The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Clemson Tigers will meet up at Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona to see who will advance to play in the National Title game in the Fiesta Bowl. The crucial contest between the two powerhouse schools is set to go off on Saturday, December 31st at 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on the ESPN Network. As of today, the Buckeyes are a -3 point favorite and the game’s total sits at 59.
These two programs met up in the Orange Bowl after the 2013 season, and it was a match-up that saw Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd throw for 378 yards and five touchdowns. NFL wide out Sammy Watkins also had 16 catches for 227 yards in a 40-35 Tigers win.
Ohio State (11-1):
Head coach Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes reached the Fiesta Bowl despite not winning the BIG-10 East crown. Instead, Penn State went to Indianapolis and beat Wisconsin for the title, but the Nittany Lions were voted out of the playoff. However, it is understandable because of the Buckeyes body of work. This year, they beat the Sooners on the road and have victories over Wisconsin and Michigan.
The real question concerning Ohio State fans is, what offense will show up in the Fiesta Bowl? The squad that put up 62 points against the Cornhuskers, or the one that struggled in a near-upset to Michigan State? The offensive line has struggled at times and quarterback J.T. Barrett has shown some inconsistency. All in all, Barrett has completed 214 passes for over 2,400 yards with 24 touchdowns and only five picks.
What makes J.T. Barrett so dangerous is his ability to make plays with his feet. The multi-dimensional signal-caller has also toted the rock a team-high 195 carries for 847 yards and another nine touchdowns.
Running back Curtis Samuel is the Buckeyes unsung hero of their 2016 campaign. Not only has the talented back ran for over 700 yards and nine scores, he also has a team-high 65 catches for another 822 yards and seven more trips to pay-dirt. Leading rusher Mike Weber is Ohio States first down back. This season, he has almost 1,100 yards and nine scores.
When Ohio State tries to keep teams honest through the air, they toss the ball around to two capable wide outs. Together, they have accumulated 57 passes for over 700 yards and 12 touchdowns. Tight end Marcus Baugh also makes his presence felt, catching 24 balls and two scores.
The Buckeyes come into the Fiesta Bowl sporting one of the nation’s top defensive units. Ohio State is especially tough against school’s passing games. In 2016, the Buckeyes secondary ranks 5th in the nation, allowing only 164.5 points a contest. Obviously the red zone is not a problem either, as the unit is giving way to only 14 points a game (3rd).
Clemson (12-1):
Meanwhile, head coach Dabo Swinney’s Tigers claimed their second straight league title for the first time in 28 years. As a result, they are also participating in the College Football Playoff for the second straight year after defeating Virginia Tech in the ACC title game. Quarterback Deshaun Watson had a stand-out performance against the Hokies, which earned him a second place finish in the Heisman Trophy race.
The savvy veteran-under-center has finished off the 2016 season with impressive numbers once again. Deshaun Watson completed 329 balls for just over 3,900 yards with 37 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Like J.T. Barrett, Watson also isn’t afraid to tuck the ball and run. This year, he has scrambled for over 500 yards and six scores.
The Tiger’s got-to guy out of the back field is tail back Wayne Gallman. Gallman will have to have a stellar performance to keep the Ohio State secondary honest. So far, the junior has rumbled for over 1,000 yards and a team-high 15 touchdowns.
Clemson is loaded at the wide receiver position. Deshaun Watson has taken advantage of this fact and spread the ball around effectively. Wide outs Mike Williams and Artavis Scott have brought in 155 tosses for an impressive 1,763 yards and 15 scores.
Quite possibly the country’s best tight end Corey Leggett has been a beast for teams to match-up against. The versatile player has caught 38 passes that went for 637 yards and seven trips to the promised land.
Defensively, the Tigers are no slouch either. Their secondary ranks 19th in the nation giving up 188 yards a game through the air in the pass happy ACC Conference. Running the ball against Clemson’s front seven isn’t easy either. The squad allowed only 125 yards a game (25th).
Trends and Notes:
The Buckeyes are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
The Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 bowl games.
The Over is 5-2 in the Buckeyes last 7 neutral site games.
The Over is 4-0 in the Tigers last 4 games overall.
Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett was last year’s Fiesta Bowl MVP.
Defensive players Ely Apple, Teddy Bruschi and A.J. Hawk have all walked away with MVP awards in the Fiesta Bowl.
Game Prediction:
This will be the best defense that Deshaun Watson and the Clemson Tigers have faced all season. Fortunately, Clemson is balanced and will keep the Buckeyes honest moving the ball over the ground. If so, Ohio State will have to cover the Tiger’s talented wide receivers one on one.
Ohio State has faced the likes of the Wolverines and Badgers defenses, which is every bit as good as the Tigers. The problem is, in both of those match-ups, the Buckeyes failed to move the ball consistently. That probably will be the case once again. J.T.Barrett will need to produce in the passing game or too many defenders will be in the box for the Buckeyes to block.
This game will be a war of wills and could come down to who has the ball last in the fourth quarter. The Tigers are more balanced on offense and have the better chance of coming from behind if needed. Ohio State has to play perfectly on offense and their O-Line will have their hands full against Clemson’s front seven.
The Tigers got a taste of the championship last year and want to avenge their loss to Alabama. They will get that opportunity after Saturday’s game. Take Clemson at +3 to win this game outright and get a second chance to become national champions.
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