Oregon State holds off Ohio State's last-second comeback in epic battle of top three Big Ten programs

Oregon Ducks, welcome to the Big Ten.

On Saturday night, the No. 3 Ducks held off a late push from No. 2 Ohio State and cruised to a 32-31 victory in Eugene.

This match was a movie from the beginning. In the first half alone, there were successful onside kicks, ejections, and blocked PATs that nearly brought home the game. But somehow the ending was even better.

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Early in the fourth quarter, Dillon Gabriel found the end zone from 27 yards on the ground and the PAT gave the Ducks a 29-28 lead. However, the Buckeyes made a 40-yard field goal to take a two-point lead. However, Oregon State got the ball back with six minutes left, advanced down the field, and opted for a chip-shot field goal on the 11th play of the drive to take a 32-31 lead with 1:47 remaining.

Will Howard was sacked for 9 yards on the Buckeyes' first play of the ensuing drive, but quickly completed passes of 13, 8, 9 and 26 yards to get within field goal range. However, Ohio State was turned around by offensive pass interference. Also, Ohio State didn't seem to realize that time had passed by the time the ball was put down after the penalty.

With six seconds left, Howard ran a few yards to give his team a field goal shot, but he couldn't slide quickly enough to call a timeout, ending the game.

If Howard had broken out a little earlier (it didn't appear to be a planned run), he might have had enough time to call a timeout. Ducks fans rushed onto the field almost immediately, and it took a considerable amount of time for Gabriel and head coach Dan Lanning to leave the field.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning celebrates Dillon Gabriel #8's touchdown during the fourth quarter of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. I reacted to the decision. (Arika Jenner/Getty Images)

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The game was a back-and-forth affair from the jump, with no one leading more than one possession. Ohio State scored on its first drive, but then Oregon State followed suit. However, a blocked PAT occurred here, preserving the 7-6 Buckeyes lead.

Oregon State missed a field goal on its next attempt, and just four plays later, the Buckeyes scored for an eight-point lead. Oregon State scored on its next drive, but trailed by two points, so they opted for a two-point conversion. The result was a failure, but they kicked off at midfield thanks to a personal foul penalty. So they went for an onside kick and got it. They kicked a field goal to take the advantage, but lost on the drive after Traeshon Holden spit on an opponent and was ejected from the game. Both teams then scored seven more points before the half, with the Ducks leading 22-21 in the locker room.

Oregon Ducks No. 15 Tez celebrates after catching a pass against No. 10 Denzel Burke of the Ohio State Buckeyes for a touchdown during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, Oct. 12, 2024.・Johnson. (Ali Gradisher/Getty Images)

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Oregon punted on the first drive of the second half, and the Buckeyes answered with a touchdown from freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith to take a six-point lead. The Ducks got inside the 5-yard line on their next drive but failed to score, turning the ball over on downs. But thankfully for them, it didn't matter as they forced a punt and got the ball back at the start of the fourth quarter.

Gabriel had 341 passing yards and Jordan James ran for 115 yards on 23 carries, including one touchdown. Evan Stewart led all receivers with seven catches for 149 yards. He and Tez Johnson scored Oregon's receiving touchdowns.

Howard's 326 yards through the air weren't enough, but Smith and Emeka Egbuka combined for 19 receptions, 193 yards and two touchdowns.

The line of scrimmage between the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Tom Hawk/Getty Images)

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This was Oregon State's first win over a top two team in program history. Their match record up until then was 0 wins, 19 losses, and 1 draw. Oregon State improved to 6-0 and Ohio State improved to 5-1.

Oregon State heads to Purdue next Friday, while the Buckeyes host Nebraska.

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