OSU heads west to face the Oregon Ducks

Ohio State heads west this weekend for its first showdown against a new conference rival, the Oregon Ducks.

Why it matters: This pivotal contest between the Bucks (ranked No. 2) and Ducks (No. 3) could have major playoff implications down the road.

State of play: Both teams enter with identical 5-0 records (2-0 in conference play).

• Here's a primer on the new-look Big Ten and this weekend's opponent.

Catch up quick: Despite its name, the conference hasn't had 10 teams in decades.

• It's mainly been Midwestern, but that changed with the recent addition of four West Coast schools: Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.
• Teams are no longer separated by divisions, with the top two records making it to the Big Ten title game.

Between the yard lines: To paraphrase former OSU president E. Gordon Gee, three of the new teams aren't exactly the Little Sisters of the Poor:

🦆 Oregon reached the national championship game in 2014 (falling to OSU) and has remained a powerhouse program.

🐕 The Washington Huskies has twice made the College Football Playoffs, losing the championship game to TTUN this January.

☀️ The USC Trojans, once a dominant program in the early 2000s, are still a tough foe and produced the NFL's No. 1 pick in April.

Zoom in: The Ducks are located in Eugene, about 50 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean.

• Football is huge there, but the city is also famous for its running scene as the home to Nike and long-distance legend Steve Prefontaine.

Fun fact: Oregon's mascot is based on Donald Duck via a one-of-a-kind license agreement with Disney.

1 tradition to know: Fans love "throwing the O" — the most perfect letter, as our Axios Portland friends tell us.

• That's cute and all, but the Buckeyes are capable of spelling out the whole word "OHIO." Maybe we're just smarter.

🥐 What to do in Eugene: For those making the trip, our Portland colleagues recommend the Noisette Pastry Kitchen , a downtown French bakery.

• There's also the Bier Stein for beer snobs and the Jackalope for those seeking a proper dive bar.

How to watch: Kickoff is 7:30pm Saturday on NBC/Peacock and on radio at 97.1 The Fan.