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Alabama meets an old nemesis in the Sugar Bowl, facing off against former Florida Gators coach Urban Meyer and his Ohio State Buckeyes. The Crimson Tide will be looking at a team that will have a different look, starting its third quarterback of the season. No. 4 Ohio State powered its way into the College Football Playoff thanks to a 59-0 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game.
Who are the Buckeyes that could present problems for Alabama?
- QB Cardale Jones: Making just his second career start, Alabama won’t have much film on Jones, a sophomore. He’s massive, listed at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, and has a cannon for an arm. That big arm will test an Alabama defense that has been bad against the deep ball as of late. Jones wasn’t rattled at all by the moment in the Big Ten title game, and at 22 years old he brings maturity to the position.
- RB Ezekiel Elliott: The Buckeyes’ leading rusher piled up more than 1,400 yards as a sophomore, including more than 200 yards in the Big Ten championship. He has blazing speed and power to boot, which will push Alabama’s top-ranked run defense. Elliott is strong in pass blocking as well, giving the Buckeyes an every-down back they can count on.
- WR Jalin Marshall: While he doesn’t get the same kind of work in the receiving game as some of his more high-profile teammates, Marshall is one of the most dangerous Buckeyes. The freshman can play all over the field, and he’s currently Ohio State’s backup quarterback on top of his hybrid running back/receiver role. The 5-foot-11, 205 pound Marshall is as quick as they come and has game-breaking ability whenever he gets his hands on the ball.
- DE Joey Bosa: Ohio State’s devastating sophomore is going to challenge Alabama tackles Cam Robinson and Austin Shepherd just as much as Shane Ray would have had he not been ejected from the SEC title game. The versatile defensive end will move around a wreak havoc against both the run and pass. He racked up 13.5 sacks to lead the Big Ten and added on 20.0 tackles for loss.
- CB Doran Grant: Grant will get his toughest assignment of the season when he lines up across from Amari Cooper. The senior cornerback told the media he plans to be singled up on Cooper, a scary proposition for even the best defenders. The speedy Grant should be able to match Cooper’s speed, and he’s shown some ball-hawking talent with four interceptions, tied for most on the Buckeyes.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.
