Stats are liars. Seriously. If you just glance at the Ohio State Oregon box score from their massive October 2024 showdown, you’d think the Buckeyes dominated through the air and controlled the rhythm. Will Howard threw for 326 yards. Emeka Egbuka hauled in 10 catches. On paper, that’s a winning recipe every single Saturday in the Big Ten. But the final score—32-31 in favor of the Ducks—tells a much more chaotic, heartbreaking story for Columbus fans.
It was loud. Autzen Stadium was a green-and-yellow blur of noise that seemed to rattle even the most veteran players on the field. You could see the communication breakdowns in real-time.
Looking back, the box score is a map of what went right and exactly where the wheels fell off. Oregon's Dillon Gabriel wasn’t just efficient; he was surgical. He finished 23-of-34 for 341 yards and two touchdowns, but more importantly, he ran for a 27-yard score that absolutely gutted the Ohio State defense. That single play doesn't look like much in a spreadsheet. In reality? It changed the entire gravity of the game.
The Statistical Anomalies in the Ohio State Oregon Box Score
People love to talk about the "Big Three" for Ohio State, and for good reason. Jeremiah Smith, the freshman phenom, grabbed nine balls for 100 yards and a touchdown. He looked like an NFL veteran out there. But then you look at the rushing column. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins combined for 110 yards. That sounds okay, right? It isn't. Not for an Ohio State team that prides itself on bullying people at the point of attack.
Oregon’s defense held the Buckeyes to just 4.3 yards per carry.
When you can't run the ball consistently, you become one-dimensional. Will Howard had to throw 35 times. While he was mostly accurate, that final play—the slide heard 'round the world—is the only thing people remember. He ran out of time. Literally. The clock hit zero while he was still on the turf. That’s a stat you won’t find in a standard column: 0.0 seconds remaining.
Dillon Gabriel vs. Will Howard: A Tale of Two Transfers
Gabriel played like a guy who has been in college football since the Eisenhower administration. He was calm. Even when the Buckeyes brought pressure, he stepped up in the pocket or used his legs to extend plays. His 341 passing yards were impressive, but his lack of turnovers was the real hero of the game.
Howard, on the other hand, was nearly perfect until he wasn't. He finished with an 80% completion rate. That is elite. Most quarterbacks would give their left arm for an 80% completion night in a top-five matchup. Yet, the Ohio State Oregon box score reflects a loss because the Buckeyes couldn't finish drives in the red zone when it mattered most.
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The Ducks didn't just win; they survived.
Why the Defensive Stats are Deceptive
If you look at the tackle leaders, you'll see Cody Simon and Sonny Styles at the top for Ohio State. They were everywhere. But the box score doesn't show the "explosive plays allowed" category, which is where Oregon feasted.
Evan Stewart had a monster night for the Ducks. Seven catches, 149 yards, and a touchdown. Every time Oregon needed a big chunk of yardage, Stewart seemed to be running free behind the secondary. It was a uncharacteristic look for a Jim Knowles defense that had been statistically dominant leading up to that trip to Eugene.
- Third Down Conversions: Oregon went 7-of-13.
- Total Yards: Ohio State actually outgained Oregon 467 to 435.
- Turnovers: Both teams kept it clean with zero turnovers each.
That third point is wild. Usually, in a game this big, someone coughs it up. Instead, it was a clean, high-level execution fest where the margin of error was thinner than a sheet of paper.
The Kicking Game and Field Position
Atticus Sappington. That’s a name Ohio State fans won’t forget anytime soon. He was 1-for-2 on field goals but hit all his PATs. Jayden Fielding was perfect on his lone field goal attempt. But it was the punting that secretly flipped the field. Oregon's punting unit averaged 45 yards per boot, pinning the Buckeyes deep and forcing Will Howard to navigate long fields all night long.
When you're starting at your own 10-yard line in Autzen, the playbook shrinks. You get conservative. You start worrying about the safety or the strip-sack.
