On Saturday night October 12th. 2024, at 7:30 pm eastern time the second ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will travel to the third ranked Oregon Ducks in Eugene Oregon. This is the most anticipated college football game that weekend. This is the first time in the 2024 college football season when two top five ranked teams play each other on national television. Some say this game can be either a college football playoff preview or even a National Championship Game preview. After last week’s upset of number 1 Alabama by Vanderbilt.  The winner of this game could solidify a number 1 ranking in the country.

This game will be the first real test for the Ohio State Buckeyes. They have yet to even play a ranked team much less a top five ranked team. Oregon will be a tough matchup for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his team. And the team that loses this game can still make the college football playoff. Losing to a top five team doesn’t hurt your ranking as bad as losing to a non-ranked team. With both teams being ranked in the top five and both being undefeated. Who is the favorite in this game?

Ohio State is a 3.5-point underdog for this game. I believe that is because the game is in Oregon. And that is not at all a knock on the Oregon Ducks team. Both teams are evenly matched, and Oregon has the homefield advantage. The winner of this game will be in the driver’s seat for the Big Ten Conference Championship. And the higher seeding for the college football playoffs. To say that this game is important is an understatement. And this game could be a major statement for the Ohio State Buckeyes.