After watching Ohio State rout Clemson, how big of a threat are the Buckeyes to Alabama?
Is it Jan. 11 yet?
We’ve now got to wait more than a week not for Alabama-Clemson Part V, but Alabama-Ohio State Part … II? I don’t know. Maybe it’s Part II because of the semifinal matchup in 2014, or maybe it’s Part I because they haven’t faced off in a title game. Besides, this is Ryan Day’s team, not Urban Meyer’s.
So yeah. Sign. Me. Up.
After how good Ohio State looked on Friday night, this Alabama-Ohio State College Football Playoff National Championship matchup suddenly looks all the more interesting. Ohio State’s defense actually showed up, and a banged up Justin Fields dunked all over Trevor Lawrence. Meanwhile in the Rose Bowl, Alabama failed to hit 35 points for the first time since the 2018 title game.
Easy, Alabama fans. That’s not my way of saying this is going to be an Ohio State rout or even an Ohio State victory. But Friday’s events certainly changed the conversation of the title game, which once looked like an obvious Alabama-Clemson, Part V.
Now the question is obvious — is Ohio State a legitimate threat to Alabama?
To answer that in a word, absolutely. Being a “threat” isn’t exactly the same thing as saying the Buckeyes will undoubtedly beat Alabama. Clemson was supposed to undoubtedly beat Ohio State, then Fields put on his cape and got the Buckeyes over the hump.
Shoutout to the selection committee, who obviously knew that Ohio State was elite despite 6 somewhat uninspiring games.
(That’s a joke, people. They guessed right and got rewarded.)
Dare I say, 1 game against Clemson told us more than the previous 6 against, um, not Clemson.
Fields is capable of doing what Kyle Trask and Matt Corral did against Alabama. That is, stretch the field vertically and attack the Alabama secondary. That’s true whether Fields has any ribs left or not. These 2 throws came AFTER he suffered that brutal hit at the hands of James Skalski.
WOW! JUSTIN FIELDS LET IT FLY FOR A 56-YARD TOUCHDOWN 🎯 pic.twitter.com/9z8zy0qEJC
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2021
6 TOUCHDOWNS FOR JUSTIN FIELDS 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9WecXeo91H
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2021
Dimes. Don’t doubt Fields. And if you’re telling yourself that Alabama will do to him what Northwestern did in the Big Ten Championship, surely one would think that Brent Venables, AKA the highest-paid defensive coordinator in America, would’ve been able to replicate that. Nope. Instead, Clemson’s secondary looked lost all night.
Part of that could’ve been the Chris Olave return. Fields’ go-to guy wasn’t available against Northwestern because of COVID, but he certainly was there early and often against Clemson. Olave and Garrett Wilson are plenty capable of burning the Alabama secondary deep, especially if Fields can step into throws like he did against Clemson.
That wasn’t necessarily news, but it was noteworthy to see Fields play well against a quality defense for the first time in 2020.
What was even more noteworthy was what we saw from the Ohio State defense. Heading into Friday night, nobody would’ve predicted that it would’ve looked like a potential strength. It might not against Alabama, but the Buckeyes harassed Lawrence and Travis Etienne. Don’t just look at the raw numbers. Lawrence was uncomfortable. Tuf Borland was everywhere.
Jones might have elite pocket presence, but he doesn’t move like Lawrence. Ohio State did a fantastic job of not letting Lawrence get clean looks downfield.
It’ll be interesting to see if Alabama copies what worked for Clemson early on with those scripted plays. That is, attack the edges. They went after preseason All-American cornerback Shaun Wade, which was a mostly successful endeavor. Alabama can do that. Steve Sarkisian probably watched that game and proceeded to dream about bubble screens to DeVonta Smith. That’ll be there.
What might be tough sledding is running the ball against Ohio State. Haskell Garrett and Co. had the nation’s No. 6 run defense entering the night, and despite the limited sample size, that looked legitimate. That group against Najee Harris is a fantastic strength on strength matchup.
Harris’ counterpart is the wild card in this whole thing. Trey Sermon is on some kind of run. After he ran for 331 yards in the Big Ten Championship against a solid Northwestern team, the Oklahoma transfer had 252 scrimmage yards (191 rushing) against Clemson.
