The Ohio State Buckeyes are prepared to face off against the Oregon Ducks on Saturday night. Ryan Day knows how big of a game this will be for his team and also knows that it will be a difficult matchup.

Day and his team have dominated the first five games on their 2024 schedule. Last week, they were able to blow out the Iowa Hawkeyes by a final score of 35-7.

While they have made things look easy this season, the No. 2 Ohio State squad has not faced a test like they will have against No. 3 ranked Oregon.

As difficult as the matchup will be, it also presents a huge opportunity for the Buckeyes. Another big win would make them a clear-cut national championship favorite.

They already have that title, but defeating the Ducks would cement that status even more.

Ahead of Saturday’s game, Day issued a bold statement. It was a short and sweet comment, but one that sums up the matchup ahead of Ohio State.

“We have to take the next step this week.”

That statement is 100 percent true. Beating a solid Iowa team was a nice win, but it’s far from a statement. Beating Oregon would be a major statement.

It will be interesting to get our first look at the Buckeyes playing a legitimate national championship contender. The hype surrounding Ohio State has been enjoyable so far this year, but now it’s time to go earn it.

Hopfully, Day and the Buckeyes will be able to take the next step. They need to start fast and play consistently at a high level. There is no question that they have the talent to continue winning the way they have shown so far this season.

Defensively, Ohio State has to shut down the big plays. They can’t allow Oregon to move the ball quickly. Each and every play, the Buckeyes must have a “grind it out” mentality and out-play the Ducks.

Make sure to tune in on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. EST on NBC to see if Ohio State can pull off the big win on the road against Oregon.