7:0 PM EST, ESPN – Line: Ohio State -3, Over/Under: 59
Watson and Clemson have overcome a number of close calls in 2016, but have nonetheless advanced to their second consecutive Playoff.
Of the two National Semifinals, the latter certainly has the requisite entertainment value associated with this particular stage, as the second-ranked Clemson Tigers battle the third-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, a matchup of adversaries that resemble mirror images of one another. The last time Clemson (12-1, 7-1 in ACC) was on this stage, the ACC Champions very nearly toppled eventual National Champion Alabama, narrowly meeting defeat in last year’s Championship Game, a nip-and-tuck 45-40 affair. Short of hoisting the trophy themselves, Dabo Swinney’s charges accomplished just about everything they set out to do, making matching the ensuing expectations in 2016 all the more difficult. Don’t be fooled by their record, folks, for it has been ANYTHING but easy. Six of the Tigers’ twelve victories came by one possession, with some timely saves keeping their championship hopes alive; they deflected the would-be go-ahead touchdown in the Season Opener against Auburn (19-13), exhaled as North Carolina State missed a potential game-winning Field Goal against them, sending the affair to Overtime (24-17), scored seventeen Fourth Quarter Points to rally towards triumph at Florida State (37-34), and snared a late interception to thwart an upset from Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship Game (42-35). Even their lone loss of the campaign, a 43-42 defeat at home to Pittsburgh left the masses on the edge of their seat; with the Panthers stacking the box throughout the day, Deshaun Watson was forced to throw the ball a staggering seventy times, registering 580 yards, three touchdowns and as many interceptions, while visitors stopped them on a crucial Fourth & Short in the final stanza, leading to the go-ahead Field Goal as time expired. So yes, while Clemson could very well have been undefeated this year, they could have also been 8-5 and out of the championship discussion entirely. With that said, for a team that lost many of their number to the NFL Draft, they’re remain remarkably flush with talent, and it all starts with Watson. The two-time Heisman Finalist may have regressed in the eyes of some, but the Junior has still been very productive, completing 67.6% of his passes for 3,914 yards (8.0 Y/A), thirty-seven touchdowns and fifteen interceptions, while rushing for 524 yards and six more scores. While the rushing production is way down from 2015 (1,105 YDS, 12 TD), mostly due to teams loading the line of scrimmage, he’s nonetheless left his mark on the conference’s record books, trailing only Phillip Rivers and Tajh Boyd for most Total Offense in ACC History. On an Offense averaging 40.2 points on 506.0 Total Yards, there are sure to be playmakers, which is certainly the case for the Tigers. Apart from Watson, Wayne Gallman (196 CAR, 1,002 YDS, 15 TD) has been a battering ram out of the Backfield, while Mike Williams (84 REC, 1,171 YDS, 10 TD) looks to be another in a long line of Receivers to play on Sundays, along with five other players to rack up at last 300 yards receiving. Their cache of talent extends to the defensive side of the ball too, where Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables has overseen a unit that has applied relentless pressure thus far, accumulating forty-six sacks, second-most in Division I. Defensive Linemen Dexter Lawrence (58 TKL, 8.5 TFL, 6.5 SK), Christian Wilkins (44 TKL, 12.0 TFL, 3.5 SK) and Carlos Watkins (41 TKL, 95 TFL, 8.5 SK) are disruptive forces in the trenches, while Linebackers Ben Boulware (105 TKL, 9.0 TFL, 4.0 SK, 1 INT, 3 FF) and Kendall Joseph (92 TKL, 9.0 TFL, 3.5 SK, 1 INT) are tackling machines, with Defensive Backs Jadar Jackson (49 TKL, 1.5 TFL, 5 INT, 7 PD) and Cordrea Tankersley (43 TKL, 6.0 TFL, 3 INT, 10 PD). Pressure so often leads to turnovers, and Clemson has been adept at doing just that, generating twenty-four takeaways, eighteen of which were interceptions, with a dozen different Tigers capturing an errant throw.
