“The North remembers,” and boy are they ready to roast that Duck. Will Howard and Ryan Day have finally done it? That playoff berth went right out the window the moment Will Howard and Day lost to Michigan. “Fire Ryan Day” was all Howard could hear, and it got so bad that the Bucks HC had to get armed guards!! There was only one single prediction when OSU went up against Vols: The SEC is going to crush the B1G champs but NO. Howard threw a dime on a dime and had one of the most accurate games of his 2024 season run. Over 300 yards with only 5 missed passes? This is some record. Not only did the North SHOW UP, but they wiped the floor with the Vols and took home a massive 42-point playoff win. But every fairy tale story must have some twists…

….For Day and Howard? It is the Oregon Ducks. Second chances are a blessing, and OSU missed their shot at facing off against Dan Lanning for the B1G title game, but now the 12-team bracket has blessed them, and how can they let this go to waste? “I still have nightmares about that play, you know… What could I have done better?… I get a chance to, you know, go out there and write the wrong from that game. Um, and you don’t get second chances,” Howard mentioned.

1 single point.

That is how close the Bucks were to pushing the Ducks into OT during the regular season run. If it wasn’t for Lanning and Co’s final drive and that single field goal by Atticus Sappington, then Day would’ve taken a W against the undefeated Big 10 champs.

Howard was close to perfect in that game. No interceptions, and no dumb turnovers. Landed every shot that was required and brought 2 massive touchdowns for the boys. However, the Oregon offense was just better. The entire game felt like a playoff match from the get-go.

496 total yards vs 467 total yards. 341 passing yards vs 326 passing yards. That is how close everything was!! But not anymore. Day and Chip Kelly have finally learned how to deal with a team that gets up close and personal. RUN THE D-MN FOOTBALL. So they did, as if their lives depended on it!! If they could surf past the Vols’ defense (which is arguably one of the best in the SEC), will winning the rematch against Dan Lanning even be hard?

Heavy is the head that wears the crown

The Ducks may be the proverbial “Kings” of the playoffs, but going for another game in Autzen, they have still found themselves to be the underdogs. Preparation and execution. 2 things Day and his $21 million brainchild showed at full power against Tennessee.

And even though Lanning is coming off of a massive bye-week, will it be enough to get past the Bucks newfound flair? See, Lanning was forever cursed to have a less favorable matchup. Either you get the defensive giants, aka, Vols, or you get a team with one of the best running and wide receiver units in CFB, aka Buckeyes.

Both games would be dangerous, but OSU becomes the bigger threat the moment you realize that their defense ain’t a joke as well. Once again, they were 31-29 when they last faced the Ducks, and it was a miracle that gave Lanning the win.

You take that and pair it up with how perfect Jeremiah Smith, TreVeyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins have been with the carries and receptions, and you get the perfect recipe for disaster. Yes, Dillion Gabriel is amazing, but how “amazing” can he be against Howard, who was broken and battered after the Michigan loss but has now resurrected?