Yeah, that was with Fields going off. Ohio State suddenly has balance. Like, balance that Alabama hasn’t seen all year.
The other thing worth remembering is perhaps why Ohio State took it to a different level on Friday against Clemson. Dabo Swinney’s ranking of Ohio State at No. 11 was one thing. But last year’s semifinal game that saw Ohio State get robbed of a title game berth because of a botched fumble call was the driving force behind everything the Buckeyes did in the offseason. That final score was hung on a board in the Buckeyes’ weight room all year. Was Clemson Ohio State’s Super Bowl?
Also, you could ask the same question about Fields. Was Lawrence his Super Bowl? Think about it. Both came out of the 2018 class from Georgia. Lawrence was No. 1 nationally, Fields was No. 2. While Lawrence got to start for a historically good Clemson team as a true freshman, Fields was a backup at Georgia … and we all know how that ended.
Chris Fowler just said that Justin Fields “has only played a season and a half of college football.”
False.pic.twitter.com/xRjntPuWHs
— Connor O’Gara (@cjogara) January 2, 2021
Everyone remembered what happened when they were sophomores with the aforementioned thrilling semifinal matchup. As juniors all year, it was Lawrence — not Fields — who was considered the No. 1 pick in all the mock drafts. And of course, it was Lawrence’s Clemson squad who was expected to move on to a title game showdown against Alabama.
There’s certainly a chance that Friday night’s stunner was the result of an “everything we have in the tank” mentality for Ohio State. If Alabama rolls, that’ll be an easy conclusion to jump to.
Maybe Fields will show Alabama that he can do much more than take the fall for poorly timed fake punts. Or perhaps it’s Saban who would like to get a little revenge after the 2014 Sugar Bowl loss to the Buckeyes.
Whatever the case, we figure to have a fun championship matchup ahead. By “fun,” I mean we’ll get to watch a bunch of superstar players with the ability to score 75-yard touchdowns on a moment’s notice. Ohio State is absolutely a significant threat to Alabama, though that doesn’t mean history will repeat itself.
If Alabama wants to cap off one of the most dominant seasons we’ve ever seen, it’ll need to beat an Ohio State team who looks like it hit its midseason stride. Win No. 7 was darn impressive from the team in scarlet and gray. Alabama has some heavy lifting to do if it wants to prevent win No. 8.
A unique challenge awaits in Miami.
Man! These teams are so very close stat-wise in offensive and defensive metrics. Should be a good matchup. I have to give special teams play and coaching to Alabama who will have a slight overall edge. I think the initial -7 given to Alabama will go down closer to kickoff. Can’t wait!
Don’t underestimate the Buckeyes. You may have an ally fight on your hands.
*alley
Man that was an absolute dismantling of clemPson. Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving, arrogant, snob of a HC. I think the butteyes spent their max in that game and don’t expect the same team to show up against bama. Just a gut feel. Bama 34 Osu 24
Fields had the best game of his life vs. Clemson. That would be hard to replicate vs. anybody much less Alabama. It’ll be a shoot out but Jones is better, our receivers better, Najee is *the* best running back and our OL is better. Plus, contrary to popular opinion, our defense is better. For me, the outcome is easily predictable, Bama by at least 14.
Clemson said the same….Heisman-rated quarterback, Etienne had clear advantage at RB position, better defense, etc. All of the talking heads picked Clemson to win. Cockiness backfired in a big way. I would not bet the house on Alabama -7.
Yeah well, I ain’t cocky and what I think/say will have no outcome on the game. I said before the Rose Bowl that I wouldn’t give ND & 20 points. I’m quite comfortable with giving you OSU and 7.
You saw what happened to the jinxer in the Dr. Pepper commercial, right?
@Balkwyll…..Clemson also has one thing Bama will never have and that a cocky ass, arrogant and foolish HC that shoots his mouth off every chance he gets. And to make it worse he gave Ohio St motivation by ranking them so low.
Agreed. I don’t think you can predict Ohio State’s performance against Alabama by what they did in one game against Clemson. You have to look at the season as a whole. Plus, nobody gets up for the big game like the Tide. Depth will play a role as well. Bama by 137.
