CFP: National Championship #3 Ohio State vs. #1 Alabama Predictions/Updates

[9068]

3 hours ago, John Anthony said:

Once again spot-on!  I was talking to my crew of people in Columbus and we love the fact Jones isn’t much of a runner.

Smith is terrifying, I think the wildcard is Harris.  Nobody has been able to run on us, but I think he’s the best RB in CFB.  
 

Day flat out took Dabo and Venables to school last week.  He had new shot plays and used formations he hasn’t used all year which created mismatches with Olave and created all around confusion for Venables.  I think he literally had a ham plan waiting for Clemson since spring.  I also think the ACC teams don’t prepare Clemson for the physicality OSU brings.

Bama is Bama though, he will have to be brilliant again.  I agree with whoever said it will come down to settling for field goals and turnovers.
 

 

He sure did develop a game plan for Clemson and Alabama. Everyone else....non-factor. I guarantee that for the weeks they were not playing part of his staff did NOTHING but prepare for those two. The analysis you can do is unbelievable when you have about 7 bye weeks to prepare and gather current data on a couple opponents. Worked out great for them and they really played well. Really tough to play like that two weeks in a row....but that's what championship teams do.

[John Anthony]

14 hours ago, MBWC41 said:

I hate it but at this point, if each team is able to field enough players to safely play then the game should go on as scheduled.

Yeah OSU wants to play the show must go on.

[BillNye]

Stewed on it for a while.

 Bama is always the sexy pick here but I won’t doubt OSU’s ability to compete with top tier teams in the country any longer. 

Tide by 3

[tcjkbt]

Who has the better place kicker?

[John Anthony]

Game day!!  Man, what an incredible ride from the B1G trying to cancel the season, to OSU not belonging, all the way to the Natty.  I wish other fanbases could experience the nerves and anxiety today of waiting for kickoff.  OSU has their hands full against Bama.  I think this is might be the best Bama offense under Saban ever.  Will the OSU defense prove my early season criticism wrong?  Also, I know we have a few Bama fans on here, we have full respect for you all.  You’re not Dabo in full 1980 WWF talk smack, look like an idiot mode.    @GrantNKY

[John Anthony]

On 1/8/2021 at 6:53 PM, tcjkbt said:

Who has the better place kicker?

I’d like to think OSU we have a kid with a big leg and lots of experience.  However, I literally don’t know anything about Alabama’s kicker.  Blake for us can hit from 60, he can also miss easy ones, typical college kid.  

[El Diablo]

24 minutes ago, John Anthony said:

Game day!!  Man, what an incredible ride from the B1G trying to cancel the season, to OSU not belonging, all the way to the Natty.  I wish other fanbases could experience the nerves and anxiety today of waiting for kickoff.  OSU has their hands full against Bama.  I think this is might be the best Bama offense under Saban ever.  Will the OSU defense prove my early season criticism wrong?  Also, I know we have a few Bama fans on here, we have full respect for you all.  You’re not Dabo in full 1980 WWF talk smack, look like an idiot mode.    @GrantNKY

Man y’all are obsessed with Dabo. Ha. 

[TheDeuce]

I'm going with the Bucks, mostly because I want Justin Fields to get a ring. 

[GrantNKY]

1 hour ago, John Anthony said:

Game day!!  Man, what an incredible ride from the B1G trying to cancel the season, to OSU not belonging, all the way to the Natty.  I wish other fanbases could experience the nerves and anxiety today of waiting for kickoff.  OSU has their hands full against Bama.  I think this is might be the best Bama offense under Saban ever.  Will the OSU defense prove my early season criticism wrong?  Also, I know we have a few Bama fans on here, we have full respect for you all.  You’re not Dabo in full 1980 WWF talk smack, look like an idiot mode.    @GrantNKY

It should be illegal to have to work on the day your team is in the Natty. Come 4:30 though, my heart rate will be through the roof until that last second ticks off the clock. It wouldn’t be appropriate for OSU to be in this position without a ton of adversity of faux controversy. Let’s hope our boys bring it home tonight! 

[Jumper_Dad]

I think playing Clemson was a great prep for OSU to play Alabama. Clemson and Alabama do a lot of similar things on both sides of the ball and have nearly identical athleticism. 

Notre Dame game did little to prepare Alabama for this game. Ohio State is faster and stronger across all positions than ND (except maybe TE) and will cause Alabama to have to adjust immediately. 

Alabama hasn't played a team as athletic from top to bottom as Ohio St all season. 

 

It is not lost on me that until last season no #1 seed has won.

In my mind this is a pretty even game. No outcome would surprise me...a close win or blowout by either team is possible. 

I think it's likely that we see 90 points or more tonight.

[John Anthony]

1 hour ago, El Diablo said:

Man y’all are obsessed with Dabo. Ha. 

He earns all the negativity he gets.  I was pointing out if we beat Bama, there’s nothing but respect for them.  Bama is the bar in college football.

[John Anthony]

29 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

I think playing Clemson was a great prep for OSU to play Alabama. Clemson and Alabama do a lot of similar things on both sides of the ball and have nearly identical athleticism. 

Notre Dame game did little to prepare Alabama for this game. Ohio State is faster and stronger across all positions than ND (except maybe TE) and will cause Alabama to have to adjust immediately. 

Alabama hasn't played a team as athletic from top to bottom as Ohio St all season. 

 

It is not lost on me that until last season no #1 seed has won.

In my mind this is a pretty even game. No outcome would surprise me...a close win or blowout by either team is possible. 

I think it's likely that we see 90 points or more tonight.

Jeremy Ruckert is gonna be a 3X NFL pro bowl TE, I think he’s the X-factor for OSU tonight.  I also think Fields running the ball will be a key stat, he knows this is his last ride, no reason to hold back in this game.

[NKYCoach859]

Just a question, not trying to stir the pot here: Does an Ohio State win get scrutinized because of it only being there 8th game of the year (albeit, 8 wins)?

[TheDeuce]

4 minutes ago, NKYCoach859 said:

Just a question, not trying to stir the pot here: Does an Ohio State win get scrutinized because of it only being there 8th game of the year (albeit, 8 wins)?

After beating Clemson and Alabama? Any scrutiny would just be argumentative. 

[NKYCoach859]

Just now, TheDeuce said:

After beating Clemson and Alabama? Any scrutiny would just be argumentative. 

I agree. Just thought it may be a possibility as people scrutinized them being in the playoff in the first place.