No. 12 Oregon shocks No. 3 Ohio State: Its tremendous progress, but it is just the beginning – AL.com

Down goes Ohio State.

No. 12 Oregon shocked the No. 3-ranked Buckeyes 35-28 in Columbus on Saturday, rocking the college footbal landscape and giving coach Mario Cristobal his second win against a top-5 opponent.

The Ducks, known for offense and uniform combinations, ended the game with a sack.

I think these guys got tired of reading the headlines, which they shouldnt be reading anyways after Game 1 against a very good Fresno State team, Cristobal said right after the game.

So what went on here is just a process. This is three or four years of building toward this moment and making it a reality. Its tremendous progress, but it is just the beginning. We have work to do.

C.J. Verdell ran for 161 yards and had three touchdowns as shorthanded No. 12 Oregon exploited a porous Ohio State defense to upset the No. 3 Buckeyes for their first regular-season loss in nearly three years.

Ohio State (1-1) never led the game it was favored the win by 14 1/2 points despite gaudy numbers from freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud.

The Buckeyes had a chance to tie it late after pulling within a touchdown with 7:55 left. But when they got the ball again, Stroud, who passed for 472 yards and three touchdowns, took his first sack of the day and then was intercepted by Verone McKinley III on a desperation sideline pass on third-and-18 at the Oregon 35 with 2:50 to go in front of a stunned crowd of more than 100,000.

Oregon (2-0) without star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux and linebacker Justin Flowe. Cristobal admitted he wasnt sure what to expect, but the result was that of practice and preparation.

Stroud threw for 484 yards and threw touchdowns. Stroud, in his second start, passed for the second-most yards in Ohio State history, coming up 15 short of Dwayne Haskins Jr.s 499 against Northwestern in 2018.

The Ducks ran the clock down to under 30 seconds before punting, pinning th Buckeyes inside the 10.

Oregons Anthony Brown completed 17 of 35 for 236 yard and two scores. It was the running game that gashed the Buckeye, though. CJ Verdell ran for 161 yards and two scores.

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.

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No. 12 Oregon shocks No. 3 Ohio State: Its tremendous progress, but it is just the beginning - AL.com