Game Day is here, and so are the nerves and the paranoia. Â The angst and the dread are there too. Â I have this knot in my stomach as we are minutes away from the opening kickoff. Â Clemson is ready. Â Ohio State is ready, and as both teams take the field, the anticipation kicks in and I am ready. Â This is what Ohio State and Clemson is here for a spot in the College Football Championship Game. Â All of the players are ready to unleash a whooping on each other. Â As a College Football fan, no matter what the end result is, we had a hell of a season. Â A rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. Â And Clemson has gone through the same ride. This is a successful season for both of their standards, but a win would be ideal. Â We will see how it goes.
On the opening possession, J.T. Barrett begins the game with a pop pass to Samuel to ensure he gets his quota for touches per game. Â The drive then stalled as on 3rd and 8, Barrett finds an open Mike Weber out of the backfield for an easy first down catch. Â Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Weber dropped the pass and the Buckeyes punt the ball back to Clemson. Â Clemson began past the 15-yard line, but their first drive only lasted two plays. Â A receiver slipped on the turf and Gareon Conley undercut the route for the games first turnover. Â With decent field position, the Buckeyes drive ended on a sack after Michael Jordan went down after with a key injury. Â Demetrius Knox was inserted into the game and gave up the first sack of the game after failing to get off the line to block and Tyler Durbin pushed the field goal a smidge to the right. Clemson took over and drove into Ohio State territory for a field goal and currently lead the Buckeyes 3-0. The Buckeyes got the ensuing kickoff and Parris Campbell returned it to the Clemson 46-yard line. After another missed field goal, the Buckeyes leave more points on the field. Â Clemson takes over at their own 30-yard line. Â The Tigers take the ball 67 yards on 9 plays and Deshaun Watson takes it in to extend their lead 10-0. Â Ohio State get the ball back on their 23-yard line and reach Clemson territory and end the 1st Quarter on a 1-yard gain. Â The predictability of the play calling and the inability to block and get open in space, coupled with the nerves that has shaken Tyler Durbin to the core have cost the Buckeyes as it should be a 10-6 game, but things happen. Â Here is to another quarter.
After receiving the Buckeye punt, Clemson begins their next drive at their 11-yard line.  The Silver Bullets makes the stop as Jalyn Holmes and Raekwon McMillan stop Watson short of the line to gain.  The Tigers punt and the ball takes a Clemson roll to the Buckeyes 11, pinning them deep in their territory.  Ohio State was once again plagued by drops and untimely penalties and it results in another Buckeye punt.  The Clemson Tigers began their next drive with the lead at their 26-yard line.  The Clemson Offense looked to tack on another score to pad their lead, but Malik Hooker added to his interception statistics as the most of the Buckeye crowd burst into excitement.  Hopefully, this will bring energy to the offense because they are struggling to make plays and the play calling is predictable at best.  Mike Weber needs to be fed like Zeke was because he still has no carries for the game.  Long behold, Weber on the first play of this drive received his first carry of the game for a gain of 5 yards.  The interception was all for nothing as the Buckeyes punt once again bringing up his total to 189 yards for the game compared to the entire offenses 76 yards.  This is not looking too good, but I will keep the faith.  The Clemson offense received and took the ball in the end zone on another wheel route to a leaking Running Back.  Baker was left in coverage and Holmes had a roughing the passer penalty to guarantee a touchback.  The Buckeyes end the half with a 17-0 deficit.  They all look defeated as their punter doubles the offensive output with 240 yards to the offenses 88.  Things need to change or they will get blown out.  See you after halftime.
On Clemson’s first drive of the second half, the Buckeyes look to stop the bleeding.  Three plays later, the Buckeyes come up big on defense to force a Clemson punt.  The possession did not last long as Weber fumbled the ball, putting the Buckeyes in a bad spot.  This is probably what happens when you don’t feed him enough.  Anyway, the Clemson Tigers raced into Ohio State territory once again and that is when the Buckeyes made three huge defensive plays in a row.  Three big tackles for loss and one, a sack from McMillan is a welcome sign for the way the game has been for us fans.  A near offsides penalty by Dre’mont Jones cost the Buckeyes the stop, but Huegel missed the field goal wide left to keep the score at 17-0.  It is within reach to creep back into this game, but it’ll take some imagination with the playcalling.  The Tigers force another punt as they continue to shut down the Ohio State Offense.  On their drive, they reach the Ohio State territory, but the defense comes up with their second sack of the game forcing a rare Clemson punt.  Ohio State comes back with another punt on their own after another sack of Barrett.  Well, the end is here.  Watson scored once again to push the lead to 24-0.  It is now over with Beck and Warriner’s inability to call anything but swing passes.  After back to back deep shots and two penalties on Clemson, Weber runs the ball, then runs over the defender and fumbles.  Next play, Barrett throws a pick.  I am ready for this game to be over because I am sick to my stomach at what I am seeing.  The players are getting a bit chippy as Weber pushes Tankersley after the interception and Watkins comes to his rescue.  The end of the 4th Quarter as the Tigers look to salt away the game.  They get into Ohio State territory once again, but they end up punting the ball.  Samuel earned some yardage as he gained 64-yards on a counter play.  The Buckeyes line immediately gathers more negative yardage on a false start and it set them back 5 yards and a sack on the next play.  On 3rd and 17 the Buckeyes turn it over with a pick that nearly went for six points. Gallman punches it in for another score.  Clemson up 31-0.  At this point, I just want some points to cap a terrible showing.  On 4th and short Weber gets stuffed and the shut-out is still there.  The Clemson Tigers win 31-0 and blank the Buckeyes for their first shutout since 1993 to TTUN.  This has been one hell of a ride and you can only grow from this, no matter how bad it tastes at this moment.  Life will go on and this will certainly be a long cold offseason for all of us.  Good job team and it has been a great season and good work Clemson, you deserve it.  Goodnight folks.