The Impact of the New Big Ten Map
We have to acknowledge the travel factor. It’s not a stat in the Ohio State Oregon box score, but it’s the context that makes the numbers make sense. A 2,000-mile trip across time zones matters.
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The Buckeyes looked a step slow in the fourth quarter. Maybe it was the noise. Maybe it was the jet lag. Or maybe it was just Dan Lanning’s aggressive play-calling. Lanning went for it on fourth down, he used creative formations, and he dared Ohio State to stop him. Most of the time, they couldn't.
Jordan James was the engine for Oregon’s ground game. 115 yards on 23 carries. He wasn't breaking off 80-yard runs, but he was getting four, five, and six yards at a time. That keeps the chains moving. It keeps Will Howard on the sideline. It tires out a defensive line that is used to getting off the field in three plays.
Situational Football: The Red Zone
Ohio State got into the red zone four times. They scored three touchdowns.
Oregon got there four times. They scored three touchdowns.
It was a mirror image. The difference really came down to that one extra field goal attempt and the way Oregon managed the final two minutes. The Ducks' coaching staff looked like they were playing Chess while everyone else was playing Checkers. They manipulated the clock, used the 12-men-on-the-field penalty strategically to bleed time—a move so savvy it actually forced the NCAA to change the rules later—and ultimately forced Ohio State into a desperate final drive.
Key Takeaways for the Rematch
Will these teams meet again? Almost certainly. The Big Ten is top-heavy, and these two are the titans. When you study the Ohio State Oregon box score, you see the blueprint for a potential Big Ten Championship game or a College Football Playoff rematch.
- Pressure the QB: Ohio State didn't record a single sack. Not one. You cannot let Dillon Gabriel sit in the pocket and read his progressions for four seconds.
- Feed the RBs: Quinshon Judkins needs more than 11 carries. He’s a workhorse who gets better as the game goes on.
- Clean up the Penalties: Ohio State had eight penalties for 70 yards. In a one-point game, that's the difference between a win and a plane ride home full of regrets.
Oregon showed they belong in the elite tier. People doubted if they could handle the "physicality" of the Big Ten. After watching them go toe-to-toe with the Buckeyes' front seven, those doubts are buried. They didn't just match the physicality; at times, they exceeded it.
The Jeremiah Smith Factor
Let's be honest: Jeremiah Smith is the best receiver in the country. He had 100 yards as a teenager in the toughest environment in college football. If Ohio State wants to win the rematch, they have to find ways to get him the ball in space, not just on contested jump balls. He’s a weapon that Oregon struggled to contain even when they knew the ball was going to him.
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On the flip side, Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart are a terrifying duo. They combined for nearly 200 yards of offense. If the Buckeyes' corners can't hold up in man coverage, the result of the next game will look a lot like the first one.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you're looking at this matchup from an analytical perspective, don't just focus on the final score. Focus on the "Success Rate." Ohio State actually had a higher success rate per play than Oregon. They were more efficient on a play-by-play basis.
Why did they lose? High-leverage failures.
To truly understand what happened, you have to look at the "hidden yards." Kickoff returns, penalties that negated big gains, and the spot of the ball on third-and-short.
Next Steps for Deep Analysis:
- Watch the All-22 film: Look at the Oregon secondary. They played a "bend but don't break" style that allowed yardage but tightened up when the field got short.
- Monitor Injury Reports: Both teams came out of this game banged up. The depth of the offensive lines will be the deciding factor in a cold-weather rematch in December.
- Track Defensive Pressure Rates: Since Ohio State failed to get a sack, watch how Jim Knowles adjusts his blitz packages in the coming weeks. If the pressure doesn't improve, the secondary will continue to get burned.
The numbers in the box score provide the "what," but the tape provides the "why." Oregon won because they were slightly more opportunistic and had a home-field advantage that is worth at least three to four points. In a one-point game, that's everything. Ohio State is still a national title contender, but the road to the trophy now goes through Eugene.