One of the questions asked when the Oregon Ducks joined the Big Ten Conference was how would the team adjust to playing on the road and the travel aspect of the new surroundings?
As it turned out, the Ducks didn’t have a problem with it, going undefeated in the regular season. But the bigger question was how the other teams would adjust to Autzen Stadium. One team that adjusted fairly well to the noise and the atmosphere was Ohio State, although the Buckeyes still came out with a loss.
Autzen Stadium was turned up to an 11 for that game and it was noticed by the Ohio State team and on wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in particular. The superstar wideout said it was one of the most unforgettable experiences of his freshman season.
“It was rocking. Probably the loudest I’ve ever been in,” Smith said at Big Ten Media Day in Las Vegas. “The fans were definitely getting hyped. Couldn’t hear anything. Probably the best stadium I played in last year.”
The noise certainly didn’t affect his game, however, as he burned the Duck secondary for nine receptions for an even 100 yards and a touchdown.
Ohio State’s offense had to deal with the noise much more than its defense, but safety Caleb Downs also said Autzen Stadium was electric, and it was a bit unexpected to how electric it was.
“I think going into it, they told us it was probably 50,000 or 60,000 (capacity.) And somebody was like, ‘oh that’s not crazy.’ But they were rocking there,” Downs said. “They came out with the motorcycle on the field, and I was like, ooh. But, I mean, I love that type of energy. So, I mean, it was a positive for me, and I like those type of atmospheres. So, it was great.”
It was great for the over 60,000 Duck fans that saw Oregon win 32-31.
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Source link : https://duckswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/ducks/football/2025/07/23/autzen-stadium-big-impression-ohio-states-jeremiah-smith/85340732007/
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Publish date : 2025-07-23 19:35:00
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