I agree that this game will be a huge measuring stick for OSU.
We can talk about the skill positions in this game all day long, and clearly QB play will be pivotal for both teams, but in the end this will be a classical trench warfare battle. Whoever wins in the trenches will win the game. At this point I don't believe Ohio State has the experience (particularly big game experience) or the depth to hang with Alabama in the trenches for 4 quarters.
If Alabama wins decisively at the point of attack like I believe they will, and they don't self-destruct with foolish mistakes, Alabama should cover the spread. If OSU can hang with Alabama in the trenches for the duration of the game, then this could be a dog fight.
I agree that this game will be a huge measuring stick for OSU.
We can talk about the skill positions in this game all day long, and clearly QB play will be pivotal for both teams, but in the end this will be a classical trench warfare battle. Whoever wins in the trenches will win the game. At this point I don't believe Ohio State has the experience (particularly big game experience) or the depth to hang with Alabama in the trenches for 4 quarters.
If Alabama wins decisively at the point of attack like I believe they will, and they don't self-destruct with foolish mistakes, Alabama should cover the spread. If OSU can hang with Alabama in the trenches for the duration of the game, then this could be a dog fight.
Wisconsin is another Big Ten team facing a superior SEC team (trenches, speed and QB...etc).
I cannot see the Badgers having much of a chance to even hang around this one. I think B10 does well most bowl seasons, but these two games are mismatches. I would rather see TCU vs Alabama, and get a shootout, as opposed to a B10 effort to slow down tempo.
Wisconsin is another Big Ten team facing a superior SEC team (trenches, speed and QB...etc).
I cannot see the Badgers having much of a chance to even hang around this one. I think B10 does well most bowl seasons, but these two games are mismatches. I would rather see TCU vs Alabama, and get a shootout, as opposed to a B10 effort to slow down tempo.
Auburn might be the better play than Alabama, simply because of the change in coaches there, the huge loss to OSU, and Urban Meyer KNOWS SEC football and how Saban coaches and prepares. I think the Committee is trying to get an Oregon vs Ala final (especially ALA playing a 'home game' under the lights in New Orleans, and Ore playing in the Rose Bowl). Careful with Urban Meyer--he is a VERY good coach, maybe one of the top 5.
Auburn to the bank. Is Bama so sure a thing to blow out the Buckeyes?
Can OSU keep it close? Bama has had a few close calls.
Auburn might be the better play than Alabama, simply because of the change in coaches there, the huge loss to OSU, and Urban Meyer KNOWS SEC football and how Saban coaches and prepares. I think the Committee is trying to get an Oregon vs Ala final (especially ALA playing a 'home game' under the lights in New Orleans, and Ore playing in the Rose Bowl). Careful with Urban Meyer--he is a VERY good coach, maybe one of the top 5.
Auburn to the bank. Is Bama so sure a thing to blow out the Buckeyes?
Can OSU keep it close? Bama has had a few close calls.
Auburn might be the better play than Alabama, simply because of the change in coaches there, the huge loss to OSU, and Urban Meyer KNOWS SEC football and how Saban coaches and prepares. I think the Committee is trying to get an Oregon vs Ala final (especially ALA playing a 'home game' under the lights in New Orleans, and Ore playing in the Rose Bowl). Careful with Urban Meyer--he is a VERY good coach, maybe one of the top 5.
Auburn to the bank. Is Bama so sure a thing to blow out the Buckeyes?
Can OSU keep it close? Bama has had a few close calls.
I agree. Auburn is the best bet on the board.
Auburn might be the better play than Alabama, simply because of the change in coaches there, the huge loss to OSU, and Urban Meyer KNOWS SEC football and how Saban coaches and prepares. I think the Committee is trying to get an Oregon vs Ala final (especially ALA playing a 'home game' under the lights in New Orleans, and Ore playing in the Rose Bowl). Careful with Urban Meyer--he is a VERY good coach, maybe one of the top 5.
Auburn to the bank. Is Bama so sure a thing to blow out the Buckeyes?
Can OSU keep it close? Bama has had a few close calls.
I agree. Auburn is the best bet on the board.