Urban Meyer and Dabo Swinney share a bond as they both grew as coaches. Â Coach Meyer has the edge with multiple championships and one of them came at the expense of his current team when he coached up at Florida. Â Coach Swinney on the other hand built Clemson into the monster that they are currently, and he is looking for another shot to prove his worth as a coach and as a team. Â Coach Swinney was playful during media day as he playfully mentioned Meyer’s book, constantly mentioning excerpts when given the chance. Â Coach Meyer on the other hand was dialed in and seemed distant and focused on the task at hand. Â Clemson dished Meyer one of the 5 losses during his tenure at Ohio State. Â He gave Meyer his first consecutive loss streak, after Meyer and the Buckeyes fell short in the Big Ten Championship Game. Â Is Meyer plotting his revenge? Â Will he have something in store for them? Â The doubters, who are assuming that Clemson will move on with little to no challenge from the Buckeyes? Â The mental chess match between Meyer and Swinney began when the Playoff field was announced. Â This is one of the friends turned foes battles.
J.T. Barrett versus Deshaun Watson will be the other friend versus foe matchup to focus your attention on.  Barrett and Watson were good friends when they both served as counselors for an elite passing Camp.  Their relationship has blossomed since as they shared the “see you in Arizona” pleasantries when discovering that their teams will go up against one another.  This will be Watson’s pass-happy attack versus Barrett’s run heavy offense.  Both Quarterbacks aren’t talking and both don’t have to with the body of work that they have created with their respective teams. Both teams will play fast and hard, both teams will be prepared for the kitchen sink at each other, both teams will ride the wave with their Quarterback.  Both players are proven winners and they will look to display their value on the field.
The battle in the trenches will be another factor in the game. Ohio State has three new starters on the Offensive Line with Junior Jamarco Jones, True Freshman Michael Jordan and Sophomore Isaiah Prince, who has been the chink in the Slobs’ armor at Right Tackle. Â Prince will be the crux of if Ohio State is productive on offense and Jordan will also be tested early and often. Â Prince will face star Defensive Lineman and former Ohio State target, Christian Wilkins and Jordan faces another beast lineman and another former target, Dexter Lawrence. Â Wilkins is a quick twitch lineman, who flashes the speed and burst to blow past linemen and Lawrence has the bulk and outweighs all the Slobs at 340 lbs. Â He will be used to take double-teams to free up his companions. Â He is also a bully in the interior and the leaders for the Slobs will be tested and busy the entire game. Â Pat Elflein and Billy Price will look to stop the bleeding attempting to keep Barrett upright and untouched. Â It is easier said than done with the talent on Clemson’s D-Line.
Clemson’s has a stout Offensive Line and they are beyond beefed up as they average 310 lbs on every position with their Right Guard being the heaviest at 340 lbs. Â The Rushmen will face their toughest challenge of the year trying to reach Deshaun Watson in the backfield. Â Clemson boasts a Left Tackle and former Ohio State targer, Mitch Hyatt who has allowed one sack in his tenure at Clemson. Â This matchup will be another factor as the battle in the trenches looks to become another tough, but exciting matchup for both teams. Â The trench wars will be one of the highlights and the main attraction of the game due to Ohio State’s inability to protect the line line of scrimmage. Â With Prince struggling mightily, will he finally earn his star in College Football circles? Â Or will he fail once again? Â You will never know until the first couple of drives but it very intriguing and my heart hurts just thinking about what could go wrong and what could potentially happen.
Ohio State has one of the best secondaries in College Football and they will be needed to stop Clemson’s explosive offense. Â Ohio State has playmakers at every level on the defense and Clemson does too, but players like Malik Hooker is a scoring threat with Conley and Lattimore locking down their receivers. Â The explosive offense will be a problem as well because Clemson, like Ohio State has playmakers on offense, who can break the game wide open for Watson. Â This matchup focuses on WR’s Mike Williams, Artavis Scott, Hunter Renfrow, TE Jordan Leggett and RB Wayne Gallman matching up against Gareon Conley, Marshon Lattimore, Damon Arenette, Denzel Ward, Damon Webb and Malik Hooker. Â This will be another exciting matchup between a suffocating defense versus and crazy good offense. Â If this doesn’t get you as excited and paranoid as I currently am, you might be dead. Â Get a pulse because this could be the matchup that could decide who advances to the big dance. Â Ohio State collects athlete’s and playmakers, who add a different element to the defense. Â Their secondary is one of the best in taking the ball away and turning it into points. Â The Buckeyes have 7 TD’s for points and Hooker has 3 of them. Â Turnover’s will be key in this contest that could go either way.
Clemson initially opened up as a three point underdog, even as the higher seed. Â They feel slighted and they should because their playmakers will look to do some damage on the vaunted Ohio State Secondary who is known to shift the momentum during close games. Â Mike Williams is a dog and a playmaker who can also shift games in their favor. Â The rest of the playmakers who start and a few of their key reserves would also do the same. Â It is just a matter of protecting the ball and their Quarterback. Â It is a strength versus strength battle with both teams as they both look to advance forward. Â This will not be a cakewalk for either team. Â Ohio State’s Secondary will be one of the best that they have seen so far this season and likewise with Clemson’s Offense. Â Clemson will be the best offense that they have faced this season because the depth and talent at every position. Â This will be crazy to see both squads fighting to advance into the Championship Game. Â Talent versus talent for the glory.
On the other end, the Clemson Secondary will be leaned on to keep the Buckeyes contained. Â If Gallman struggles, then it’ll be a defensive battle and both teams are pretty good on offense and defense, it is just a matter of opportunity to make plays. Â That is all you could ask for. Â Both teams will look to cancel each other out and this will be the epic battle of the century. Â The strengths and weaknesses are obvious and well documented and it is up to every unit to produce or make play when needed to. Â This will be a crazy game filled with many momentum swings and it will be a good one. Â Everyone will be glued to their seats as we watch how the game unfolds. Â Are we in store for a blowout or another overtime dance with another well-coached contender. Â Who knows, but we will find out in a couple of hours.
Ryan Carter is a Redshirt Junior who will be most likely be matched up against Noah Brown during this contest. Â Clemson tends to blitz, a lot, and that leaves their Cornerbacks on islands with opposing pass catchers. Â Carter is listed as being 5-9, 180 lbs and he comes from Grayson, Georgia. Â Carter has 28 tackles for the season, with 18 of those tackles being solo tackles. Â He also has one interception, one sack and he has 5.5 tackles for loss for the season so far. Â Carter will be charged with locking down the outside receivers. Â Size is always a concern, but he plays up to his competition as he has tallied 7 total pass break-ups to date. Â He will contend with unproven and young receivers this game, who routinely struggle to get separation from defenders. Â The blitzing and the constant pressure will be leaned upon to prevent big splash plays from occurring as Carter will be tasked to shut his man down.
Cordrea Tankersley is one of the Senior leader’s of the Defensive Backs as he looks to finish out his career at Clemson with another shot at the Championship, and hopefully against Alabama. Â They have to go through the Buckeyes prior to that, and with the media counting them in the Championship Game already, why not share the same mindset. Â Right? Â Tankersley is second on the team in interceptions with 3. Â He has made 43 tackles and 32 of them were solo tackles. Â He leads his team with 10 pass break ups and he has 6 tackles for losses. Â He will be shadowing Curtis Samuel for the majority of the game. Â His leadership will be needed as that, by no means is an easy assignment. Â He will need to be ready for whatever the Buckeyes throw at him because in the Pitt loss, he was not playing up to his ability and the team suffered their first and only defeat of the year.
Van Smith is the starting Free Safety for this Clemson squad replacing T.J. Green, who now plays in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts. Â He has big shoes to fill, but he has filled the void. Â Smith is listed as being 5-11, 195 lbs and he has grown up this past season. Â He leads the Defensive Backs in tackles with 87 and 59 of them were of the solo variety. Â He has 5 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles and pass break ups. Â He will be roaming the backfield with reckless abandon, to attempt to make plays on the inexperienced receivers that Ohio State has on their roster. Â Smith plays aggressively and tends to over pursue, but more often than not, he makes the play. Â He is rangy as he looks toward this matchup against the Buckeyes.
Gareon Conley, from Massillon, Ohio was on the cusp of becoming a hated rival for the Buckeyes, but a last minute offer turned him toward the Scarlet and Gray, and the rest is history. Conley turned out to be a suitable replacement for Eli Apple after he left for the New York Giants. Â Conley is 6-0, 195 lbs and he is the one of the older members of this secondary being in his Junior season. Â Conley has 3 interceptions this season, 20 total tackles, 16 solo tackles and 8 pass break ups. Â He takes on the opposing offenses best receiver, which will be Mike Williams, who is a projected First Round lock in the upcoming draft. Â This will be one of the most anticipated matchups in this game as Williams is projected to go in the first round and Conley is floating around in the Late First Round to Second Round. Â With a good showing, I could see him shoot up draft boards prior to the combine, but that is assuming that he shuts down Williams during the game. Â Conley will looks to advance against a loaded receiving corps that can score at will.
Marshon Lattimore has finally beat the injuries to live up to the expectations from when he first set foot onto the campus.  After lingering injuries prevented him from playing, he broke into the College Football scene after 2 years of waiting.  It has been a sight to see as he is second on the team in total interceptions with 4 for the season.  He brought one to the house against Tulsa to break the game wide-open for the Buckeyes.  He could have had two, but a penalty erased one from existence, but he shows the playmaking ability with his speed and man to man skills, which will be needed against a loaded offense that Clemson possesses.  Lattimore is also a sure tackler with 38 and 27 solo tackles.  He has 9 pass break ups as he and Conley are usually placed on islands during games and they will look to shut down whoever they both face.
Damon Webb, a player plucked from Michigan is the starting Free Safety at Ohio State who is replacing Vonn Bell. Â Webb is the smallest member of the secondary, but he plays with a lot of heart and fire. Â At 5-10, 195 lbs the Junior will look to shut down this talented Clemson Offense. Â Webb has 53 tackles for the season with 29 solo tackles and he has 2 tackles for a loss with an interception for a score and 3 pass break ups. Â He will be tasked with stopping the Tight End and the Slot Receivers during the game. Â Ward has the ability to tackle, but he often relies on big hits to dislodge the ball away from the receivers and he will need to wrap up this game. Â Coverage will be key as the Clemson Offense can put up points in a variety of ways. Â Discipline will be key in this matchup as he will face the most potent offense this season.
Greg Huegel will be the primary kicker for the contest. Â Huegel is a Redshirt Sophomore who stands at 5-11, 195 lbs. Â He will be the primary kickoff man as well. Â He has 86 kickoffs for the season and 36 of them were touchbacks. Â He has kicked 17 field goals this season, making 13 of them for a 76.5% field goal success rate. Â For extra points, Huegel is 62 of 64 for a 96.9% success rate. Â This will be key in this game as every point matters and is of great importance.
Andy Teasdall is a Redshirt Senior who is looking to cap off his Clemson career on top of the College Football mountain, but he will need two wins to do it. Â The first battle to the top will be against Ohio State and he will be asked to pin the Ohio State Offense deep within their territory to unleash the hounds. Â Teasdall has 48 total punts for 1808 yards and he is averaging 37.67 yards per punt and 150.7 yards per game. Â Teasdall will try to pin J.T. Barrett deep the entire game to give his defense a chance to make plays.
