This would be the Game of the Century, or at least the decade, if the networks didn’t have a much less interesting contest as the under card on the same day.
Both of these teams are loaded and have been dominating the CFP since its inception. If The Bucks win it all they, Bama and Clemson will each have two and everyone else in the 130 team FBS will have ZERO.
Vegas likes the Tigers by 2. Not quite pickem.
The smart money that likes Clemson is looking at the trend line for OSU and concluding that the team who put up the most complete regular season by a good margin peaked in October. They haven’t played a 60 minute game in the last 3 Big Ten contests. Both sides of the ball phoned in the second half against PSU. The D phoned in H1 against TTUN and both sides decided it wasn’t worth the trip against Whisky in the B10CG and didn’t wake up until halftime. Clemson has won 24 games in a row, is the defending champion and waxed the mighty Alabama in the chip game last season. Clemson had a rocky start to the season but has been hitting on all cylinders since then.
The Buckeye faithful, and count me in here, think the Bucks weathered a monster 3 game stretch against the best 3 teams in the B10. PSU, TTUN and Whisky clock in at SP+ of 8, 11 and 12. They clearly ran out of gas and had to muster every ounce of fumes in the tank to eventually beat Whisky. My take is that the 3 weeks off is just the right amount to hit the reset button get ready for Clemson but not put on any rust.
Clemson on the other hand played no one ALL season. One could argue, and I will here, that Clemson hasn’t really played anyone in the past two seasons. Frankly they SHOULD be 24-0. Bama is the lone outlier in the past two seasons, but Bama was injured at multiple key positions and Tua had a horrid game. Notre Dame was the other and they were just inside the SP+ 20
My game thoughts hinge on the Buckeyes getting their mind right and keeping it there for the full monty. When OSU is dialed in they have had a mental edge that manifests itself on the LOS and no one has been able to hang with them past the 3rd quarter.
The problem with Clemson is that it’s impossible to sort our how good they are. Yes they are the Champ. They beat BAMA. They are undefeated. But Bama was not full strength. Notre Dame is effectively another ACC team that has a great brand but is good but not great otherwise. They haven’t played a Top 10 team outside of the CFP in two years.
All I have to go on is game tape. And I’ve looked through a few games as have a number of posters like Shaw329 and Rockymountain buckeye.. and net net this is NOT the same team as we’ve played or watched.
The problem they will have is that things that worked in practice where the QB can’t be hit don’t work when the bullets are flying. This didn’t bother them in the past few CFPs, and their talent is unquestionable.
How it ends up
Cliffs Notes: The Bucks win 42-31 in a game that is back and forth but the Bucks control for most of the game.
Clemson has the best passing offense in CFB. I think They can and will score on anyone. I think their D is a step down from their CFP run. I don’t think they have the coaching chops on offense to sustain drives and I believe at the end of the day the staff and then team fold when they have to come from behind in the face of pressure.
When the Bucks are on D
This is the interesting story in the game. The media is all about Venables and Day on the other side of the ball. More about that below, but the game will be decided here. This is the first time we’ve played Clemson in the past two encounters, where we have a decided advantage on both sides of the press box.
Clemson is off the charts at QB, X WR, Y WR and RB(Etienne). In the Chad Morris Playbook they lack a Slot/H receiver like Watkins or Renfrow who serves the roll as pitch man in the BONE.
The Chad Morris O like most Texas High School derived offensive schemes is based on the wishbone. In Morris’s case it was Switzer and then the wrinkles added by Briles and then Gus Malzhan at Arkansas.
Jeff Scott and Tony Elliot haven’t moved the needle from the core. And it was great in 2010, and it’s still a wicked scheme, but they have a couple of missing links and this will be an issue.
I expect Clemson to struggle as the RPO and screens that killed OSU is 13 and 16 are snuffed out. I those salad years Clemson wasn’t able to muster much if a pure rush O. The screen and RPO as pitch in the Whisbone were lethal.
My expectation is that OSU shuts that down along with Etienne and the game turns into Trevor and Higgins and Ross versus Okudah, Arnette and Proctor/Fuller. The key to this magic will be Wade and Proctor. As the game goes on I expect Pryor to play a major role.
The Bucks won’t shut them down but will get stops.
When the Bucks are on O
The funny thing about this side of the ball is that no one is talking about the Clemson D. They are talking about Venables. He’s Great. He’s not playing.
This is NOT a great Clemson D. Maybe in two years. Maybe next year. Not now.
Dobbins should net 150+ using the base scheme. If not, then we lose. Period.
I expect Fields to be ok running the constraint plays lie BASH and maybe even some Counter Trey. But Day will want to unleash his pro style passing scheme early and often and it will work.
The chess match will be on Day. He has to call Blitz beaters and quick throws to offset the pro style passes that take 3-4 seconds to develop. If so, Clemson will not have much of an answer.
Clemson will get some sacks, but we will torch their safeties and in between JK will be running with gusto.
Final Thoughts
This should be an entertaining shoot out. I think the difference in the past two games was twofold in Clemson’s advantage.
