The score hung up in the Buckeyes weight room all offseason. “Clemson 29 Ohio State 23.” 

A sour taste for all the returners, but none could match how junior QB felt has he watched Chris Olave break the other direction in the end zone and watch his pass sail into the arms of Clemson DB Nolan Turner, booking a ticket to the national championship for the Tigers and a ticket home for the Buckeyes.

Painful. 

This Buckeyes team was never sure if they would get another crack at Clemson. However, in this crazy year, the cards fell in line for another classic showdown in New Orleans. No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State. Another trip to the national championship on the line. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney doubled down that the Buckeyes don’t ‘deserve’ to play for a national championship with only six games played. Would he be right? Justin Fields silenced all that doubt.

The junior QB delivered one of the best CFP performances we’ve seen in the seven years of the playoff. 22/28 385 yards and six touchdowns. He had as many incompletions as touchdowns. It rivaled the performance of Joe Burrow vs Oklahoma in the semifinals last year, when the current Bengal delivered seven touchdown passes in the first half, right before Burrow threw another five in the championship game vs these same Tigers.

I would have to put this Fields’ performance up there with the former Heisman winner.

As shocking as this was to type…. the stock on Fields couldn't have been lower entering this game. Over his last three starts, Fields compiled just four touchdowns to five interceptions. He struggled with a thumb injury in the Big Ten title game and subsequently played the worst game of his career. He wasn’t mentioned as a Heisman finalist after being one of the preseason favorites to win the award. By a lot of major media outlets, Fields had dropped on draft boards behind BYU QB Zach Wilson.

Don’t you think that would have a dragging performance on a quarterback? Perhaps, but Fields didn’t agree with that. He reminded us of the QB he was at the beginning of the season where we were shocked every time he threw an incompletion.

The most impressive thing? Fields saved his best throws for after he got cracked in the back by Clemson LB James Skalski midway through the second quarter. Skalski was ejected for targeting, and Fields looked like he was done, laying on the Superdome turf in pain. I thought his ribs were surely broken. Every movement that Fields made on his way to the sideline looked like it caused total agony.

Pain or not, he jumped back into the game and unleashed a wave of fury on the Tigers defense.

Fields tossed two more touchdowns before halftime, giving the Buckeyes a 21-point halftime lead against the stunned Clemson defense. Then in the second half, Fields managed to unleash his two best throws of the night, two touchdowns that traveled over 50 yards in the air to put the dagger into the ACC champs(you can see those touchdowns here and here).

His coach Ryan Day called it, “one of the gutsiest performances I’ve ever seen.”

If you want to see just how good Fields was, look at this blurb from PFF’s Seth Galina (EPA is Expected Points Added):

The Bucks' EPA per play on passes was .93 — almost one unexpected point added per pass. It is by far their highest mark in the last six seasons, with a 2017 game at Nebraska coming in second at .89. That .93 was the 10th-highest in a single game this season. As for Clemson’s defense, it was their worst day in a very long time. Over the last six seasons, nothing even remotely comes close to them allowing .93 EPA per play. The second highest is Alabama in 2015 with only .43. In fact, in these six years, Clemson has only given up positive EPA per play via the pass 17 total times in 82 games. It’s almost like Clemson forgot to actually watch Ohio State’s film, regardless of how many games the Buckeyes played.

It’s not out of the question to say that Fields delivered one of the best performances of the last decade, but maybe the greatest performance in Buckeye history.

A win on Monday in Miami could seal that and Fields legacy as a Buckeye.

Writer

-By: TJ Mathewson

We made it. Thankfully, we haven’t suffered through a normal bowl season due to the number of teams opting out. Outside of Coastal Carolina-Liberty, there hasn’t been much to remember from this bowl season. However, we finally get the CFP Semifinals on New Years Day. Let’s see what we have here.

#2 Clemson vs #3 Ohio State

This is deja vu. On one hand, we get a rematch of last year! On the other, there’s no way this game can be good as the one we had last year. The fast start from Ohio State, Trevor Lawrence literally putting the Tigers on his back, and lastly the unforgettable fourth quarter. You know Justin Fields hasn’t forgotten that interception in the end zone. Can he redeem himself? Let’s examine.

