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

The Ohio State football team is taking on Oregon this Saturday. It is going to be one of the best games in college football this season. These three players will determine the outcome.

By Ryan Stano | Oct 10, 2024

Oct 5, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) takes the field wearing an all-gray colored uniform prior to the NCAA football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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3. Caleb Downs

Caleb Downs was the prize of the transfer portal in the offseason. He decided to choose the Ohio State football program once Nick Saban retired from Alabama. Downs was recruited hard by the Buckeyes in high school and were a logical choice for him in the portal.

Since becoming an Ohio State football player, Downs has been great. He has done a good job of keeping big plays from happening. He has a knocked-down pass this season but doesn't have an interception yet. That will happen at some point this season.

Last week against Iowa, we saw Downs come downhill on several occasions to make tackles in the run game. He is an excellent run-stopper. The Buckeyes will need him to do that against the Ducks but also roam the field and keep Johnson from beating single coverages.

Downs has elite range as a safety. He can cover ground quickly and get from one side of the field to the other in the blink of an eye. His range is going to be extremely important in this game because the Ducks are going to want to throw it around. Ohio State has to be ready for that.

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These are the players to watch for this game. The Ohio State football team is hoping that their players are able to play better in clutch situations than the Ducks can.

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