I’m not sure that I’ve seen a better RB than the OSU back. He looks like a Derek Henry clone.
Don’t be ridiculous, I mean, how have you not seen Najee Harris?
That’s gotta be one of the dumbest comments I’ve seen on SDS. Especially considering what Najee did to your littke lizards.
Have to agree with the Bama boys here. There is a Derrick Henry clone in this game and he plays for Bama
Najee if more a Trent Richardson clone in terms of styles. He doesn’t run like Henry.
@Wadeless….Youtube highlights of #22 for Bama. You might just change your mind about RB’s.
I saw him in person torch the Gators…he’s awesome. His style isn’t Henry though. Henry is 100% power with surprising speed. Najee has more moves and acceleration and not as much power as Henry.
Certainly adds an element of intrigue.
But….if I was to lay money down, I’d take Alabama. That butt-whooping in 2014 is gonna motivate the Nickster.
I think a big part of the loss was Dabo et al weren’t able to get Ohio’s signals due to their limited games and this season’s attendance.
Ohio State will certainly be competitive against Alabama. That game probably has little to do with Lawrence and the team getting shut out, though.
OSU showed they have the line play to give Bama a fight. But I think Sark has too many weapons for OSU’s defensive secondary. I’d say Bama by 7 to 9 point margin.
NCSU, you are spot on there. The holes osu’s oline was making in the clemson dline you could literally drive a truck through. That was a dominant performance against one of the very best teams in the country.
The tater’s secondary was exposed BIG TIME! That shows what an ELITE QB and ELITE WR’s can do to an average secondary! OSU had the muscle and speed to keep Fabio in check and ATM didn’t get those wide open lanes and back cuts he was so accustomed to with their USUALLY undermanned ACC opponents. I would expect a very close game and whoever gets the breaks will win. I just hope the Luckeyes didn’t manage to extract that Golden Horseshoe from Fabio’s butt during one of their many sacks!
If #24 for OSU is still at corner next week and plays the same way he did against Clemson last night, Bama is going to destroy him and OSU. Bama’s offense is just too dynamic for them to stop them like they did the tiggers. RTR!!
you can bet Bama will move Smitty to where #24 will have to cover… or they will play 1 guy on Smitty where ever he goes with help over the top …
Certainly looks like it will be more interesting than either of these semi-final games were.
The semifinal gave Saban and company plenty of tape to study. They’ll be ready.
After all the talk of elite offense being the key to success, the Natty will go to the team who has the best D.
OSU 38
Bama 35
OSU isn’t going to embarrass bama like they did clemmy, but they’re going to be more than just a threat
@Sony Gurchubb…. 1980.
Ohio State mixed up tempos and when they went fast created problems. Bama struggled to deal with tempo against ole miss, so it will be interesting to see if they can handle it better.
How big of a threat are the tide to the buckeyes would be a more appropriate article. It’s obvious to me Olave and Fields gonna skull copulate these gumps.
I’d be salty too if my team is sitting at home instead of playing for a ring
TE and RB wheel routes are biggest threats to Bama this year. I trust that Surtain will contain Olave; my concern is Bama front seven vs Fields and Sermon.
I don’t see tOsu shutting down Bama’s offense, though, so I’m confident about the win.
Fantasy.. LSU football is irrelevant this year.. you should maybe already be keeping up wth basketball or something
still butt hurt?
fantasy, i’m curious as to when you’ll accept the fact that you’re awful at handicapping games.
u said the steelers -6 over the skins was free money
u said nd would upset bama…the gumps
etc
u definitely have a reputation on this site…but it’s not what you’d like it to be
Steelers ats loss
Lsu ats win
Lsu moneyline +850 win
Notre dame ats win
Notre dame moneyline loss(not sure where i posted that but we will humor and say I did)
Clemson ats loss
I’m up big on posted plays here, numbers dont lie bub!
This is probably the most idiotic thing you’ve posted
This? This is the most idiotic thing I’ve said on here?
Must be jealous of my superior capping skills…
You could have made that money too, I post so all can profit!
Your favorite cappers favorite capper the ffg!
Weren’t you the one that said Clemson would kill Alabama this year?
And they would kill Alabama… but Ohio state now gets that honor.