Ohio State will pretty much have the exact same problem that Notre Dame had, which is every single offense they had faced the entire season was one dimensional. In Ohio State's case they have only faced one balanced offense all season - Michigan State - against whom they surrendered a season high 536 total yards and 37 points.
The only other respectable passing team Ohio State faced all season was the one-dimensional Cincinnati Bearcats who threw for 252 yards and rushed for only 70. Outside of Michigan State and Cincinnati the best passing offense Ohio State faced was ranked 52nd, and they face 5 teams who ranked 112th or worse.
Here are the rankings of the passing attacks Ohio State has faced this season.
Navy - 127th
Virginia Tech - 70th
Kent State - 59th
Cincinnati - 13th
Maryland - 74th
Rutgers - 62nd
Penn State - 73rd
Illinois - 52nd
Michigan State - 39th (and 24th rushing)
Minnesota - 124th
Indiana - 121st
Michigan - 112th
Wisconsin - 119th
Notre Dame had the same problem. They simply had not faced a balance offense, and certainly not one even close to the caliper of Alabama.
Ohio State faced one balanced offense all season, and the Spartans gashed them for 37 points and 536 total yards. The combined passing stats of the only two respectable passing teams Ohio State faced all season (Cincinnati & Michigan State) is 46/77 for 710 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. And now Ohio State has to face Blake Sims, Amari Cooper and the powerful Alabama running attack.
Kiffin will spread Ohio State out, show them a dizzying array of formations and simply pick them apart. Quite frankly Alabama's offense versus Ohio State's defense is a mismatch. The only shot Ohio State has of keeping this game competitive is to do what Auburn did which is to score a he11 of a lot of points - 40+ - and that is very unlikely to happen.
Ohio State will pretty much have the exact same problem that Notre Dame had, which is every single offense they had faced the entire season was one dimensional. In Ohio State's case they have only faced one balanced offense all season - Michigan State - against whom they surrendered a season high 536 total yards and 37 points.
The only other respectable passing team Ohio State faced all season was the one-dimensional Cincinnati Bearcats who threw for 252 yards and rushed for only 70. Outside of Michigan State and Cincinnati the best passing offense Ohio State faced was ranked 52nd, and they face 5 teams who ranked 112th or worse.
Here are the rankings of the passing attacks Ohio State has faced this season.
Navy - 127th
Virginia Tech - 70th
Kent State - 59th
Cincinnati - 13th
Maryland - 74th
Rutgers - 62nd
Penn State - 73rd
Illinois - 52nd
Michigan State - 39th (and 24th rushing)
Minnesota - 124th
Indiana - 121st
Michigan - 112th
Wisconsin - 119th
Notre Dame had the same problem. They simply had not faced a balance offense, and certainly not one even close to the caliper of Alabama.
Ohio State faced one balanced offense all season, and the Spartans gashed them for 37 points and 536 total yards. The combined passing stats of the only two respectable passing teams Ohio State faced all season (Cincinnati & Michigan State) is 46/77 for 710 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. And now Ohio State has to face Blake Sims, Amari Cooper and the powerful Alabama running attack.
Kiffin will spread Ohio State out, show them a dizzying array of formations and simply pick them apart. Quite frankly Alabama's offense versus Ohio State's defense is a mismatch. The only shot Ohio State has of keeping this game competitive is to do what Auburn did which is to score a he11 of a lot of points - 40+ - and that is very unlikely to happen.
Ohio State will pretty much have the exact same problem that Notre Dame had, which is every single offense they had faced the entire season was one dimensional. In Ohio State's case they have only faced one balanced offense all season - Michigan State - against whom they surrendered a season high 536 total yards and 37 points.
The only other respectable passing team Ohio State faced all season was the one-dimensional Cincinnati Bearcats who threw for 252 yards and rushed for only 70. Outside of Michigan State and Cincinnati the best passing offense Ohio State faced was ranked 52nd, and they face 5 teams who ranked 112th or worse.
Here are the rankings of the passing attacks Ohio State has faced this season.