Camerson Johnston is a Senior Punter from Australia who is also looking to cap off his Buckeye career on top of the College Football mountain, but Clemson will be a tough task with the Athletes that they have at every position. Â Ohio State has the same quality and quantity of athletes, but it makes it very hard to choose who would win. Â Johnston will be looked at to flip the field on Special Teams with his patented rugby style kick. Â He has been effective when utilized for punts. Â He has punted the ball 49 times for 2266 yards and he is averaging 46.24 per punt and 188.8 yards per game which is absurd. Â He has one rushing attempt, that if properly blocked, would’ve been enough for a fourth down conversion, but it was not meant to be. Â He will be needed to give the Buckeyes a chance on defense.
Carlos Watkins is Clemson’s 6-3, 300 lbs Redshirt Senior who is the oldest player on the Defensive Line. Â Watkins has tallied 41 tackles with 22 solo tackles. Â He has 8.5 sacks for the season and 10.5 tackles for loss with a blocked kick to add to his stat sheet. Watkins is a penetrator and one of the most influential players on the young Defensive Line. Â He will work with the other linemen to disrupt the Ohio State Offensive Lineman. Â Watkins is the third heaviest lineman on the line, but he is ruthless. Â He will look to take advantage of True Freshman Michael Jordan in this matchup inside the trenches.
True Freshman Dexter Lawrence was the other prized five star recruit that Coach Meyer missed out on.  His recruitment went down to the wire and Ohio State nearly had it, but distance was the key determining factor in this recruiting battle between Clemson and Ohio State.  Lawrence is from North Carolina and he is the heaviest lineman on the defense.  He is 6-5 and he weighs 340 lbs.  Lawrence is literally the anchor and he will be matched up against Elflein and Price along the interior.  He has logged 58 total tackles with 19 solo tackles, he has 9 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and he has 2 blocks on Special teams.  He has an engine and he will be a problem for the Slobs the entire game.
Clelin Ferrell is the lightest Defensive Lineman on Clemson’s roster. Â Ferrell is 6-5, 265 lbs and he is the quickest member on the squad as well. Â Ferrell has 39 tackles with 16 solo tackles, he has 8.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks for the season. Â He earns his keep by pressuring the opposing Quarterback. Â He will line up against Isaiah Prince, who is Ohio State’s biggest question mark. Â He has given up an excess of 45+ Qb pressures and Clemson will take that matchup. Â They will look to pressure J.T. Barrett early and often to disrupt his rhythm and put him on his back. Â This will be one of the matchup’s to watch as Prince will look to redeem himself against a stout Clemson front who loves to blitz, a lot.
Dorian O’Daniel is 6-1, 215 lbs and is a fourth year Junior. Â He has 48 tackles for the season with 31 solo tackles. Â He is a sure tackler with the grit and determination to bring down the ball carrier. Â He has 9 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. O’Daniel will be used on the edges and he is one of the many speed rushers that Clemson seems to stockpile on their roster. He plays like Vic Beasley as he looks to terrorize the Ohio State Offensive Tackles.
Kendall Joseph is 6-0, 230 lbs and he is from South Carolina playing for his home state team. Â Although he is the smallest member of their Linebacking core, he plays with the grit and the determination of a bigger player. Â Joseph is a playmaker and he sits at second on the team in tackles with 94 tackles and 49 of those are solo tackles. Â He has 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 5 Qb hurries and a forced fumble. Â He will attempt to wreak havoc on the Buckeyes O-Line to expose their youth at both Offensive Tackle spots and at Left Guard. Â Joseph is only Redshirt Sophomore, but he has played in big games, as he gained valuable experience during last season’s College Football Playoff run.
Ben Boulware is the heart and the soul of this Clemson Defense. Â He play with fire and you could see it when he steps onto the field and after he makes plays. Â Boulware, a Senior out of Anderson, South Carolina who is 6-0, 235 lbs leads all tacklers in the front seven with 105 tackles and he has 50 solo tackles. Â He has been disruptive with 9 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Boulware plays with the raw emotion that gets his team up for games, but that could also be his downfall. Â He is known to have a short fuse and he is prone to penalties, but he is a valuable playmaker that needs to get going early. Â He will be used on blitzes and in coverage as he looks for the win and a Championship berth.
Sam Hubbard stands at 6-5, 266 lbs and he was tabbed as an Athlete coming out of high school. Â He was supposed to become a Safety for the Buckeyes, but a growth spurt shifted him toward the D-Line. Â Hubbard has 41 tackles and 18 of those were solo tackles. Â He has 7 tackles for loss with 3 sacks. Â He sees a lot of double teams while on the field and not in the vaunted Rushmen Package. Â He does his job well and frees up the Line Backers from the trenches. Â Hubbard is an effective pass rusher and he will be looked at to hold containment when Watson attempts to rush the ball and rush the passer as well.
Dre’mont Jones benefited from the injury to Tracy Sprinkle during the offseason. Â He is 6-3, 280 lbs and he fits the Ohio State mold of the athletic and disruptive space eater in the interior. Â Jones, a Redshirt Freshman, started off slow, but he has gained more consistency and confidence as the season draws to a close. Â Jones has registered 46 total tackles as an interior Defensive Lineman with 18 solo tackles. Â He will be used to disrupt the linemen in the trenches. Â He will most likely be used in a rotation as the Buckeyes have depth at just about every spot on the defensive front seven. Â Although Jones has no sacks to show, he shows up on film constantly taking on double-teams and catching the attention of O-Lineman to free up a blitzing member of his defense. Â He will look to doing battle in the trenches.