@Fantasyfootballgod….Maybe something like 55-17? Think about that score for a moment….LOL!
This should actually be a good game.
Without a doubt Ohio St is a threat to bama.. this will be the most talented team bama has played all year.. both offenses are very talented .. bama had its lowest point total against notre dame of 31 that it’s had in over 2yrs & the Buckeyes offense just looked outstanding against what we know is a Clemson defense with a lot of talent.. I see a 51-48 type of game unless one of these defenses plays an amazing game.
OSU may be a talented team but they only beat a Clemson team that hasn’t beat anyone all year. They exposed Lawrence just like LSU did last year. Clemson , like Ohio St are living on reputation
Maybe, DC was reading the wrong offensive signs…Maybe OSU knew he was stealing signs and outfoxed him… more than once has BV been accused of stealing signs…Got to hand it to OSU they played as good a game as I have seen from them, they played with a mad on all game… Should be a great game in the natty …
Ohio State doesn’t deserve to be in this game with the number of games they played, but they are clearly one of the two best teams in the country. They absolutely have the roster to go toe to toe with Alabama on both sides of the ball.
The game may depend upon whether Fields has cracked ribs. I know he continued to play, but he’s gonna be a hurtin’ puppy and may have limited practice. Skalski is a thug.
Bahahahahahahhahahahahaha
Skalski set a record as the only person to be kicked out of the CFP TWICE.
He did the same thing against LSU last year.
Yet another horrible playoff selection. ND obviously didn’t belong there … again. FL played AL tougher. Who did Clemson beat this year in retrospect? They should have had an expanded playoff with a short season for many teams. But, as usual, politics reigns in college football. In the words of Howard Cosell, college football has become “a colossal bore.”
Florida didn’t even deserve to be in a NY6 Bowl, the committee really struggled this year no doubt about it.
Florida is a better team than Notre Dame.. if the gators would have had just a little more D they probably in the playoffs.. that 4 spot belonged to TXa&m..the aggies were ripped off by Notre Dame a$$ kissers associated with the ncaa
Yep
You said a mouthful, “playoff selection”. By definition this is an invitational. This gives the NCAA the means to control the narrative and select the teams that they believe will generate the most interest, and more importantly, the most money. IMHO, they should do away with the polls altogether, put everyone in a conference and let conference champs duke it out in a true playoff. It truly is becoming a bore with the same teams selected year after year to be in the “playoff”.
Agreed – how does the ACC get two teams into the CFP? The “mystique” of ND died in the 80’s, but the Committee just can’t let it go. A&M or even a Group of 5 team would have been better suited for the Playoff.
Must admit, didn’t see that upset of Clempson coming
Bama’s OLine had better be ready because Clemson’s had no chance and it was a game changer. Jones will be no more effective than Lawrence if he’s getting steamrolled like that. Bama’s OLine is good, they just need to be ready.
And Fields took a heck of a lick so how healthy he’ll be could be a major game changer as well. Clearly he was not the same and in big time pain the rest of the way after that hit.
Yeah, TOSU looked good last knight. They’ve also looked mediocre a few times during their shortened season. So much so that I doubt they would have made it through an entire season undefeated.
On the other hand, Alabama has been superb for 12 straight games.
I wouldn’t call the passes by Fields dimes. Most were underthrown. The receivers were able to stop or slow down and adjust. Deep passes by Mac are caught in stride by the Bama rideouts.
Bama and Notre Dame both have better OL than Ohio state. Mac may not be Michael Vick but he does move in the pocket nicely. Bama got pressure on ND’s pocket with 4 rushers.
I just want to see a competitive game. I do think Alabama is the better team but not nearly to the degree that many Alabama fans believe. OSU is coming into the game with a huge chip on its shoulder and the talent level on these 2 teams is pretty darn even. If Fields is healthy, this should be a good one.
How a team with the second most all-time wins has a “chip” on their shoulder is beyond me, but it obviously fed them big-time against Clemson. Just got to be concerned that they shot their wad already. Bama wins this one and catches OSU in the Win Column – SWade was attacked repeatedly and his weaknesses were out there for all to see. Smith/Metchie are going to destroy that guy.
They arent a threat at all. DeVonta Smith will kill them.
