveling across multiple time zones are currently 1-10 in conference play this season. Indiana's victory at the University of California, Los Angeles is the only victory for the visiting team, and Oregon embarks on its own cross-country road trip in Week 8. The Ducks travel to Purdue for Friday's game against a Boilermakers team that lost 50-49 in overtime to Illinois. Ohio State will be sidelined in Week 8 and will face Nebraska on October 26.