Michael Hill also benefited from the Sprinkle injury, but unlike Jones, he was slated to start alongside him. Â Hill is 6-3, 305 lbs and he is the heaviest member of the team. Â Like Jones, his stats aren’t mind blowing, but he serves a purpose on the defensive gameplan. He is another space eater that will take on double teams to free up teammates. Â He has 19 tackles this season with 7 solo tackles. Â He has 3 tackles for loss. Â He has the ability to penetrate if given the opportunity and he will line up against a mammoth Right Guard Tyrone Crowder who weighs an astounding 340 lbs. Â He will certainly be tough to move and maneuver against, but the war in the trenches will be another aspect of this game to pay attention to. Â Hill played high school ball in Pendleton, South Carolina and was also recruited by Clemson. Â Hopefully, he plays with the intensity and a chip on his shoulder as he dons the Scarlet and Gray during his third season at Ohio State.
Tyquan Lewis was another recruit that fought over by both teams. Â He played in nearby North Carolina, but chose to branch away and play further away from home. Â Lewis is in his third year at Ohio State. Â He is 6-4, 266 lbs and he is another pass rusher that fits the mold at Ohio State. Â He will be utilized to rush the passer and disrupt the Clemson tempo. Â Like Hubbard, he lacks in the statistical aspect of things, but he does his job and plays his role on defense. Â He has 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Â He has 5 Qb hurries and 3 forced fumbles. Â He is a disruptive force and in obvious passing situations, he will be utilized in the Rushmen Package to get to the Quarterback. Â He will be looked at to set the tone and ensure his brothers follow suit. Â The opposing Tackles opposite of them will be tough tests for Lewis and his teammates, but they will bring the heat as often as they are allowed to.
Chris Worley, a Junior out of Cleveland will be one of the playmakers on this defense that will look to cause fits for Clemson’s Offense. Worley is 6-2, 228 lbs and he plays to Ohio State’s standard for Line Backers. Â There is a legacy at the position that he has to uphold and he has done a good job as he finally gets his chance after sitting behind players like Darron Lee. Â Worley has 59 tackles for the season and 35 of those were done by himself. Â Worley has no sacks this season, but he filled that void by gathering an interception, a forced fumble, 2 Qb hurries and he has batted down 4 passes. Â He has 4.5 tackles for loss and he will looks to shut down the strong side of the Clemson Offense with his speed and his ability to tackle. Â He will have a tough time getting past the Offensive Tackles, but we will have to see what will happen during gameday.
Raekwon McMillan will lead the defense after taking the reins after sharing snaps with Curtis Grant. Â McMillan is a Junior and a projected early round pick in the upcoming draft, but like all draft eligible players, they are locked-into this matchup with Clemson. McMillan is 6-2, 243 and he is one Coach Meyer’s most prized recruits that he pulled from the heart of the south. Â McMillan is from Georgia and he picked Ohio State over Clemson. Â He is as motivated as anybody on this defense due to the proximity to home. Â McMillan leads all tacklers with 87 total tackles and 37 solo tackles. Â He has 5 tackles for loss with a sack, 2 Qb hurries and 2 forced fumbles. Â He will need to play the game of his life on defense against a potent Clemson Offense. Â He will need to make the right checks and audibles. Â He will need to get his teammates motivated and he will need to play motivated like the “basic defense” that shut down the potent Oklahoma Offense.
Jerome Baker also benefited from an injury to a Dante Booker. Â Although Booker began as the starter, injuries derailed his chances and it gave way to Baker’s talent. Baker, a Cleveland native, is 6-1, 225 lbs and he plays with a reckless abandon that Darron Lee played with during his Buckeye career. Â Baker, Sophomore had the chance to grow under Lee and he certainly plays with the same intensity. Â Baker is second on the team in tackles with 79 and 42 of those were solo tackles. Â Baker has 8.5 tackles for loss and he is the swiss army knife of the defense. Â He has 2 interceptions, 1 of which was a pick-six that he had against Oklahoma and 3.5 sacks. He will be used to rush the passer and play in coverage. Â He is as rangy as they come and he has the speed to do both. Â The only question mark is his tackling ability. Â Sure, he is second on the team, but he rarely wraps up and goes for the huge hit. Â He will need to bring his A Game if he wants to advance.
Taylor Hearn is the starting Left Guard for Clemson. Hearn is 6-5, 325 lbs and he is the second heaviest Offensive Lineman on the roster. Hearn looks and plays like a bull as he uses his weight and his size to bully opposing players to help Watson move the ball. Hearn has spend three years developing his skill within the Clemson program and early-on, he took a redshirt. Hearn played high school in Williston, South Carolina as he is living his dream in his home state. Last season, Hearn registered 8 knockdown blocks in 180 snaps in 14 games in 2015, so he shows his ability to seek and destroy defenders on blocks.
Jay Guillermo is a Redshirt Senior out of Maryville, Tennessee. Guillermo is 6-3, 310 lbs and is the starting Center for the Clemson Tigers. Last season, Guillermo earned Second-Team All-ACC honors. For this game he will face a Buckeye Defensive front seven that will attempt to give his unit fits on offense. Guillermo has the experience edge because he has faced a supremely talented defensive front in last seasons Playoff Championship Game in the Alabama Crimson Tide. He and his quarterback will be looking to take care of business for another berth in the big game, but for now the Buckeyes stand in the way of that. Guillermo is the glue of the Offensive Line and he is a road grader on offense. He will look to keep the interior defenders and any linebacker who are willing to blitz in check.
Tyrone Crowder at Right Guard, is the heaviest of the bunch, weighing 340 lbs. He is 6-2, but his size will be a major concern for Buckeye defenders as he outweighs them all. The closest defender is Michael Hill at 307 lbs. Crowder is a Redshirt Junior and last season he earned Third-team All-ACC honors. He also has big game experience, as he played against Alabama last season in the Championship Game. Crowder is a run blocker who plays much bigger than he is listed as. He play with a chip on his shoulder and he is very nasty. He will be the focal point on offense as he will be utilized primarily as a run blocker. At least that’s what I would do because he outweighs the entire defense that he is facing. Watson and Gallman will be looking to run behind their big man as Clemson looks to shred the Buckeye Defense on the ground first, then eventually through the air.
