Ohio State vs. Oregon Ducks! The stage is set for a thrilling rematch in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the iconic Rose Bowl. These two teams faced off earlier in the season, with Oregon narrowly escaping with a 32-31 victory at Autzen Stadium. What a thrilling game! Wasn’t it? CFB is going to witness the wildness again this weekend. See, the Ducks are unbeaten with 13 back-to-back wins. Hence, the competition is fierce, but who can be the ultimate threat to Ryan Day and the Buckeyes?

As Ohio State prepares for this crucial matchup, RJ Young, a national analyst for FOX College Football, has some strong opinions on what lies ahead for the Buckeyes. Young has issued a warning about a major obstacle in Ohio State’s championship quest: Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Now that the Ducks are ruling CFB, and as the year progresses, questions arise about why Oklahoma allowed Dillon Gabriel to leave. The reality is that they didn’t actively push him out; instead, they were focused on Jackson Arnold. Young highlighted that Stein, whom he considers one of the top coordinators in the country, is poised for a great opportunity in the Power Five when the right job opens up next cycle. He recruited Dillon Gabriel because he recognized what he could do with Bo Nix.

Young highlighted that Gabriel is a game changer, stating, “Dillon Gabriel is a better quarterback than Bo Nix. I think he’s got better awareness, more accuracy, and he’s more patient.” No doubt about that. Does that mean the Buckeyes are solely relying on him?

Adding on to what makes Gabriel stand out, the analysts added, “Probably going to get better results than the ones you got with Will Howard. Right? That’s the thing. He’s going to give you the edge at quarterback for the rest of the way. I like Dillon Gabriel against Quinn Ewers. I like Dillon Gabriel against Riley Leonard. I like Dillon Gabriel against Gunner Stockton. I like Will and Gabriel.”

See, with Gabriel’s impressive stats this season—over 3,500 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 192 rushing yards—he poses a significant threat to Ohio State’s defense. For Dan Lanning’s squad to keep their championship dreams alive, quarterback Dillon Gabriel is going to have to take the lead. Like he does, he’ll need to make plays with both his arm and his legs. Now, facing off against an Ohio State defense that’s ranked as the best in the nation, it’s going to be crucial for Gabriel to find a balance between his passing and running game. Only if he can do that could it be the key to Oregon’s success in this high-stakes matchup. Hold on! But coming back to Ryan Day. Gabriel’s success can put him in hot water. Let’s discuss it in detail.

Ryan Day’s job at stake

See, the Buckeyes will enter this week with 11 wins, which is not that bad. Then why is Day in trouble? So, since taking over as head coach, Day has struggled against the Wolverines, boasting a disappointing 1-4 record in those rivalry games. His only win came back in 2019, and after losing the last four matches, fans are starting to question his future with the Buckeyes.

This year he had the opportunity to shut the doubters up as the defending champions were not in their best form, but sadly once again he left the fans disappointed, and it added fuel to the fire. Even with an impressive overall record of 67-10, not being able to beat Michigan is a huge mark against him, especially when you consider that his predecessor, Urban Meyer, went a perfect 7-0 against the Wolverines.

As mentioned earlier, what stings the most about this year’s loss to Michigan is that it wasn’t even against a strong team. The Wolverines came into that game with a mediocre 6-5 record and were led by a first-year head coach, Moore, yet Ohio State was favored by 20 points and ended up losing 13-10. You know what the new playoff format saved Day till now. If it weren’t for the new 12-team playoff format this season, Ohio State’s hopes would be dashed.

But now, with another shot at glory in the playoffs, Day has a chance to silence his critics if he can lead the Buckeyes to three more wins and a national championship. This game is crucial not just for advancing in the playoffs but also for Day’s job security. If he can pull off a win against Oregon, it could give him some much-needed breathing room as he aims to turn things around after those tough losses to Michigan. Will Day save his job with a victory?

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