It's safe to say that the Oregon Ducks took over Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday. Opening as nearly double digit underdogs on the road, the Ducks defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes, 41-28 — but the final score doesn't come close to explain just how much Oregon dominated from the second through most of the fourth quarter.
The Buckeyes managed to score a pair of garbage-time touchdowns, but Oregon led 38-14 when Buckeyes fans headed for the exits early in the fourth quarter. It was a shocking result considering the lack of success that the Ducks have had in 2026, but they put it all together in a game that they needed to have in order to keep their Big Ten title and College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Across the board, there were individual
efforts that the Ducks can be proud of. In a matchup featuring loads of talent lined up across from Oregon, they battled and ultimately came out on top after dropping down 14-0 to begin the game. The Ducks stayed resilient and bounced back, scoring 38 unanswered points, delivering themselves their sixth win.
Let's dive into this week's report card, featuring grades and analysis for every position group. We'll start with the quarterback spot, where Dylan Raiola didn't officially record a turnover and kept the offense moving from the second quarter on.
Quarterbacks
Grade: B+
It was pretty shaky at the start, as Raiola threw a would-be pick-six and several other dangerous passes in the first 20 minutes, but he settled down for the rest of the game. The Ducks' backup was nails towards the middle of the field, hitting tight end Jamari Johnson on seams and his wide receivers on in-breaking routes. Another aspect of Raiola's game that he tapped into this week was his touch throws, as he dropped multiple passes into the bucket for his pass catchers. Raiola may not have been among the top five reasons that Oregon won, but he kept the train full steam ahead and didn't hold the Ducks back, either.
Running Backs
Grade: A
The final numbers don't do this group justice, as they say that the Oregon rushing attack carried the ball 33 times for 108 yards for 3.3 yards per carry. But in reality, the Ducks had running gains in crucial moments, none bigger than Dierre Hill Jr.'s 48-yard weaving touchdown that began to put the game out of reach in Oregon's favor. He finished the day with 17 touches (13 carries, four catches) for 106 yards and two touchdowns, taking the lead in the backfield with Jordon Davison sidelined with injury. Tradarian Ball (six carries, 24 yards), Brandon Smith (five carries, 12 yards) and Da'Jaun Riggs also helped out in eating up some carries. Smith recording three grabs for 52 yards and a touchdown on a screen pass elevates this group from a "B+" to an "A."
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Grade: A
Needing their biggest performance of the season, Oregon's receiving core showed up — big time. Dakorien Moore led the group with seven catches for 56 yards and as impressive of a one-handed touchdown catch as you'll see this weekend. Evan Stewart wasn't far behind with four catches for 47 yards and Johnson had three big catches for 42 yards, plus a quarterback sneak touchdown at the end of the first half in which his powerful base proved important. Ducks pass catchers made multiple catches when the ball was away from their bodies, helping out Raiola in the victory.
Offensive Line
Grade: B+
The running holes may not have always been there, but it was impressive to watch Raiola have so much time in the pocket from the first quarter on. He faced pressure in the first 15-20 minutes, and struggled as he often does with defenders in his face. But once he was able to see the field clearly thanks to arguably the top offensive line combination for the Ducks this fall, Raiola found open receivers consistently. Against a talented Buckeyes front seven, Oregon's offensive line won the battle on Saturday.
Defensive Line
Grade: A
Even though the Buckeyes got going in the first quarter, it wasn't because of a consistently good run game. Bo Jackson ran in a pair of touchdowns, but that's exactly when the Ducks cut the cord on that aspect of Ohio State's game plan. By game's end, the Buckeyes had rushed for 53 yards and 2.5 yards per carry — a credit to the penetration from the defensive line that allowed all other members of the defense to flow upfield. Oregon recorded nine tackles for loss and two sacks, plus forcing Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey to run for his life at times. D'Antre Robinson, a transfer from North Carolina, batting down Fahey's pass late in the game on a fourth down attempt was a microcosm of this game: hope for the Buckeyes, only to be quickly crushed by the Ducks.
Linebackers
Grade: B+
As has often been the case, Devon Jackson was the star of this group. That was no different in Columbus, as he tied for the team-lead with eight tackles and his speed showed up with three tackles for loss. He tied for the tackle lead with fellow 'backer Dylan Williams, who had some strong sticks on Jackson at the point of attack. Jerry Mixon, who exited the game on the first play with an injury, came back in and contributed four tackles, making his presence felt as well.
Secondary
Grade: A+
There were three things that I'll highlight for the secondary and why they deserve an A+. First, true freshman Devin Jackson's late second-quarter interception helped give Oregon a halftime lead that they never relinquished. And during the first three quarters, the Ducks' secondary held Ohio State all-world receiver Jeremiah Smith to just 46 yards, which would've been a season-low if he hadn't picked up yards in garbage time. Finally, cornerback Ify Obidegwu had two bone-shattering sticks on Buckeyes on back-to-back plays, sending Jackson injured to the sideline. Who knew Obidegwu had those hard hits in him, on two straight plays, nonetheless.
Special Teams
Grade: A
I'm choosing to ignore kicker Gage Hurych's 52-yard field goal attempt that fell short, because the fake punt jump pass from Teitum Tuioti to Matayo UIagalelei — the two starting edge rushers — might've been the play of the season for the Ducks. It was certainly the most crucial, as it sparked the start of five touchdowns for Oregon after they were stuck at three points. For a trick play like that, it's hard to think of a better moment in which the play uplifted an entire sideline and powered a team to victory.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Week 10 Report Card: Ducks earn strong grades after massive win
