Ohio State's playoff hopes take big hit with 41-28 loss to Oregon

After starting the season as the No. 1 team, Ohio State is proving why the games are not played on paper. The Buckeyes, ranked 12th in the College Football Playoff rankings, were beaten 41-28 by No. 23 Oregon. It was their second loss in as many weeks.

Ohio State entered the game as touchdown favourites and raced to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. They made that start without quarterback Julian Sayin. But Oregon then responded with 38 unanswered points to take control of the match.

With two-and-a-half minutes left before half-time, Ohio State looked set to go into the locker room ahead by at least 14-3. That was when Oregon turned the game around. On 4th and 10, the Ducks faked a punt — a decision that proved to be the turning point of the match.

Five plays later, Oregon reached the end zone to cut the deficit to four points. Then Luke Fahey threw an interception near midfield, which Oregon turned into a 17-14 lead right as the first half ended.

The start of the second half went Oregon's way as well. Dierre Hill Jr. took a 48-yard run to the house to put his team two possessions ahead. After a three-and-out on their first drive of the second half, Ohio State's next four drives all ended in turnovers on downs. In the meantime, Oregon added two more touchdowns to go up 38-14.

Jeremiah Smith made his statistics look better with a 57-yard reception in garbage time — seven receptions for 133 yards. But he let his emotions show on the field, as he may have watched his Heisman Trophy chances slip away. He was held to just four catches through three quarters, three of them in the first half.

The Buckeyes had been the first team out of the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings. They now unquestionably face an uphill battle to play in the postseason.

This defeat came just a week after their 30-18 loss to USC, when they were ranked second in the AP poll. The team is now 0-2 without Sayin, who many had in the Heisman conversation at the start of the season.

For Oregon, Dylan Raiola completed 25 of 40 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Dakorien Moore and Brandon Smith combined for 10 catches for 108 yards, each with a score, while Hill scored twice on his 13 carries for 75 yards.

Nine Ducks caught at least one pass from Raiola. Now needing a lot of help, Ohio State will host Northwestern next week before a trip to Nebraska and then finish the season hosting Michigan.

Oregon, meanwhile, is hoping to backdoor its way into the playoff. They wrap up their campaign with Michigan, Michigan State and Washington the rest of the way.