EUGENE- The No. 1 Oregon Ducks are preparing to go head-to-head with a seemingly new conference rival, Ohio State, in one of, if not the biggest games of the season.
The Ducks and Buckeyes will meet for the second time this season in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl.
The Ducks are riding a historic season, holding a 13-0 record for the first time in program history and standing as the only remaining undefeated team in the FBS.
Although Oregon has already beaten Ohio State once this season, that doesn’t make the upcoming matchup any less challenging, especially after seeing Ohio State coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly utilize the talent in their wide receiver room, specifically true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
While Oregon earned a bye after defeating Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game, the Buckeyes had to earn its spot in the quarterfinals with a win over Tennessee.
In Ohio State’s 42-17 win in the first round of the CFP, true freshman receiver Smith had the opportunity to prove just how dominant of a receiver he is. Smith finished the game with 103 receiving yards and two touchdowns on six receptions.
On Monday, Pat McAfee had former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit on his show, and they discussed the upcoming matchup between Oregon and Ohio State, specifically Smith and his ability to effortlessly create explosive plays.
McAfee then proceeded to claim that Smith, as a true freshman, would be a top-ten pick right now if he were to declare for the draft.
Smith leads Ohio State with 1,037 receiving yards and the Big Ten Conference with 12 receiving touchdowns, placing him among the top 15 in the nation.
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