This is going to be another fantastic dual of quarterbacks. We saw how much of a difference Trevor Lawrence makes to the Clemson program with the stomping of Notre Dame in the ACC Championship. Outside of his stellar 22-4 TD-INT and his nearly 10.0 YPA, his legs are what really made the difference these last two seasons. Just ask the Buckeyes what they thought when they chased him on that 67-yard touchdown run last year. 

Lawrence carries the ball when his team needs it the most. In the ACC Championship game vs Notre Dame, he torched the Irish on the ground for 90 yards on 14 carries. His previous season-high was just 41 yards. He ran for 107 yards against the Buckeyes last year.

Containing Lawrence and Travis Etienne are going to be the key. When both of them are clicking, Clemson is almost impossible to stop. Etienne averaged under 2 YPC in the first game vs Notre Dame. In the rematch? Over 12 YPC. Pretty strong correlation there.

The Buckeyes have been really stout against the run this season, a top-ten unit in yards/game. It’s through the air the Buckeyes have struggled at times this year, ranking in the bottom third of yards allowed(261.3). That’s with All-American corner Shaun Wade, who was ejected on a controversial targeting call the last time the two played.

I expect Amari Rodgers and Cornell Powell to have plenty of opportunities through the air, and watch out for Etienne out of the backfield too. He scored the go-ahead touchdown on a pretty play design through the air last year.

The biggest question of this game is how will Justin Fields’ thumb injury affect him? We saw what it did in the Big Ten title game, he was an erratic 11/27 with two interceptions, probably the worst game he’s played as a Buckeye. He dismissed all concern for his injury saying he would be ready to go, I’ll believe it when I see it.

Fields threw two of three interceptions for the season against this Clemson defense last year, and the Tigers will be ready to pounce again if Fields has an off day. If Fields is on, only the guy wearing #16 on the other side is as electric through the air.

We saw what a healthy Clemson defense did to Notre Dame, totally stuffing the Irish for four quarters, and unlike the Buckeyes defense, the pass defense is pretty darn good.

FIelds will get Chris Olave back for Friday’s showdown, he missed him sorely in the Big Ten title game. If you remember, it was a miscommunication between Olave and Fields that caused the junior quarterback to throw the game-ending interception last year. 

The run game will be alive and well for Ohio State. Trey Sermon carried the Buckeye offense with over 300 yards on the ground against Northwestern. Clemson has been stout against the run all season.

I really want this game to mirror last year, but we won’t get that lucky. The Buckeyes aren’t as good as last year and it will show on the field.

PREDICTION: CLEMSON 38 OHIO STATE 28

#1 Alabama vs #4 Notre Dame

I’m going to keep this one a little shorter than the other ones, I don’t think Notre Dame has a chance.

The #1 vs #4 has turned into an annual beatdown for whoever is lucky enough to snag that last playoff spot. I’m old enough to remember when the #4 seed won two of the first four CFP Titles (Ohio State in 2014 and Alabama in 2017). Since then, this has been nothing more than a routine slaughter. I’m not expecting anything different this year.

You cannot blame Notre Dame. I thought they were pretty clearly the fourth-best team in the country when it was all said and done, this is just more of the dominance at the top of college football with Clemson, Alabama, and Ohio State.

I have zero faith in any team to stop this Alabama offense. It doesn’t matter who the Crimson Tide have played, it hasn’t stopped Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith, and Najee Harris. How many more times will we see the best QB, RB, and WR all on the same team? Not often. The Tide offense was unstoppable against Florida. 50+ is expected every time this group gets on the field.

The Irish defense has been really good this year, led by All-American LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and safety Kyle Hamilton. They might get off to a hot start and perhaps force a turnover, as they did against Clemson in the ACC title game, but there’s too much firepower on that Alabama offense.

Ian Book might be able to find some holes on that Alabama defense. The Tide have looked vulnerable on defense at times this year, allowing 46 to Florida in the SEC Title Game and 48 to Ole Miss in October.  I would imagine Nick Saban has his defense a little more fired up after the way they were shredded in the second half against Kyle Trask.

Book will need to create some magic, and I just don’t think he can do it.