Navy - 127th
Virginia Tech - 70th
Kent State - 59th
Cincinnati - 13th
Maryland - 74th
Rutgers - 62nd
Penn State - 73rd
Illinois - 52nd
Michigan State - 39th (and 24th rushing)
Minnesota - 124th
Indiana - 121st
Michigan - 112th
Wisconsin - 119th
Notre Dame had the same problem. They simply had not faced a balance offense, and certainly not one even close to the caliper of Alabama.
Ohio State faced one balanced offense all season, and the Spartans gashed them for 37 points and 536 total yards. The combined passing stats of the only two respectable passing teams Ohio State faced all season (Cincinnati & Michigan State) is 46/77 for 710 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. And now Ohio State has to face Blake Sims, Amari Cooper and the powerful Alabama running attack.
Kiffin will spread Ohio State out, show them a dizzying array of formations and simply pick them apart. Quite frankly Alabama's offense versus Ohio State's defense is a mismatch. The only shot Ohio State has of keeping this game competitive is to do what Auburn did which is to score a he11 of a lot of points - 40+ - and that is very unlikely to happen.
Ohio State will pretty much have the exact same problem that Notre Dame had, which is every single offense they had faced the entire season was one dimensional. In Ohio State's case they have only faced one balanced offense all season - Michigan State - against whom they surrendered a season high 536 total yards and 37 points.
The only other respectable passing team Ohio State faced all season was the one-dimensional Cincinnati Bearcats who threw for 252 yards and rushed for only 70. Outside of Michigan State and Cincinnati the best passing offense Ohio State faced was ranked 52nd, and they face 5 teams who ranked 112th or worse.
Here are the rankings of the passing attacks Ohio State has faced this season.
Navy - 127th
Virginia Tech - 70th
Kent State - 59th
Cincinnati - 13th
Maryland - 74th
Rutgers - 62nd
Penn State - 73rd
Illinois - 52nd
Michigan State - 39th (and 24th rushing)
Minnesota - 124th
Indiana - 121st
Michigan - 112th
Wisconsin - 119th
Notre Dame had the same problem. They simply had not faced a balance offense, and certainly not one even close to the caliper of Alabama.
Ohio State faced one balanced offense all season, and the Spartans gashed them for 37 points and 536 total yards. The combined passing stats of the only two respectable passing teams Ohio State faced all season (Cincinnati & Michigan State) is 46/77 for 710 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. And now Ohio State has to face Blake Sims, Amari Cooper and the powerful Alabama running attack.
Kiffin will spread Ohio State out, show them a dizzying array of formations and simply pick them apart. Quite frankly Alabama's offense versus Ohio State's defense is a mismatch. The only shot Ohio State has of keeping this game competitive is to do what Auburn did which is to score a he11 of a lot of points - 40+ - and that is very unlikely to happen.
Bama had a better all around squad and gave up 45 points while turning it over 5 times....A big part of that was because they thought they could show up and win
Bama had a better all around squad and gave up 45 points while turning it over 5 times....A big part of that was because they thought they could show up and win
I agree that this game will be a huge measuring stick for OSU.
We can talk about the skill positions in this game all day long, and clearly QB play will be pivotal for both teams, but in the end this will be a classical trench warfare battle. Whoever wins in the trenches will win the game. At this point I don't believe Ohio State has the experience (particularly big game experience) or the depth to hang with Alabama in the trenches for 4 quarters.
If Alabama wins decisively at the point of attack like I believe they will, and they don't self-destruct with foolish mistakes, Alabama should cover the spread. If OSU can hang with Alabama in the trenches for the duration of the game, then this could be a dog fight.
I agree that this game will be a huge measuring stick for OSU.
We can talk about the skill positions in this game all day long, and clearly QB play will be pivotal for both teams, but in the end this will be a classical trench warfare battle. Whoever wins in the trenches will win the game. At this point I don't believe Ohio State has the experience (particularly big game experience) or the depth to hang with Alabama in the trenches for 4 quarters.
If Alabama wins decisively at the point of attack like I believe they will, and they don't self-destruct with foolish mistakes, Alabama should cover the spread. If OSU can hang with Alabama in the trenches for the duration of the game, then this could be a dog fight.
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