Veteran playmaker could have cost Oregon Ducks the game against Ohio State with inexcusable choice

In the biggest game of the season, you need your playmakers on the field. Unfortunately for the Oregon Ducks, starting wide receiver and key contributor Treashon Holden elected to make a choice that got him tossed from the game.

Holden has been having a good season, logging 242 receiving yards and three touchdowns entering tonight's game. After catching a 32 yard pass and jawing with an Ohio State defensive back, Holden was ejected from the game for spitting on him.

He'll want that one back. Early in the second quarter, when you're locked in a tight battle with the nation's No. 2 team, you can't take yourself out of the game with a choice like this.

Fortunately for the Ducks, it didn't derail the success that the offense was having. The offensive line had a terrific day protecting Dillon Gabriel and opening up running lanes for Jordan James, and wide receivers Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson were up to the occasion with multiple huge plays.

Holden has a bit of a checkered history. The former Alabama transfer was arrested in February on accusations of felony unlawful use of a weapon and coercion and misdemeanor menacing. Head coach Dan Lanning dismissed him temporarily for the team while the legal process sorted itself out, and when the charges were drop, Holden was reinstated.

Lanning runs a pretty tight ship, and he was not asked about Holden immediately following the game. We'll see if Holden's actions have any sort of ramifications on his playing time next week as Oregon travels to play against Purdue on the road.

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