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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes are 11-0 heading into Saturday's highly anticipated rivalry matchup against the Michigan Wolverines.
Led by head coach Ryan Day, the reigning national champions are locked in for another playoff run.
Following last year's national championship victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was lured to the NFL with a $6 million per year offer from the Las Vegas Raiders. But after just 11 games as the team's OC, Kelly was fired by the Raiders on Sunday night.
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The Raiders are 2-9 on the season so far, averaging just 268.9 yards and a league-worst 15.0 points per game.
"I am grateful for the opportunity with the Raiders; bottom line in this league you have to win," Kelly said in a statement after his dismissal. "I really loved those players. I'm a huge, huge Geno Smith fan. That was one of the best parts of this experience for me, working with Geno and those guys every day.
"But hey, we got to win. I get it."
While Kelly wasn't successful with the Raiders this season, he was an elite offensive coordinator for Ohio State in his one season with the program. The veteran coach served as the Buckeyes' primary offensive play caller as they dominated their way through last year's College Football Playoff.
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Some Ohio State fans are wondering if the team will reunite with Kelly before they embark on this year's postseason run.
"Ohio State run game about to go [up] since they will have Chip Kelly for the playoff run as a special advisor," one fan wrote.
"Damn Chip Kelly already got fired? Welcome back, Senior Offensive Analyst," another said.
"When Ohio State hires Chip Kelly as a 'special advisor' and terrorize the NCAA even more this season," another added.
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Brian Hartline is Ohio State's current offensive coordinator after serving as co-OC/wide receivers coach in 2024. The Buckeyes are averaging 440.3 yards and 37.9 points per game.
Ohio State's rivalry matchup against Michigan will kick off at noon ET on Saturday.
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