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 35-28 for their first regular-season loss in n…
COLUMBUS, Ohio — 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 35-28 for their first regular-season loss in nearly three years. Ohio State (1-1,1-0 Big Ten) never led the game it was favored to win by 14 1/2 points despite gaudy numbers from freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud (Rancho Cucamonga). Its front seven struggled to contain Verdell, control the edge and get after Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown in front. “They quickly adapted and just played with grit and toughness, knowing this was going to be a slugfest,” Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said. The Ducks (2-0,2-0 Pac-12) were without star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oaks Christian) and linebacker Justin Flowe (Upland). 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.