PREDICTION: ALABAMA 48 NOTRE DAME 14

Writer

-By: TJ Mathewson

The Big Ten is set to get underway on Saturday, the fourth of Power Five conferences to start this season. The conference emerges with two serious CFP contenders: Penn State and Ohio State. Both are ranked in the top ten of the latest AP Top-25 poll, and they play each other week two. The winner of that (presuming they run the table) would have a seriously good case for the CFP. Let’s take a look at these two.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Key players lost: DE Chase Young, CB Jeff Okudah, CB Damon Arnette, RB J.K. Dobbins, DT DaVon Hamilton, G Jonah Jackson, ILB Malik Harrison, WR K.J. Hill.

On Offense: Whenever you return a Heisman finalist like Justin Fields under center, your offense should feel pretty confident to repeat what they did in 2019. The Buckeyes were fourth in total offense last year and there’s no reason to believe the Buckeyes can’t repeat what they did last year.

Fields (51 total touchdowns to 3 interceptions last year) loses J.K. Dobbins and his 2,250 total yards and 23 touchdowns. Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon and Master Teague III, who rushed for nearly 800 yards behind Dobbins last year, to fill those shoes. 

Out wide, Fields is going to have to do his part to elevate those around him. Junior Chris Olave and his 12 touchdowns from last year, as well as sophomore Garrett Wilson, return. There will be freshman talent on display too, Jaxson Smith-Njigba and Julian Fleming both featured on the two-deep.

The Buckeyes happily welcome back G Wyatt Davis, who opted back in when the Big Ten announced its plan to return, and should anchor a very good OL across the board.

On Defense: It’s always tough to replace the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft (Chase Young and Jeff Okudah), as well as Damon Arnette, Jordan Fuller, and Malik Harrison. That’s a lot of losses for a team that was second in total defense (247.6 ypg) and tied for second in points allowed (12.5). 

Shaun Wade returns after initially opting out that should bolster the back end, but the biggest question might be who generates all the pressure upfront. Harrison and Young combined for 37.5 TFL and 20 sacks. A great pass rush makes a secondary look that much better. 

Senior Jonathan Cooper and junior Tyreke Smith will have the starting DE spots to try and replicate a form of the pressure from last year, and seniors will start at all three linebacker spots as well (Baron Browning, Tuf Borland, and Pete Warner).

Penn State Nittany Lions 

Key players lost: LB Micah Parsons, DE Yetur Gross-Matos, WR K.J. Hamler, CB John Reid, LB Cam Brown, DT Robert Windsor. 

On Offense: Eight returning starters should help the Nittany Lions take another step forward on offense. Junior Sean Clifford should build on a strong 2019 season (2,654 yards and 23 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns) with his favorite target Pat Freiermuth, as the big TE looks to make his case as the best tight end in the country. 

Junior Journey Brown and his 12 touchdowns return to the backfield with Clifford, and is one of three backs that was featured last year to return (Noah Cain and Devyn Ford are the others) and all averaged over five yards a carry, so it should be a solid group for Clifford to lean on when the weather gets sloppy. Four starting offensive linemen returning will help too.

The WR room is a little inexperienced with second-round pick K.J. departing to the NFL, so that’s where Freiermuth is going to need to be huge this season. The next-most catches on the team was junior Jahan Dotson with 27. There might be some growing pains with this group this year, especially with the lack of favorable passing conditions. 

On Defense: No Parsons, No Gross-Matos, and only four returning starts from the 2019 unit. 2019 second-team all-Big Ten selection Shaka Toney is the only returning starter on the DL after leading the Nittany Lions in sacks last year with 6.5. Toney will be joined by sophomore end Jason Oweh, and NT Antonio Shelton, and P.J. Mustipher.

Without Parsons, the linebacking core is extremely young. Junior Ellis Brooks has the most experience, he should be in the middle after collecting 69 tackles the last two seasons. He’ll be joined by former five-star recruit Brandon Smith on one side and former four-star Jesse Luketa on the other.

Two seniors roam the back end with Lamont Wade and Tariq Castro-Fields, helping out the other youth in the secondary. They will be tested against Ohio State.

Get your popcorn (or candy) ready for the Halloween duel between the two.

Writer

-By: TJ Mathewson