COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S SURPRISE: OHIO STATE EXACTS REVENGE AND EARNS A SHOT AT ALABAMA

 

What goes around comes around, the old saying

goes and it applies to the college football playoffs. On January 11, Ohio State challenges top ranked Alabama in the national championship game in Miami. The contest teems with redemption and revenge story lines.  Ohio State punched its ticket by winning the  Sugar Bowl New Year’s night over Clemson, 49-28, avenging a narrow, painful

semifinal loss to the Tigers last year. Earlier in the day, Alabama won the Rose Bowl, 31-14, over Notre Dame. The Crimson Tide now seeks to avenge an embarrassing defeat in the finals two years ago.

Ohio State’s stunning shellacking of an uncharacteristically out-of-sorts Clemson team prevented a fifth episode of the Clemson-Alabama playoff series. The teams had met in four of the last five playoffs, with Clemson winning twice (after the 2016 and 2018 seasons) and Alabama twice (after the 2015 and 2017 seasons). The 2015 and 2016 games went to the wire. Each team had a convincing win in the other two games. Many looked forward to a rubber match this year, but now it won’t happen.

 

The Tide rolls

No doubt ever existed about the outcome of the

Alabama-Notre Dame semifinal, technically the Rose Bowl. Because of COVID restrictions, playoff officials moved the game from Pasadena, California to  AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (a/k/a Jerry World).

Alabama scored on its first three possessions, then kept Notre Dame at bay. Though Notre Dame has improved its lines of scrimmage from earlier post season games when Alabama simply manhandled the Irish, the Tide’s superior speed and playmaking ability made this game no contest.

Alabama may have had better defensive teams,  but its 2020 offense is probably coach Nick Saban’s

best ever. Two players, receiver DeVonta Smith and quarterback Mac Jones, made the Heisman Trophy final four list and a third, running back Nanjee Harris finished fifth. A team with that kind of fire power presents a multitude of problems for

any defense and Notre Dame was no exception. Alabama methodically destroyed Notre Dame’s hopes, rolling up 437 yards of total offense in the process.

Ohio State shocks Clemson

After Clemson easily defeated Notre Dame in

the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, many college football observers believed Clemson had sent a message that the Tigers were ready to claim their third national championship in five years. Instead, Ohio State played with a monster-sized chip on its shoulder and destroyed the proud Tigers from South Carolina. No team ever gave an opponent more motivation.

To begin with, Ohio State felt it was robbed in last year’s 29-23 semifinal loss. Several critical officiating calls went against the Buckeyes, especially a fumble recovered and returned for a touchdown that was then called an

incomplete  pass.  Second, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney voted Ohio State 11^th on his coaches’ poll ballot. Swinney contended the vote wasn’t about Ohio State, but only reflected his view that teams that didn’t play a full schedule didn’t deserve a top ten ranking (Ohio State played only six games because of COVID issues). Nevertheless, it’s difficult to imagine any better bulletin board material, especially for a team already nursing a grudge. Ohio State’s anger fueled a 21-unanswered- points outburst in the second quarter. Clemson never really threatened again. Whenever the Tigers crept closer, Ohio State torched the Clemson defense in return.

 

Ohio State – Alabama

Alabama opened as a seven-point favorite for the championship game. Whether Ohio State can threaten Alabama likely depends on intangibles that may not emerge until game time. Ohio State has weapons, especially

quarterback Justin Fields who regained his touch in the Clemson game. He’d been a strong pre-season Heisman candidate, but had an ordinary year and dropped out of the conversation. Mistake plagued outings against

Indiana and in the Big 10 championship game against  Northwestern drew criticism. Against Clemson, however, he passed for 385 yards and six touchdowns, and demonstrated complete command of the Buckeye offense.

Ohio State controlled Clemson’s superstar

quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, the dead cinch number one pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Lawrence threw for 400 yards, but never seemed in rhythm. Some will blame that on the absence of play-caller/offensive coordinator Tony Elliot, who missed the game because of COVID protocols. When a team loses by three touchdowns, blaming it on the absence of one assistant coach seems a bit much, especially when its defense never stopped the opposition. Can the Buckeyes similarly handle the multi-faceted Alabama offense? Maybe, but nobody else has this year.

Ohio State has nothing to avenge against Alabama. Few expect Ohio State will win, so the Buckeyes could be playing with house money. Except for the mere fact they’re on the national championship stage, no reason exists for the appearance of anything other than a loose, relaxed Ohio State team on January 11.

Alabama, however, has some unfinished

business. The Tide hasn’t won a national championship since the 2017 season (Alabama beat Clemson, 24-6, in the semifinals that year). The next year, Clemson humiliated Alabama in the title game, 44-16. As  for the 2019 season, for the first

time Alabama didn’t even make the four-team playoff. All that seems motivation enough for Alabama to take care of Ohio State this time around.