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As we prepare for the matchup between Ohio State and Alabama in the national title game down in South Florida, we’ll be taking a look at some of the key matchups on the field.
One of those will be between Buckeye wide receiver Garrett Wilson and the Tides’ cornerback Patrick Surtain. A lot of you may be wondering about Chris Olave, but I think a key could be for the Buckeyes to put Wilson on Surtain. Olave will certainly matchup at times against Surtain, but Wilson is the better play for Ohio State.
For as great as Surtain is, one thing he tends not to do is travel with the best receiver on the field. When teams scored on Alabama it was usually schemed to go opposite of Surtain in the passing game. Where Wilson can take advantage is not as a decoy, but rather his strength in matching up with Surtain’s weakness, straight-line speed.
Surtain has all the skills to be a high-quality corner at the next level, but his flat-out speed is not where Wilson’s is. This matchup will force Alabama to have to shade a safety over the top which should open up the field for Chris Olave. Should Alabama not shade a safety, routes into the soft spots in the zones should be available as Wilson should beat Surtain to those spots.
Garrett Wilson is ELITE by the way 😳 pic.twitter.com/LvYoQ2zHld
— Barstool OSU (@BarstoolOSU) January 2, 2021
Should Alabama play man coverage, Wilson can beat Surtain down the field as long as he doesn’t get a clean shot on the line. While Olave might be the better receiver right now, Wilson versus Surtain might be a mismatch to watch.
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National championship matchups: Ohio State tight ends versus Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses