Three players who will decide the outcome of Ohio State football vs. Oregon

In most of the games the Ohio State football team has played this year, they haven't had much to worry about. The Buckeyes have yet to play a game that has been close in the second half. They have overwhelmed the teams they have faced so far. Quite simply, they've looked like the elite team they were supposed to be.

Beating Michigan State and Iowa in the last couple of games has given this team a lot of confidence. The win against Iowa was especially strong for their confidence. Beating a team with that good of a defense 35-7 shows that Ohio State's offense can do that to anyone.

Now, the Buckeyes travel to Eugene to take on the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks represent the hardest team on their schedule. It's a #2 vs. #3 matchup that will shape the future of the Big Ten. Oregon is at least two steps up in competition from what the Ohio State Buckeyes have faced this year so far.

There are three players in this game who will determine what the outcome will be. Two of these players play for the Buckeyes, while one of them plays for the Bucks. We'll start with one of the players who plays for Ohio State.

1. Will Howard

Ohio State's quarterback is going to be front and center in this game. Will Howard has done, for the most part, what the coaches have asked of him. He has gotten the ball out of his hands quickly and gotten it to the playmakers on the outside. He hasn't tried to do too much.

Still, he has made a few mistakes. Howard does have three interceptions, and he should have more. There have been a few cases of defenders dropping the ball that have kept that number from rising even higher. The Ducks are going to try and force him to do more on Saturday.

Oregon's top priority is going to be stopping Ohio State's powerful rushing attack. They hope that will force Howard to take center stage. The Ducks believe he will crack under pressure and try to force the ball into coverage without the help of a great running game.

If Howard can stop himself from turning it over, the Buckeyes have an excellent chance of winning this game. It will be paramount that he stops himself from making bad decisions against the Ducks because that's one of the big ways that Oregon can win this game.

On the flip side, Howard can still be a weapon. He will likely run the ball in this game much more than what he's done so far this season. His legs will be a big part of how the Buckeyes will try to attack the Ducks' defense. He's going to be a big part of this game, either good or bad.

The next player on this list plays for the Ducks.