Two years after breaking his ankle, Barrett has the Buckeyes on the cusp of another National Championship.
Meanwhile, after narrowly missing out in 2015, Ohio State (11-1, 8-1 in Big Ten) has returned to the College Football Playoff, which of course was the sight of their most recent grand triumph, winning the inaugural CFP Trophy in 2014. However, much like their opponent tonight, they very nearly didn’t even make it to this stage; four of their eleven victories came by one possession, including a pair of Overtime thrillers against the likes of Wisconsin (30-23) and bitter rival Michigan (30-27), the last of which culminated in a 15-yard touchdown run courtesy of Curtis Samuel (1,526 Total YDS, 15 TD) following a controversial Fourth Down Spot. Even their lone loss of the campaign, a 24-21 shocker at Penn State, was ripe with suspense, where the hosts miraculously returned a botched Field Goal attempt for the go-ahead touchdown in the final frame. Since arriving in Columbus in 2012, Urban Meyer has reasserted the Buckeyes as a powerhouse to be feared, going 61-6 (.924) in his five years on the job, while adding to his prestigious record in Bowls, winning ten out of twelve of them. Simply put, when he and his charges advance to this stage, they typically seize the day. However, like their opponent tonight, this team sustained HEAVY losses to the NFL Draft, making their success all the more impressive in 2016. In fact, a good argument could be made that Ohio State was a far more talented team in 2015, but then again, that’s here nor there, for this particular group has stood on it’s feet well enough throughout the term. Defensively, Ohio State is once again loaded, with a number of highly regarded prospects sure to by plying their trade on Sundays; Linebacker Raekwon McMillan (87 TKL, 5.0 TFL, 1.0 SK, 5 PD, 2 FF), Safety Malik Hooker (67 TKL, 5.0 TFL, 0.5 SK, 6 INT, 3 TD, 4 PD), and Cornerbacks Gareon Conley (20 TKL, 3 INT, 8 PD) and Marshon Lattimore (38 TKL, 4 INT, 1 TD, 9 PD) are among the best at their respective positions, highlighting a unit that has allowed 14.2 points (3rd Overall) on just 286.0 Total Yards, including 164.5 yards against the pass and another 121.5 against the run. Furthermore, these guys have been adept at getting their hands on the football, logging twenty-five takeaways, but where they’ve differed from tonight’s opponent is in the Turnover Differential department, where the Buckeyes have been a mighty healthy Plus-16 (compared to an even differential for Clemson). JT Barrett has had a lot do with their efficient play in possession of the ball, as he finally gets the opportunity compete in the Playoff after being robbed of that distinction two years ago when he broke his ankle against Michigan, which coincidentally served as the catalyst to his team’s title run. Piloting one of the most prolific offenses in the country (42.7 PTS, 7th Overall), the Senior has completed 61.8% of his passes for 2,428 yards (7.0 Y/A), twenty-four touchdowns and five interceptions, while factoring heavily into the gameplan with his legs, rushing for another 847 yards and nine scores. Barrett has fought through inconsistent Pass Protection and inexperience at Receiver, but has nonetheless continued to do everything necessary to make plays, including that aforementioned Fourth Down against Michigan. But hey, not everyone feels that way, as certain Clemson Tigers have been rather vocal in voicing their opinions in regards to the Quarterback. Safety Jadar Jackson recently stated that “they had faced better Quarterbacks…” and that he felt “Barrett didn’t throw the ball that well.” Talk about shots fired. Jackson’s comments, as misguided as they may be, were in reference to comparisons of Barrett to the guy he used to back up, Braxton Miller, who coincidentally led the Buckeyes in their most recent meeting with the Tigers, a 40-35 victory for the latter in the 2013 Orange Bowl. If tonight’s matchup is as thrilling as that one was, then ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we’ll be ringing in the New Year on a high…
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