Oregon Football just got hit with another brutal injury blow, sidelining standout running back Jordon Davison for their massive showdown against No. 12 Ohio State this Saturday. This comes after what has already been a really tough season for the Ducks, who are sitting at a 5-3 record despite preseason expectations of a deep run in the College Football Playoffs. They have already lost quarterback Dante Moore for the season due to injury, so this latest news is a gut punch.
Davison’s Impact and the Lingering Injury Woes
Davison’s absence is a huge blow for Oregon’s offense. The kid has been a consistent bright spot, racking up 439 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this year. He has literally found the end zone in six of their eight games this season, showing just how crucial he is to their scoring attack. He went down with a lower extremity injury in the win over Northwestern after carrying the ball only three times for 17 yards. The good news, the *only* real good news here, is that it is considered a short-term, week-to-week situation. That means we could see him back sooner rather than later, which is a massive relief given how bad things could have been.
Stepping Up Against a Top-Tier Ohio State Defense
With Davison out, the Ducks are going to lean on Dierre Hill Jr. and Brandon Smith as their primary running backs against Ohio State. Hill has shown flashes this year, carrying the ball 83 times for 399 yards and three touchdowns. Smith also has 32 carries for 207 yards and two scores. Both will need to be at their absolute best, because Ohio State isn’t just a ranked opponent, they are an elite team on both sides of the ball. The Buckeyes are 11th in opponent points per game and eighth in opponent yards per game. Their defense is no joke, ranking 12th against the run and 17th against the pass. Oregon needs both their running game and their passing game to click if they want any shot in Columbus.
This Saturday’s game in Columbus kicks off at 3:30 pm ET. The Ducks are facing a monumental challenge, trying to keep their season from completely derailing against a top-tier opponent without one of their most explosive playmakers. All eyes will be on Hill and Smith to step up big time, because the road to fulfilling those preseason CFP expectations just got a whole lot harder.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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