Sean Pollard is the youngest member on the Offensive Line for Clemson. He is a true Freshman, who is starting on one of the most prolific offenses this season. Pollard is 6-5, 315 lbs and he hails from Jackson Springs, North Carolina. Pollard was the 129 overall player on the Scout site, 173 by ESPN and 177 by Rivals, so he is no slouch. Although he is young, he has found a role within the Offensive Line and he will look to develop against Ohio State. Ohio State will likely attempt to test Pollard throughout the contest, for being the youngest and most inexperienced lineman on the Clemson roster. It will be a stretch to undermine the 14 sacks given up, but whatever edge they can attempt to find is added motivation for Pollard and his teammates.
Jamarco Jones is the starting Left Tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes out of Chicago, Illinois. Jones stands at 6-5 and 310 lbs and he will be facing the most dangerous front seven, rivaling arch rival Michigan’s. He will be facing a lot of former Buckeye targets as Coach Meyer has lost more than a few prospective defensive players to Clemson. Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence, who were both major needs/wants for Urban Meyer, but the prospect of playing near family won out in the end as both players chose Clemson over Ohio State. Jamarco Jones is one of the better Offensive Linemen on the roster behind upperclassmen Pat Elflein and Billy Price. He will look to keep J.T. Barrett upright against a blitz happy Clemson Defense. Jones has a knack for being up for the challenge and he will look to continue his pursuit of a National Title berth. Jones has been one of the most consistent member of the Slobs, he earned Second-team All-Big Ten honors last season and he has gained valuable experience that helped him develop into the player he is now. He will be looked upon the entire game.
Michael Jordan is the starting Left Guard who hails from Canton, Michigan. He is one of the four Michigan players that chose the Scarlet and Gray over the Maize and Blue. Jordan is massive, standing at 6-7, 310 lbs and he, as a true Freshman, has exceeded expectations as he earned a starting spot over Redshirt Freshman Matthew Burrell.  Jordan is the first Buckeye since Orlando Pace in 1994, who had started a season opener and he has started all 12 games so far this season. He beat out a ton of talented Offensive Lineman and that speaks volume to the depth that Coach Meyer has created within his program. Jordan has quietly pieced together a great season. He has grown into the consistent road grader that this staff loves to see and produce. Being on the interior, Jordan will face an athletic and rangy defensive front that blitzes a lot. He will face his biggest test during this game, but there isn’t a better way to grow. He will use this as a test to gage where he stands and how he can improve because they will need his consistency. The Buckeyes love to pull the guard and the center so look for them to try to isolate the edge defenders when the need arises.
Pat Elflein is the Ohio State starting Center and one of the team captains on the roster. Elflein is one of three offensive starters from a season ago. A Redshirt Junior, Elflein looks to potentially finish out his career as a Buckeye as a National Champion, but prior to that he and his unit need to do their jobs against a stout Clemson Defense. Elflein is 6-3, 300 lbs and make no mistake, he is the outright leader of the Slobs. Elflein was a little known Offensive Line prospect that has grown and flourished with the Buckeyes. He was selected for and received the Rimington Award for the top Lineman of the year and the Big 10’s version, the Rimington-Pace Award. He stands out and he will be leaned upon to make the proper shifts and callouts during the game. Clemson loves to blitz and they will likely do so, but I feel like they will try to catch the Buckeyes off guard with some zone blitzes, but we will see. The offense moves quicker when Elflein is on top of his game and making the proper reads on the line. Look for him to motion out to seal the edges because the Buckeyes will look to run the ball a lot with the many questions at Wide Receiver looming. He has the most experience out of the entire line and he knows what it takes to succeed as he was a starter for the 2014 National Champion Buckeyes at Left Guard.
The biggest liability on the Offensive Line, Isaiah Prince will start once again as the Right Tackle for the Buckeyes as he looks to redeem himself against a dangerous Clemson front seven that loves to blitz. He stands at an imposing 6-7 and he weighs 310 lbs. He is a true Sophomore with a ton of upside and potential.  Unfortunately, Prince has been the weakness of the Slobs for the entirety of the season and although as a fan it is easier to talk from the outside in, he hasn’t done that bad of a job for his first year starting. People need to quit going after him, but he will use the criticism to motivate him. Since the Buckeyes began bowl practice, and since Conference Championship Week, Prince has been getting extra reps and working on his craft. He shows the want and the determination to get better. Will his work pay off? We won’t know until game day, but his confidence has been up and down and his fellow Slobs have been there through it all. The staff still trusts him so until he stops trying, I would expect to see him out there instead of Malcolm Pridgeon, who recently had his black stripe removed. The Buckeyes will looks for Prince to improve on pass protections scheme’s and they will look to make an impact in the run and pass game. There is a reason why Alabama wanted when he was coming out of high school. He is a balanced Offensive Lineman who is capable of blocking and when he grasps success, he will be a threat. Growing pains are necessary and I have this odd feeling that he will exceed expectations during this game. He has been under fire a lot this season and this might be his coming out party.
Deon Cain is another playmaker. that when given the opportunity, he can hurt you with his speed and his playmaking ability. Cain is listed as 6-1, 210 lbs, but he plays fast all the time. For this season, he has racked up 621 yards and 9 total touchdowns. He has 32 catches and he is averaging 19.4 yards per catch, and he like Williams is a big play waiting to happen. His longest catch for a score is 65-yards as he had a field day against Syracuse. He ended that game with 5 catches for 125-yards and 2 touchdowns.  Cain will also get the attention from another talented defender, Marshon Lattimore, who is Ohio State’s other starting Cornerback. Another enticing matchup between two more talented NFL prospects, and a lot is on the line in this game. Each team will look for an edge, in was is easily the most exciting matchup because it is unpredictable and NFL caliber players are spread out between both teams.
