The Alabama Crimson Tide has dominated the college football landscape under Nick Saban since he came aboard in 2007. Still, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks have also enjoyed their own success.
Alabama and Ohio State are two of the nation’s elite football programs, and they’ll stay that way for many years. The Crimson Tide won the national titles in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020.
The Buckeyes won the National Championship in 2014, reaching the big game again in 2020. However, they were no match for the dynastic Crimson Tide, who soundly defeated Ohio State 52-24 in the championship contest.
Sports betting in The Buckeye State is set to launch on Jan. 1, 2023. Once it goes live, customers can view the many different betting options and sportsbooks over at BetOhio.com.
Upon signing up, new sports betting customers in Ohio can take advantage of special promo codes, including risk-free wagers. At DraftKings, the Buckeyes have the third-best odds of winning this season’s National Championship at +275, behind only Georgia (+175) and Alabama (+210).
Oregon was fairly close to becoming a dynasty under legendary head coach Chip Kelly and his successor, Mark Helfrich. Instead, the 2010 squad finished 12-1 and reached the BCS National Championship Game, where they narrowly fell to Cam Newton’s Auburn Tigers 22-19.
Though the Ducks have fallen out of National Championship contention over the years, they remain a consistent winner and fixture in the college bowl series. They finished 10-4 years ago, losing to Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.
With the 2022 college season underway, it’s a fun time to look back on the underrated yet rich history between the two elite college football programs.
The Last Ducks-Buckeyes Meeting: Anthony Brown Leads Oregon To Stunning Upset
On Sept. 11 of last year, Oregon and Ohio State met at Ohio Stadium in a highly-anticipated contest — the first meeting between the teams since the 2015 National Championship Game (more on that later).
Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud turned in a remarkable performance, completing 35 passes for 484 yards and three touchdowns. But the Buckeyes’ defense had little answer for Oregon QB Anthony Brown (236 yards, two touchdowns, 65 rushing yards on 10 carries) or the Ducks rushing offense.
The Ducks racked up 269 yards and three touchdowns on the ground (38 total carries). C.J. Verdell led the way with 161 yards and two rushing scores (averaging 8.1 yards per carry).
Three different Buckeyes went over 100 yards receiving on the day: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (145 yards), and 2022 first-round NFL draft picks Chris Olave (126 yards) and Garrett Wilson (117 yards).
Verdell, who also hauled in a 14-yard TD reception, scored Oregon’s first three touchdowns on the day. Ohio State outscored Oregon 14-7 in the final quarter, but Verone McKinley III ended the Buckeyes’ rally by intercepting Stroud with less than three minutes to go.
Oregon melted most of the clock and held on for a thrilling 35-28 win. It was just one of two losses for the Buckeyes on the year, with the other coming against No. 5 ranked Michigan on Nov. 27.
It was oh-so-sweet revenge for a Ducks team that dropped a memorable heartbreaker to Oregon nearly seven years earlier.
2015: Buckeyes Dominate Ducks To Win School’s Eighth National Title
Led by Helfrich and star quarterback Marcus Mariota (the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft), the Ducks returned to the Championship Game in 2014.
Awaiting them in the big dance was a Buckeyes team that went 14-1 Buckeyes. Coached by Urban Meyer, a two-time National Champion at Florida, the Buckeyes were especially loaded on offense.
The Ducks just had no answer for a team featuring future two-time NFL rushing champ Ezekiel Elliott, 2019 Offensive Player of the Year Michael Thomas and Detroit Lions standout offensive tackle Taylor Decker.
The Buckeyes were led by future Los Angeles Chargers superstar defensive end Joey Bosa and future pro defensive backs in Vonn Bell and Eli Apple on defense.
Meyer’s Buckeyes cruised to an easy 42-20 win over Oregon in the National Championship Game. Elliott powered the way with 246 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries. This remains the Buckeyes’ most recent National Championship to date.