Boy, Ohio State looked fresh last night, didn’t they? Connor’s right about them having hit their “midseason stride”. It’s amazing what playing a half season leading into the playoffs will do for a team.
With that said, OSU is legit this year. This should be an entertaining game.
I expect it to be a good game. I’m not sure how Bama will perform on defense but I didn’t see anything that would make me think OSU will slow down Bama’s offense….
BamaTampon
I saw an OSU defensive line and front that will put pressure on Jones, and Jones is not as mobile as Lawrence.
If Fields is healthy he will stretch the field like nobody Bama has faced this season, more than Ole Miss and Coral
Clemson put more of a beating on ND than did Bama, and OSU dismantled Clemson. That may not mean anything but OSU embarrassed Clemson.
Thedumba$&ofwar…. You’ve also though UGA was going to win a NC every year for the last 40…
I’ll consider your opinion like I always do… Not at all..
Lol
I posted all that just so I could use “BamaTampon” and get you to spew some more of that alabamastan tribal native babble.
Thanks BAMATAMPON!!!!
There is no more better fitting moniker on SDS than “BamaTampon,” that is you to a T.
Believe me, I enjoy calling you thedumba$$ofwar…
I am hearing that Texas has just fired Tom Herman, and they have Steve Sarkisian lined up as new coach. Will Saban dismiss Sark for the Championship Game, and if so who does this affect the offense?
I’d be surprised if saban relieves him of duty before the ohio state game. Remember what happened last time he fired an OC before a Title game?
yes. I also remember Saban *not* firing the Maryland head coach before a title game.
If Herman can fire Herman who had a winning record and was 4-0 in bowls why cant we #FirePruitt ?
Well, the last time Bama had that situation, the Maryland Head Coach’s game plan, schemes, and play selection was a catastrophe. If Sark takes the job prior to the NC game, I hope he fired immediately.
Clemson is as overrated as Ohio State. Neither team has played anyone all year.
Alabama will beat the snot out of Ohio St
On paper by position we win, but it never really comes down to that.
Notable intangibles:
Each one of the accolades/trophies our superstars collect next week will be weaponized by Ohio (slight intended) – Day will do his best to paint a “disrespect” card
For one year Ohio’s weight room had signs posted of last years score/loss to Clemson, Dabo dissed them with the 11 ranking and Fields felt slighted by the Heisman vote – Ohio played their Super Bowl last night and will not perform at that same high level on the 11th.
Day said “Play with emotion but don’t let emotion play with you”. Last night they played with emotion and will be spent as a result. On the 11th, emotion plays with Ohio’s head leaving discipline unchecked.
Alabama 52 – Ohio 38
Ditto
I’ve suddenly become a Buckeyes fan. I thought I was going to be a Clemson fan, but, seeing as Burrow came to us from Ohio State, it’s easier to be a Buckeyes fan.
I could not believe how OSU was totally dominating the line on defense especially the second half. I’ve never seen Clemson’s O line just pushed around like that. Poor ole Lawrence was running for his life. Add to that how poorly Clemson’s defense played. It was an eye opener and I wonder if playing in a down conference like the ACC had something to do with preparation. Both ACC representatives where dominated.
The ACC isn’t that down. OSU was hungry
They were motivated, but they were also better. They are clearly a threat to Bama.
Does Waddle return? I’m happy not to see Clemson again. The Tide will rise to the challenge.
Here’s my take. OSU played their top opponents close, not winning in relatively impressive fashion – IU, Penny St, NW. solid team but not world beaters. Clemson underestimated them, and was looking past them. In the minds of OSU players, they were out to avenge their loss in a close previous meeting and they were disrespected by the slight of the #11 ranking by Dabo. The difference in the game was the 21 point second quarter. And there were 6 passes in the game by OSU that were low percentage passes that were all caught and made more than the difference. Fields had a hot hand and everything went right for them, except the one end zone interception. But in the next game against any opponent it would be unlikely Fields would connect on all 6 of those same passes. Make no mistake Bama will have to be at its best and play great football against OSU. But Bama has a loss against OSU to avenge. And they saw what happened to Clemson. Bama will not take them lightly. And it will likely be close.
