And here we are on the doorstep of the biggest game Ohio State football has had in three years (sorry Michigan). In fact, it was the last time the Buckeyes matched up with Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl that we had the same type of implications. The desired destination is the College Football Playoff after all. Hopefully though, things end a little better this time around.
There’s no way around it. Beating a Clemson team on top of the college football world right now is going to be a Lord of the Rings type of journey with everyone pulling their weight. But let it be known, despite most of the media-types out there siding with the Tigers in this one, Ohio State has the horses, athletes, and coaching to get it done.
However, there’s certain things that will have to go OSU’s way if it expects to slay the dragon and make it to the next step of the journey in New Orleans. From there, it’ll have the opportunity to win the program’s ninth national championship (depending on what and how you count).
So what exactly is do the Buckeyes have to do for this thing to have confetti falling on them rather than a Clemson team? Here’s three things we think have to happen to make that a possibility.
Next … The start
Ohio State has to get out to a good start
The start is key in this one. The Buckeyes don’t even have to get out to a fast start per say, just a good one. By that, I mean Ohio State has to limit mistakes early. Calm those nerves, fall back on the preparation and go out and play loose.
If you go back to 2016 in the desert, the Buckeyes actually had a chance to go up on Clemson early. The secondary intercepted a pass in great field position, but then a field goal was missed. Then another field goal was missed later. There was also a key injury to the offensive line that resulted in a tackle for loss that stalled a drive as well.
Ohio State has to move the ball a little, but more importantly, it has to show that it can provide some resistance to a dynamic Clemson attack on offense. It can be blow for blow, it just can’t dig a hole like what happened against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game.
The Buckeyes were able to dig out of that one because talent eventually took over, but a hole in the desert would have dire consequences against this team. Play with the Tigers and believe. From there, it’s a ballgame.
Next … Win up front
Ohio State has to show up in the trenches
Say what you will about everything else you want. Everyone that knows the game of football will tell you that great teams get it done on both lines. Both Ohio State and Clemson have very, very good offensive and defensive lines, but one of the teams is going to get the edge in the trenches somewhere along the way.
On defense, Chase Young and company have to get a push and apply some pressure on quarterback Trevor Lawrence. It has to plug gaps and keep running back Travis Etienne from gashing the second level and getting chunk yards.
On offense, the line has to get stalemates at least early on and let running back J.K. Dobbins work his magic. And don’t abandon the ground and pound. The OSU offensive line has been able to wear teams down up front by keeping with things despite modest success, especially against undersized units. As good as Clemson is up front, the D-line is a bit undersized and there should be an advantage if Ohio State can keep rockin’.
Next … The Justin Fields show
Justin Fields has to be a stud
He’s got the goods, now it’s time to use them. Up until this point, Ohio State hasn’t had to put the ball in Justin Fields hands and ask him to go out and win a game all on his own. He’s made it to New York as a Heisman finalist because he distributed the ball around to so many weapons. There’s a good chance he’ll be asked to do more in this one.
Things might bog down and it might be hard to move the chains against the Clemson defense. That’s where the threat of Fields running the ball has to matter. Sure, he has to make some throws in small windows and get things crankin’ in the air, but when push comes to shove and everything is covered up, he’ll have to make some key conversions on the ground too.
A mobile quarterback like Fields can add so much to what an offense can do against a stout defense, and despite how healthy he is, there will be a handful of plays where he may have to be the dude.
But how healthy is that knee? Something tells me he won’t care and will battle as hard as he can when needed.
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