Ohio State vs. Clemson 2019 Fiesta Bowl Preview And Prediction

We’ve got all you need to know, including a prediction for the matchup between Ohio State and Clemson in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl.

Ohio State game plan for victory

This is a big one. Much like the SEC monkey of the 90s and early 2000s, Ohio State needs to get a win over Clemson. With no wins and three losses all-time, the Tigers are becoming a thorn in the Buckeyes side.

Clemson comes into the Fiesta Bowl as the top ranked defense in the land. The Tigers defense gives up a lowly 139 yards through the air, 106 yards on the ground and only 10.6 points per game. Many may say this might be attributed to a weak schedule, but they are still lofty stats nonetheless. As much as Clemson will be the best team Ohio State as faced, Ohio State will also be the best team Clemson has played all year.

Offensively, JK Dobbins and the O Line will have to control the game. Dobbins has been running wild as of late and he doesn’t want to come off the field. One of our writers, Samual Baum, did a little research and found an interesting stat.

Ohio State is 18-0 when Dobbins runs for more than a hundred yards. Ohio State’s three losses since he’s been in the program occurred when he rushed for less than 100 yards. Oddly enough in the games that Ohio State lost, Dobbins had only 14 rushing attempts total.

Some of those numbers might be attributed to the fact that Dobbins was splitting time with Mike Weber in his first two years, but nonetheless, the Buckeyes will need to establish the ground game against Clemson, just as it did against Wisconsin, Michigan and Penn State — teams that were also stout against the run.
Justin Fields will also have something to say about the Buckeyes offensive game plan though. The duel threat QB should be feeling much better after sprained MCL kept him from being 100% against Michigan and Wisconsin in the final two games of the year.
Defensively, the Silver Bullets will have their hands full with Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, and Tee Higgins.
Lawrence didn’t have the Heisman campaign that most people thought coming into the season, however he still threw for more than 3,000 yards, 34 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions. Etienne is one of the premiere running backs in the country, rushing for 1,500 yards, averaging over 8 yards per carry and 17 touchdowns.
The marquee matchup is going to come in the secondary where Jeff Okudah will go head to head with Tee Higgins. Higgins is a big receiver coming in at 6’4″ and 215 pounds. He has over 1,000 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns. Okudah is one of the best lockdown corners in the nation and will be on notice once again.
Chase Young and company will need to get some pressure on Lawrence against a very good Clemson O-line. With time, Lawrence has shown he can pick even the best secondaries apart.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 7 p.m. ET. 

Next … The key players for Ohio State

Two Key Players For Ohio State

JK Dobbins, Running Back. Dobbins has been Mr. Reliable for the Ohio State offense this year. Justin Fields and Chase Young have gotten most of the attention this year, but there might not be a more valuable player in Scarlet and Gray.

And Dobbins has showed up in the biggest games this season. In Ohio State’s final three games of the season, Dobbins did his best work. Against No. 8 Penn State, No. 13 Michigan, and No. 8 Wisconsin, Dobbins combined for 540 yards and 7 scores. The Buckeyes will need him to have another big game under the brightest of lights.

Jeff Okudah, Cornerback.  Jeff Okudah is one of the top cover corners in the nation. It’s why he’s projected to be the top defensive back taken in the NFL draft if he comes out early. But he’ll have his hands full matching up against Tee Higgins. No one has really been able to slow Higgins down this year, but Jeff Okudah is on a different level. Teams just simply don’t throw his way much. I imagine Clemson will still try to go to their best receiver and with his size and speed, he may get a few. Okudah needs to be an equalizer and keep Higgins from sparking big plays.

Next … How it’ll all do down

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3