Bama 34 – OSU 27
I’m not sure Clemson underestimated them but I do remember the last time they faxed Bama one of their coaches made the comment that they spent more time preparing for Bama then they did their week one opponent..
I’m not saying that’s what they did but if it’s the case they got what they deserved.
You mean the loss from 6-7 years ago, when all the bammer players were in Jr. High???? Nice try, though.
Bet the over. I dont think OSU can stop the bama offense. But, I haven’t seen bama’s defense stop a good offense. This game could come down to who jas the ball last. At least Saban hasn’t made a snarky comment about OSU’s ranking. That really bit ole Dabo in the arse.
Should be a great game. I think both offenses are better than the defenses they will face. I look for a high scoring game. I believe it will come down to turnovers.
I think OSU dose enough to make this a legit game, but I’ll take Jones/Smith/Harris and co. by 10. I see a competitive first half, with bama’s coaching staff making better adjustments at halftime on defense.
It is so funny that the last Alabama team with a unstoppable offense went against a team that was going to have no way of stopping them they only scored 16 points. That is why they play the games and this one should be a great game.
First real challenge to Bama this season, honestly. Notre LAME shouldn’t have been 4th spot
OSU is the same threat that any top team would be. Though I think that Bama is better than Clemson and as good as he is, I do not think Fields is as good as he was last night. He had the game of a lifetime and they rarely come in 2s, plus the team is going to have to play 2 games this close together for the fist time all year and learn to play tired and hurting.
That’s the one thing that makes me feel so confident. OSU played the best game they’ve played all season, and it was mostly the most complete game they could have played. It is so hard to sustain that in back to back games, especially with some of the injuries they had last night.
After a week of fighting with Clemson morons I have to say the Tide fans are a bit more classy. Despite Clemson’s 5 year run, these are the two best programs in football and I’m excited for the matchup. That said, Harris is getting contained and Mac Jones is about to see pressure he hasn’t dealt with before. Overall the Tide is slightly better at skilled positions, but the Bucks are better in the trenches and win by a TD again. The over/under for this should be 80+.
Don’t think it will happen but it would be the most 2020 thing ever if an 8-0 Ohio State was national champion.
Alabama beats osu easily — they can’t handle all the superstars on Bamas offense
OSU is a good team, but the Tide will Roll
I hate to say it but Bama is probably going to be embarrassed again. Like the title game against Clemson level embarrassment.
So do the numbers 34 – 7 mean anything to you? BTW… way to take a stand with the word ‘probably’. Way to leave an out for yourself.
The difference in this game, could very well be that The OSU has much fresher legs. That seemed to be the case against Clemson. Dabo running his trap certainly didn’t help things, but Dabo simply can’t help himself. A team that has played half the games of their opponent, has a significantly less amount of wear and tear on their bodies. In spite of that, the game should be outstanding.
I was as shocked as anyone with the osu win over clemson. Some thoughts:
1. Agree that clemson was osu’s super bowl and it will be tough to get up again for bama could have an impact. My Gators left it all out there against bama and we saw the next game/debacle.
2. OSU is fresher and healthier than all the teams who played a full season although if Fields ribs are hurt that is a big factor.
3. Bama has the type of offensive firepower that LSU had last year, but OSU has the same kind of talent so it should be interesting.
4. Saban has shown he is the best coach in football so I usually give him the edge and the tide rarely turns the ball over.
Should be a real good game and just so glad clemson is at home.
from having played very few games, osu will be fresher than alabama, but with all the offensive weapons available, alabama should win by 9-12 points. Nick wants ring #7.
tOSU’s offensive line looked very capable and talented vs. Clemson. I would be concerned about Bama’s ability to defend against the run. ND had some success on the ground and tOSU is a much better team than Notre Dame. I think this game is going to be very close and Alabama is going to have their hands full.
“Clemson’s secondary looked lost all night.”
Just maybe they weren’t able to steal the play calls.
No worries. OSU will duff it when forced to play 2 big games in a row. Bank it.
Clemson was lazy and caught up in their own hype.
Bama rolls that bucknut :)
No threat at all. Bama will destroy the worthless nuts.
Um no, they are a threat. but, yes, $$$$, Bama rolls THE OSU.