Ohio State welcomed Oregon to Ohio Stadium today for a ranked matchup inside the Big Ten. The Ducks pose a challenge for the Buckeyes, but they also provide a great opportunity for OSU to get back on the right side of things.
After last weekend, when Ohio State fell 30-18 to an unranked USC squad, Ryan Day's squad entered Week 10 looking to respond against a talented Oregon team. The Buckeyes have done what they sought to do through the first half of play and have shown major signs of improvement.
Here are three main observations from Ohio State's first-half performance against the Oregon Ducks.
Bo Jackson is providing the spark Ohio State needs
If there is one player who has made the biggest impact for Ohio State in the first half, it has undoubtedly been running back Bo Jackson. Jackson has found
the end zone twice and is responsible for all of the Buckeyes' first-half points. He is averaging 4.6 yards per carry on eight carries for a total of 37 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown.
With a young quarterback under center, it was as important as ever that Jackson had a good game. Thankfully for Buckeye fans, Jackson has taken some of the pressure off Luke Fahey by helping the Ohio State offense finish drives.
Luke Fahey is showing encouraging signs in his second start
One of the most encouraging developments for Ohio State comes from its newly named starting quarterback, Luke Fahey. After taking a loss to an unranked conference opponent in his first career start last week, there were questions about how the true freshman would respond against a much tougher opponent in No. 23 Oregon.
Through the first half against the Ducks, Fahey has looked much more comfortable, completing 13 of his 19 pass attempts for 143 yards, averaging 7.5 per attempt. While he did throw an interception within the final minute of the half, it doesn't take away from the overall improvement he has shown through the first two quarters.
There is always a learning curve for young quarterbacks who step into leadership roles, especially when it is at a nationally recognized program like Ohio State. However, the true freshman's ability to step in and produce against a very talented Oregon defense is a promising sign for the Buckeyes moving forward.
Ohio State's defense is struggling to contain Oregon's offense
Ohio State's defense began this game in a very promising fashion, by limiting the Ducks' opportunities and holding them scoreless in the first quarter. Unfortunately, as the game has progressed, Oregon has found more success moving the football and has scored 17 unanswered points.
The Ducks' passing attack has been particularly successful, led by Junior quarterback Dylan Raiola. Raiola has completed 16 passes for 172 yards and has helped Oregon find its rhythm offensively. Oregon has also been effective on the ground, scoring twice on rushing plays.
While the Buckeyes initially did a good job limiting Oregon, the Ducks finished the first half with 237 total yards, compared to Ohio State's 191.
Ohio State has shown positives and negatives through the first half; however, Ryan Day will need to clean up his team's defensive game plan if they want to hold off the Ducks on their home field. There is still plenty of football left, as the Buckeyes find themselves in the middle of another test.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Three halftime observations from Ohio State vs Oregon on Saturday
