No. 23 Oregon stunned No. 12 Ohio State 41-28 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, November 7, 2026, rallying from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit with 38 unanswered points to end the Buckeyes' College Football Playoff hopes. The Oregon Ohio State 41-28 result was the biggest upset of Week 10 and the highest scoring run against Ohio State at home since 1999. Ohio State, ranked No. 12 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, has now lost three regular-season games for the first time since 2011.

The win kept Oregon's postseason hopes alive at 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, while Ohio State fell to the same mark with its second straight defeat. The Buckeyes were 50-3 at home under head coach Ryan Day before Saturday.

Key Points

• Oregon scored 38 unanswered points after Ohio State led 14-0 in the first quarter, the highest scoring run against the Buckeyes at home since 1999.
• The Ducks led 17-14 at halftime and 31-14 after three quarters, then sealed the win with a fourth-quarter touchdown and an onside-kick recovery.
• Ohio State has now lost three regular-season games for the first time since 2011, and its College Football Playoff hopes are effectively over.
• Freshman quarterback Luke Fahey started for the injured Julian Sayin and is now 0-2 as a starter after throwing a late touchdown to Jeremiah Smith.
• Oregon (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) keeps its postseason hopes alive and next hosts Michigan.

What Happened

Ohio State made the perfect start. Running back Bo Jackson scored twice in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead, and a crowd of more than 103,000 expected a routine home win. Instead, the game turned completely. Oregon answered with 38 unanswered points, the highest scoring run against Ohio State at home since 1999, and the Buckeyes never scored again until the game was decided.

The Ducks led 17-14 at halftime and 31-14 after three quarters, controlling the game on both sides of the ball while Ohio State's offence stalled. In the fourth quarter, quarterback Dylan Raiola threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Smith to make the lead insurmountable, and Oregon then recovered an onside kick to close out the win in front of a crowd that had largely dispersed before the final whistle.

Ohio State's only late response came from freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, who started in place of the injured Julian Sayin and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Smith. It was not nearly enough, and the 41-28 final scoreline flattered the home side.

Background and Context

The stakes were clear before kickoff. Ohio State entered the week ranked No. 12 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, but the Buckeyes were already wounded: they had lost 30-18 to USC on October 31, and starting quarterback Julian Sayin was out indefinitely with an arm injury, leaving freshman Luke Fahey to make his second career start.

Oregon arrived with its own problems. The Ducks had lost star quarterback Dante Moore for the season to a concussion in late October, and Dylan Raiola was still settling into the starting job. But Oregon had rallied from 14 points down to beat No. 20 Northwestern 34-26 the previous week, and travelled to Columbus believing a vulnerable Buckeye team could be beaten.

History also favoured the home side: Ohio State was 50-3 at home under Ryan Day and had not lost three regular-season games since 2011. Oregon broke both streaks in one afternoon.

Oregon Ohio State 41-28: How the Ducks Turned the Game

The turning point was not one play but a sustained collapse by the home side and a steady response from the visitors. After Jackson's two early touchdowns, Ohio State's offence went quiet and Oregon's defence began to dictate the game. The Ducks scored 38 unanswered points across the second, third and fourth quarters, turning a 14-0 deficit into a 38-14 lead.

Raiola managed the game with composure, and his 15-yard touchdown pass to Smith in the fourth quarter turned the upset into a rout. The onside-kick recovery that followed showed a team that had come to Columbus expecting to win, not merely to compete. By the time Fahey found Smith for the late consolation score, thousands of home fans had already headed for the exits.

Reactions

The loudest reaction came from the stands, or rather from their emptiness. A crowd of more than 103,000 that had roared Ohio State into a 14-0 lead had largely dispersed before the final whistle, a rare sight at Ohio Stadium. Oregon's travelling fans, by contrast, were still on their feet at the end, celebrating one of the biggest road wins in program history.

For Ohio State, the defeat leaves the program facing hard questions: two straight losses, a freshman quarterback learning on the job and a playoff race that has moved on. For Oregon, the win is a statement that the season is far from over, even without its starting quarterback.

Why It Matters

The result reshapes the Big Ten race and the playoff picture. Ohio State, now 6-3, has effectively been eliminated from playoff contention, and the three regular-season losses are the program's most since 2011.

For Oregon, the win keeps the Ducks in the postseason conversation at 6-3 and 4-2 in the Big Ten, and proves the team can win a big game on the road without Dante Moore. A road win at Ohio Stadium is the kind of result the selection committee remembers.

What Happens Next

Oregon returns home to host Michigan next week, with a chance to build on the biggest win of its season and keep its postseason hopes alive. The Ducks will hope Raiola keeps growing into the starting role.

Ohio State must regroup quickly. The Buckeyes need to support Fahey while Sayin remains out indefinitely, and the coaching staff must find answers for an offence that managed just two early touchdowns before going quiet. With the playoff race over, the focus shifts to finishing strongly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Oregon vs Ohio State?
Oregon beat Ohio State 41-28 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, scoring 38 unanswered points after trailing 14-0.

Who is Oregon's quarterback?
Dylan Raiola, who started after star quarterback Dante Moore was ruled out for the season with a concussion. Raiola threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Smith in the fourth quarter.

Why did Ohio State start a freshman quarterback?
Julian Sayin is out indefinitely with an arm injury, so freshman Luke Fahey started. He is now 0-2 as a starter.

What does the loss mean for Ohio State's playoff hopes?
They are effectively over. Ohio State has lost three regular-season games for the first time since 2011 and has now lost two straight.

Who does Oregon play next?
Oregon hosts Michigan next week, while Ohio State looks to regroup after its second straight defeat.

Read more on US News Pulse: USC stuns No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 as Maiava, Mosley ignite Coliseum upset, Oregon rallies from 14 points down to stun No. 20 Northwestern 34-26 at home and Dante Moore out for season as Oregon star QB's concussion ends 2026 campaign.