Artavis Scott isn’t too far behind Cain, statistic wise as he has 592-yards receiving and 5 touchdowns catches. The statistic that separates Cain and Scott is their catch numbers as Scott more than doubled Cain’s output with 71 catches for the season. Scott is averaging 8.3 yards per catch and has a long of 28-yards. Scott is listed as 5-10, 190 lbs, but he the ability to make tough catches in between defenders. His role will vary, but he will look for his opportunities to make a play and an impact. Scott will draw the Nickel Back in Denzel Ward. Ward tends to bust plays and this matchup certainly does not favor the Buckeyes, but it certainly favors Clemson. They will look to take advantage of the inexperience and Ward’s lack of consistency. We will just have to wait and see how things develop after bowl practice concludes. This will most likely be the matchup to watch and I have a sneaky suspicion that Scott will be used on jet sweeps and gadget plays because it is apparently Ohio State’s weakness of defense.
Trevion Thompson is an under-the-radar Wide Receiver that has potential to impact the game for Clemson. He doesn’t have the eye-popping stats as the other receiver, but he will make his presence felt when given an opportunity. He is 6-2, 200 lbs and he registered 11 receptions for 108-yards for a single touchdown. He is averaging 9.8 yards per catch and he has a long of 25-yards. For some reason, I think that he will be used in the jet sweep role as well. There isn’t that much film on him, so it is unknown at this point of what Clemson has planned for him or the Ohio State Defense. I am sure they will have a lot of back-up plans and contingencies, but for now, Thompson cannot be forgotten. On Defense, he will matchup with Ward, Arnette or depending on how bad things goes, another unknown playmaker can make the best out of his opportunity.
Curtis Samuel is the engine oil for the Ohio State Offense. He is the playmaker that will most likely see double-teams throughout the duration of the game because defenses would be stupid to leave him in single coverage. Samuel is listed as being 5-11, 197 lbs, but he play much bigger than he really is. Samuel accounts for a huge percentage of the Ohio State Offense. He has caught 65 passes for 822 yards and 7 touchdowns. He is averaging 12.6 yards per catch and has a long of 79-yards. He has rushed the ball a total of 91 times for 704 yards and 8 touchdowns and he is averaging 7.4 yards per attempt with a season long of 74 yards. He is the only consistent playmaker that the Buckeyes have on its roster and he is the only player who is able to consistently beat the coverage to find soft spots in the defense. J.T. Barrett will look early and often to get him involved, but that will be a battle because the playmakers on the front seven will look to blitz a ton to disrupt the rhythm. The Clemson Defensive Backs are constantly on islands, just like the Ohio State Defensive Backs, but a lot will lean on the ability to beat the blitz and make the correct pass in rhythm and while under duress. Clemson will look to force the ball away from Samuel.
Dontre Wilson is just like Brown as he has also been the forgotten man within the offensive game plan. Wilson is listed as being 5-10, 195 lbs and he can be relied upon to make timely catches during crunch time. We saw this against top-tier competition and he will make a bid to complete his collegiate career as a champion. Wilson has 27 catches for 352 yards and 5 touchdowns. He is averaging 13.0 yards per game and has a long of 43. He has been hampered by injuries this season, but he is finally healthy enough to be a part of the offensive attack that Urban Meyer and his staff are planning to implement against Clemson. Wilson used to be the primary punt returner, but his mistakes took those duties away from him. Wilson will have to find other ways to impact the game and make a big play. He needs to get open and hope that the blitz doesn’t take Barrett’s eyes off of him.
J.T. Barrett was a moderately pursued Quarterback out of Texas in 2013, who wanted to play at the next level at Texas. Luckily, the offer he wanted the most, never came and Texas’ loss is Ohio State’s gain.  Barrett was another Dual-Threat Quarterback, who is also capable of shredding opposing defenses through the air and on the ground.  This is why this matchup will be exciting and fun to watch.  Barrett isn’t as accomplished as a passer when being compared to Watson’s numbers, but he has provided his team with leadership and the ability to will his team to victory.  We all saw it during the Michigan game, The Game, and I don’t expect anything less this game.  Barrett is 214 for 346 for 2428 yards and 24 total touchdowns through the air and he rushed 194 times for 847 yards and 9 scores.  Unlike Watson, he has been known to take care of the ball, as he has only thrown 5 interceptions all season.  Turnovers and offensive production will be the determining factor for this contest.  You really don’t know what will unfold, and with the Jekyll and Hyde offense that Ohio State has, you never know what you will get until the game is on the line and in the hands of Barrett.  This will be a matchup to watch.
Wayne Gallman was recruited out of Grayson High School out of Loganville, Georgia. Â He wasn’t a highly rated recruit, but he was recruited as a four-star Outside Line Backer prospect and ended up signing his letter of intent with the rest of the 2013 recruiting class. Â Gallman stands at 6-0 feet tall and a solid 210 lbs. Â He doesn’t shy away from contact and that effort has put him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark with 1,002 yards total for the season and he has 15 rushing touchdown’s to go along with it. Â He has shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, but he has only managed to reel in 16 catches for 103-yards with no touchdown receptions. Â This may surprise you, but his job is to pound the rock and get the first down yardage when faced with short yardage situations. That doesn’t mean that he isn’t fast because he is. Â He can get outside if he finds a lane, and that is what makes him dangerous. Â He will be used to grind out the clock and to keep the Ohio State Defense honest. He will look to rack up the yardage on the Ohio State front seven, but it could be a contest of wills and determination.
