Ohio State beating Oregon is even more key with the Ducks having a five-star Ohio State commit on their sideline

Ohio State is taking on Oregon in a prime-time matchup on Saturday and it will be a battle between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country.

When the Buckeyes take on the Ducks, they will have to beat them with one of their own top recruits on the opponent's sideline. Oregon is hosting five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord, who is verbally committed to play his college ball in Columbus.

For the Buckeyes, you have to continue to be worried about the blue-chip product out of Alabama. Offord has recently been in contact with Auburn quite a bit and has made a couple of recent visits to see the Tigers. Now, he is visiting a quality Big Ten opponent while they host the Buckeyes.

You can bet that Oregon will be trying to roll out the red carpet this weekend with multiple high-profile recruits on campus, including five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, who is also a Buckeye target.

In today’s age of college recruiting, nothing is done until the student-athlete signs on the dotted line, then you still have to try to keep them around going forward after that. Winning a game against Oregon is only going to help the Buckeyes' cause, it will be one last thing that Oregon has to use against them in recruiting.

Offord is a premier five-star talent and a part of an elite duo that the Buckeyes want to bring in with Devin Sanchez being the other half . Ohio State will fight to hold on until they can’t. This weekend is a huge bump on the road that they must maneuver.

Ohio State’s 2025 verbal commitments

• QB Tavien St. Clair
• CB Devin Sanchez
• CB Na’eem Offord
• OT Carter Lowe
• LB Tarvos Alford
• RB Bo Jackson
• DE Zahir Mathis
• DL London Merritt
• TE Nate Roberts
• WR De’Zie Jones
• S DeShawn Stewart
• LB Eli Lee
• S Cody Haddad
• S Faheem Delane
• WR Quincy Porter
• RB Isaiah West
• WR Bodpegn Miller
• OL Jake Cook
• DE Zion Grady
• TE Brody Lennon
• DL Trajen Odom
• DL Maxwell Roy
• LB Riley Pettijohn
• DL Jarquez Carter
• OL Jayvon McFadden
• WR Phillip Bell

Related: Connor Stalions claps back at former Ohio State star playmaker who is now in the NFL