The Obstructed Take On The Fiesta Bowl
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
So, in what could have been the game to watch this bowl season and a game that should have been a dogfight, turned into be a bigger laugher than the one many projected to be. So what exactly happened in this game that made Ohio State put up lesser of a fight to Clemson than the likes of Troy, NC State, and Wake Forest? Let's take an Obstructed Look................
Swinney is 2-0 so far against Urban
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1. DABO SWINNEY OUTCOACHED URBAN MEYER: Clemson's season had some moments where they could have been 9-3 or 10-2 and I think partly of it was Swinney's late-game coaching mishaps (Auburn was a debacle, NC State, Pitt, and even an argument can be made for Virginia Tech was sketchy at best). But last night he did everything right and it was almost a thing of beauty. He had Ohio State off-balanced all night and it frustrated Meyer and the Buckeyes. And, regardless, he is definitely a top 5 coach in the nation.
Ohio State looked silly in the Fiesta Bowl
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2. OHIO STATE HAS NOT BEEN THAT BAD SINCE THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES OF 2006 AND 2007. Outplayed and outmatched. They just looked like they were a JV team at times against Clemson while Clemson just owned them. It didn't seem like Ohio State wanted any part of Clemson. It didn't seem like Ohio State wanted to even be there, which obviously brings up the whole issue of did Ohio State even deserve to go to the playoff? The simple answer is: No. Not now. The offense stunk, the defense stunk, and the coaching stunk. I was genuinely thinking given how the other time the Buckeyes made the playoff, they would show they belonged out there and not the ones many penned them ahead of (TCU & Baylor in 2014, Penn State this year....). Instead they played like "welp, we're here whether you like it or not."
One does wonder if Barrett has been the same since 2014.
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3. JT BARRETT HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME SINCE HIS INJURY IN 2014: He was a frontrunner in 2014 for the Heisman until he injured his ankle and honestly save for a few good games, he hasn't been the same. Clemson took advantage of Barrett's struggles throwing, which has been an issue in 2016 and the Buckeyes never gotten back in the game.
Critics of Ohio State's admission to the playoff have more reason why a conference champ should be there, and not a team like the Buckeyes.
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4. OHIO STATE DID NOT DESERVE TO BE IN THE PLAYOFF AFTER THAT SHOWING: As I mentioned earlier, the Buckeyes had to make a statement they belonged over their Big Ten foe and conference champ Penn State. I am calling myself out and saying they deserved to be there and thought they were a better overall team than Clemson and I was way wrong on that assessment. They got spanked. And the players did not play inspired ball at all. Clemson dominated them through and through. Could Penn State have done better? Probably. Will the committee reassess their way of selecting teams? Possibly. But Ohio State just ignited more fuel to the whole "conference championships matter" argument with that miserable showing.
Watson's all smiles, but if he wants more smiles next week, the turnovers need to stop.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
5. CLEMSON PLAYED GREAT AND REALLY PLAYED 4 QUARTERS, BUT DESHAUN WATSON HAS GOT TO PLAY BETTER: Granted, Watson didn't play like Jake Browning or Jalen Hurts, but his play wasn't really anything to make a statement he deserved a Heisman Trophy. 23-36 for 259 and 3 total TD's is good, but two INT's (which is probably a key reason why some voted against Watson were his turnover issues this year). Granted it wasn't costly obviously, but Alabama lives off the turnover game. 2 INT's vs. Bama might decide the title. IF he plays like last year against Alabama, Watson and Clemson could exact their revenge. If he plays like what he did in the Fiesta Bowl, Alabama will get #17.
OVERALL, I had Ohio State 45-31 in this game. Why? I thought they could do better against Clemson's up-and-down defense. Instead, they looked very stagnant and Clemson bullied the Buckeyes. And Wayne Gallman, while wasn't a massive factor, still rolled up 85 yards and a TD. But Ohio State's offense just looked horrid and Clemson got some key turnovers while just imposed their will. Ohio State looked mentally beat by halftime. And that is pretty surprising coming from an Urban Meyer coached team. Clemson gets their rematch with the Tide which could be just as much of an instant classic as last year's was. So I can't wait until next Monday. I will do a preview of the national championship later.
-Fan in the Obstructed Seat