They had the better coaches in the press box, and they had the better DL.
This year the tables are turned.
Both of these teams are loaded and have been dominating the CFP since its inception. If The Bucks win it all they, Bama and Clemson will each have two and everyone else in the 130 team FBS will have ZERO.
Vegas likes the Tigers by 2. Not quite pickem.
The smart money that likes Clemson is looking at the trend line for OSU and concluding that the team who put up the most complete regular season by a good margin peaked in October. They haven’t played a 60 minute game in the last 3 Big Ten contests. Both sides of the ball phoned in the second half against PSU. The D phoned in H1 against TTUN and both sides decided it wasn’t worth the trip against Whisky in the B10CG and didn’t wake up until halftime. Clemson has won 24 games in a row, is the defending champion and waxed the mighty Alabama in the chip game last season. Clemson had a rocky start to the season but has been hitting on all cylinders since then.
The Buckeye faithful, and count me in here, think the Bucks weathered a monster 3 game stretch against the best 3 teams in the B10. PSU, TTUN and Whisky clock in at SP+ of 8, 11 and 12. They clearly ran out of gas and had to muster every ounce of fumes in the tank to eventually beat Whisky. My take is that the 3 weeks off is just the right amount to hit the reset button get ready for Clemson but not put on any rust.
Clemson on the other hand played no one ALL season. One could argue, and I will here, that Clemson hasn’t really played anyone in the past two seasons. Frankly they SHOULD be 24-0. Bama is the lone outlier in the past two seasons, but Bama was injured at multiple key positions and Tua had a horrid game. Notre Dame was the other and they were just inside the SP+ 20
My game thoughts hinge on the Buckeyes getting their mind right and keeping it there for the full monty. When OSU is dialed in they have had a mental edge that manifests itself on the LOS and no one has been able to hang with them past the 3rd quarter.
The problem with Clemson is that it’s impossible to sort our how good they are. Yes they are the Champ. They beat BAMA. They are undefeated. But Bama was not full strength. Notre Dame is effectively another ACC team that has a great brand but is good but not great otherwise. They haven’t played a Top 10 team outside of the CFP in two years.
All I have to go on is game tape. And I’ve looked through a few games as have a number of posters like Shaw329 and Rockymountain buckeye.. and net net this is NOT the same team as we’ve played or watched.
The problem they will have is that things that worked in practice where the QB can’t be hit don’t work when the bullets are flying. This didn’t bother them in the past few CFPs, and their talent is unquestionable.
How it ends up
Cliffs Notes: The Bucks win 42-31 in a game that is back and forth but the Bucks control for most of the game.
Clemson has the best passing offense in CFB. I think They can and will score on anyone. I think their D is a step down from their CFP run. I don’t think they have the coaching chops on offense to sustain drives and I believe at the end of the day the staff and then team fold when they have to come from behind in the face of pressure.
When the Bucks are on D
This is the interesting story in the game. The media is all about Venables and Day on the other side of the ball. More about that below, but the game will be decided here. This is the first time we’ve played Clemson in the past two encounters, where we have a decided advantage on both sides of the press box.
Clemson is off the charts at QB, X WR, Y WR and RB(Etienne). In the Chad Morris Playbook they lack a Slot/H receiver like Watkins or Renfrow who serves the roll as pitch man in the BONE.
The Chad Morris O like most Texas High School derived offensive schemes is based on the wishbone. In Morris’s case it was Switzer and then the wrinkles added by Briles and then Gus Malzhan at Arkansas.
Jeff Scott and Tony Elliot haven’t moved the needle from the core. And it was great in 2010, and it’s still a wicked scheme, but they have a couple of missing links and this will be an issue.
I expect Clemson to struggle as the RPO and screens that killed OSU is 13 and 16 are snuffed out. I those salad years Clemson wasn’t able to muster much if a pure rush O. The screen and RPO as pitch in the Whisbone were lethal.
My expectation is that OSU shuts that down along with Etienne and the game turns into Trevor and Higgins and Ross versus Okudah, Arnette and Proctor/Fuller. The key to this magic will be Wade and Proctor. As the game goes on I expect Pryor to play a major role.
The Bucks won’t shut them down but will get stops.
When the Bucks are on O
The funny thing about this side of the ball is that no one is talking about the Clemson D. They are talking about Venables. He’s Great. He’s not playing.
This is NOT a great Clemson D. Maybe in two years. Maybe next year. Not now.
Dobbins should net 150+ using the base scheme. If not, then we lose. Period.
I expect Fields to be ok running the constraint plays lie BASH and maybe even some Counter Trey. But Day will want to unleash his pro style passing scheme early and often and it will work.
The chess match will be on Day. He has to call Blitz beaters and quick throws to offset the pro style passes that take 3-4 seconds to develop. If so, Clemson will not have much of an answer.
Clemson will get some sacks, but we will torch their safeties and in between JK will be running with gusto.
Final Thoughts
This should be an entertaining shoot out. I think the difference in the past two games was twofold in Clemson’s advantage.
They had the better coaches in the press box, and they had the better DL.
This year the tables are turned.