Mike Weber was heavily recruited by the Midwest Powerhouses, such as Michigan and Michigan State before eventually signing with Ohio State after some drama toward the end, close to signing day.  When the dust settled, Coach Harbaugh did not get his man and Weber embraced the Scarlet and Gray.  Weber went to high school at Cass Tech, a well-known recruiting pipeline for Michigan.  Weber is the third player from Cass Tech, who has picked Ohio State as the Buckeyes look to keep their presence there to establish their very own pipeline.  Weber is 5-10, 212 lbs, but he plays like a former Buckeye, Carlos Hyde.  He runs with an aggressive and punishing style that leaves defenders bruised and battered. Like, Gallman, he has the ability to run away from people, but he does not have the breakaway speed like Zeke has, but Hyde 2.0 is not a bad thing to have in the backfield either. Weber has racked up 1072-yards on the ground on 177 attempts for 9 touchdowns and he has reeled in 2o catches for 87-yards.  His touches have been sporadic as of late, as the staff has been concentrating on splitting the touches between J.T. Barrett and Curtis Samuel.  Whenever he has the opportunity to touch the ball, sparks usually fly, as he makes the best of it.  He wears defenses down with his aggressive running style and has shown the power and the ability to block when asked to do so.  This game will depend on their ability to control the clock and get the offense humming.
Boom!  The staff has added another blue-chip recruit with a high ceiling in Indiana’s four-star and #2 overall prospect, Pete Werner.  Werner is an Outside Linebacker prospect who was once committed to Notre Dame.  Werner is talented and hard working and he is certainly capable of growing into a Middle Linebacker after working with Coach Marotti and his staff during the offseason.  He needs to improve his strength, but his ability to diagnose a play quickly and his ability to pursue the ball carrier is second to none.  He is very instinctual and very fast for his 6-3, 220-pound frame, he is a sure tackler and he can also lay the boom as well.  The Buckeyes are getting a player that is ready to assume a role on Special Teams as he works his way up the depth chart.
Baron Browning, like Werner is an Outside Line Backer prospect, but of the five-star variety out of Kennedale, Texas. He committed before Werner, so this Linebacker group will be a good one. Â Brendan White, who is listed as an Athlete, could eventually grow into a Linebacker, but that is still up in the air. Â Browning flashes the speed and the tenacity to shed blocks at will and to blow by slower linemen to get into the backfield. Â He is another sure tackler, that has a high ceiling. He committed to Ohio State knowing that they might possibly lose some starters from this season and that the staff can help him grow, both on and off the field. Â He is also in line to play on Special Teams.
Kerry Coombs committed to the Buckeyes after rumors began swirling due to the potential hiring for Cincinnati of Luke Fickell.  Days after the official announcement Coach Coombs took it to social media, officially committing to the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes lucked out because Coombs is the door to Michigan’s recruiting fields.  Not to mention that he is well-liked and respected by the local coaches.  He also recruits everywhere and he is loved in Cincinnati because he used to coach at Colerain High School.  Coach Coombs is like the spark plug for the team, the proverbial energy bunny who can recruit like no other.  He is fifth in the 24/7 recruiting list with a total of 6 recruits that he assisted on or single-handedly brought in.  Those recruits are Amir Riep, Isaiah Pryor, Marcus Williamson, Jerron Cage, Blake Haubeil and recent commit, Pete Werner.  His best recruit to date?  Vonn Bell, Eli Apple, Damon Webb and Justin Hilliard.  Pretty good player and talents, but now he has his eyes set on Donovan People-Jones, during a winter storm.  He, accompanied with Coach Meyer made it to gauge his interest or the Buckeyes chances.  He is another highly ranked recruit and if they steal him (not likely), they will do it after Michigan thought they had the last visit and he will be a part of a Wide Receiver class that already has a five-star and a high four-star in Trevon Grimes and Tyjon Lindsey.  That would be a three-headed monster that would spell trouble for defenses, but once again, it is highly unlikely.  The other Buckeye coach who ranks higher?  Mr. Zone 6, Zach Smith who is ranked #1 with recruiting wins as he sealed the deal with Nick Bosa and Jalin Marshall and currently in the 2017 class, he convinced the aforementioned Lindsey and Grimes, Wyatt Davis, Haskell Garrett and the recruiting machine, Tate Martell.  Each member, especially Coombs is a valuable recruiting asset and from a continuity point of view, he will receive an expanded role with the departure of Coach Fickell.  He will looks to continue his efforts to building recruiting classes in 2017 and beyond.
If you haven’t paid attention, Coach Fickell just received a 6-year deal to become the next Head Coach at Cincinnati.  He will take over a program that is suffering a bit after Tommy Tubberville had decided to step down.  The Bearcats signed a defensive minded coach that has seasoned himself under the tutelage of Coach Tressel and Coach Meyer.  He endured one of the worst seasons prior to Coach Meyer being hired and was retained after the higher ups recommended it.  It certainly has paid off as he got the defense back on track and has developed his players with his passion and knowledge of the game that he loves.  This is what you are getting and you should be happy with it.  It is truly a huge loss for the Buckeyes as they search for a suitable replacement.  Another thing the Buckeyes will miss is his recruiting prowess, on being able to spot diamonds in the rough.  He earns the trust of all those involved in recruiting and as he moves on, he will assume control of the Queen City where he helped find a Notre Dame Lacosse commitment playing dodge ball, who eventually grew into a starter for the Buckeyes.  He is valuable, but he needed to grow outside of Ohio State and what a perfect opportunity it is for him to stay in Ohio and grow.  Also, Jerimiah, I do agree with you that the one’s who said #FireFickell, this is a huge loss and I too, cannot forgive them nor forget about the travesties that occurred that season.  You certainly will be missed, good luck and God bless you and your family in your journey as Head Coach.