Tag: Clemson Tigers

College Football Playoff TV guide: Start times, stream info, betting lines

All you need to know about Saturday’s college football bowl games.

The College Football Playoff will begin Saturday evening with two semifinal matchups between the best football teams in the country, but you can spend your entire Saturday watching bowl action with two early games on the schedule.

Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow and the LSU Tigers will face off against Jalen Hurts and the Oklahoma Sooners in the first semifinal on Saturday, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. In the primetime slot, undefeated reigning national champions Clemson will play Ohio State in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. The winners from each game will advance to the College Football Playoff final, which will be played on January 13th, 2020, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

All betting information via BetMGM.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

No. 17 Memphis (12-1) vs. No. 10 Penn State (10-2)

Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Channel: ESPN
Stream: WatchESPN, ESPN app
Point spread: Penn State -7.5
Over/Under: 60.5

Camping World Bowl

No. 15 Notre Dame (10-2) vs. Iowa State (7-5)

Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Channel: ABC
Stream: WatchESPN, ESPN app
Point spread: Notre Dame -3.5
Over/Under: 53.5

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

No. 4 Oklahoma (12-1) vs. No. 1 LSU (13-0)

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Channel: ESPN
Stream: WatchESPN, ESPN app
Point spread: LSU -12.5
Over/Under: 75.5

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl

No. 3 Clemson (13-0) vs. No. 2 Ohio State (13-0)

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Channel: ESPN
Stream: WatchESPN, ESPN app
Point spread: Clemson -2.5
Over/Under: 62.5

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Ohio State vs. Clemson: Rayman the orangutan picks Ohio State over Clemson

Rayma the Orangutan picked Ohio State to beat Clemson at the Phoenix Zoo today. Watch the crowd go wild when the OSU t-shirt wins out.

They have a bit of a tradition at the Phoenix Zoo. It has everything to do with animals picking the winners of important football games. For the Fiesta Bowl, Rayma the orangutan got a chance to shine by picking the winner of Satuday’s matchup between Ohio State and Clemson. Rayma was give two t-shirts from each opposing team and then the wait began.

Let it be known that Rayma has chosen the last two Super Bowl winners correctly, so this ape knows a thing or two about breaking down a game apparently. Forget your ESPN and other media talking heads. Our distant, hairy cousin knows the real deal.

So Ohio State fans should be excited then that the t-shirt that was picked was a scarlet one rather than the orange threads of Clemson. You can watch fans go wild as Rayma looks for all the world to begin picking the Tigers shirt, but then makes a last minute switch and grabs the Ohio Sate one and pulls it it on and swashbuckles away.

Take that Clemson.

Click on the below and get a kick out of this prediction. It’s going to be a jungle out there on Saturday night.

Ohio State releases depth chart and availability information for Fiesta Bowl vs. Clemson

Ohio State has released its depth chart and injury and availability information for the Fiesta Bowl vs. Clemson.

Every Friday Ohio State releases information on the depth chart and player availability for the upcoming game, and thankfully the season isn’t over yet. Far from it. Of course you know that, but we’ve got the depth chart and “injury” report from the fine folks at OSU, and we like to pass it on.

In some ways, the Buckeyes might be as healthy as they’ve ever been. There aren’t any players listed as game-time decisions, and all key players from this season look to be healthy and ready to go against an impressive Clemson squad that’s looking to add its third national title in four years.

Of course we don’t really now how effective quarterback Justin Fields is, but we know he’s going to go out and lay it all on the line and is most likely in better shape than he was against Michigan.

Here’s what Ohio State has released for personnel-wise for 2019 Playstation Fiesta Bowl.

Game-time decision

None

Unavailable

WR Kamryn Babb

RB Marcus Crowley

OG Gavin Cupp

DL Noah Donald

WR Ellijah Gardiner

SAF Ronnie Hickman

WR C.J. Saunders

DT Taron Vincent

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Next … Ohio State Depth Chart – offense, defense, and specialists

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Both Clemson and Ohio State are expecting an epic QB showdown

What I’m Hearing: Everyone from the coaches to the players is excited to see what Lawrence and Fields are going to bring to the table.

What I’m Hearing: Everyone from the coaches to the players is excited to see what Lawrence and Fields are going to bring to the table.

Ohio State vs. Clemson: 3 reasons the Tigers could give the Buckeyes problems in Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State and Clemson are about to face off in the Fiesta Bowl. Here’s three reasons a talented Tigers squad could give the Buckeyes fits.

The Ohio State football team is looking to continue this unbelievable journey it has been on in 2019, but there is a whale of a team standing in its way out in the desert. The Clemson Tigers are the defending national champions and have won the title two out of the last three years.

There’s not many teams that match up athletically with this Buckeye squad, but Clemson is no doubt one of them. There are interesting storylines and matchups across the board, and there’s no doubt the Buckeyes will have to play their best game of the year to move on to New Orleans for a shot at a national championship.

But it won’t be easy. Here’s three reasons the Clemson Tigers could give Ohio State fits out in Glendale.

Next … Talent

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

What Wisconsin can learn from Clemson

Wisconsin looks at Clemson in the College Football Playoff

As the four teams who qualified for the College Football Playoff begin to settle in for the actual playoff, Badgers Wire thought it would be interesting to examine what the Wisconsin Badgers could learn from each of the teams in the Playoff. This column will look at what they could learn from the Clemson Tigers. 

Few teams in the nation have had more success recently than the Clemson Tigers. Here is what Wisconsin can learn from Clemson. 

Clemson’s rise to the top of college football’s elite didn’t come out of nowhere. Since Dabo Swinney was appointed interim coach and then officially named head coach, the Tigers have shown that they were going to compete for glory. Clemson wins every way possible, too. The Tigers have done it with elite quarterback play — Tajh Boyd, Deshaun Watson, and Trevor Lawrence — and they’ve shown that they can also win big with elite defense or a power running game — Travis Etienne, C.J. Spiller, and Wayne Gallman. In other words, Clemson can literally beat opponents in various phases of the game. 

Here is where Wisconsin can learn something from the Tigers. Wisconsin tends to struggle if opponents shut down the Badgers’ run game. To that end, teams do everything in their power to stuff the run and force Wisconsin’s quarterbacks to beat them, which isn’t something they’ve shown they can do with great consistency — occasionally, yes, but not most of the time. It’s typically a one-and-done style from the Badgers. They have to improve in this facet of competition if they want to take the next step. The Big Ten Championship is a perfect example. Jonathan Taylor did his part, and Jack Coan played well, too. However, when Wisconsin fell behind by 13 points, the Badgers’ offense was not tailored to mount a rally. UW was plainly out of its element, then. That’s not a knock on Coan. It is more a reflection of the style of offense Wisconsin runs, with the passing game needing the threat of Taylor in the running game in order to be as potent as possible. Wisconsin needs passing game potency which can — at times — exist independently of the running game. 

Coan and Wisconsin have to do more in some ways and in some situations, or the Badgers have to find a way to win when Coan can’t do more and Taylor has done all he can. Clemson can do it all, and Wisconsin can do most of what it takes. There is a big difference between all and most. If programs want to make that turn from pretender to contender in the national title race, they eventually have to do everything, not just most things, really well. If the Badgers and Coan can take that turn in 2020 while maintaining their defensive stature and running all over the field, they’re going to be a very tough team to beat.

LeBron James gifts Beats headphones to Ohio State football team

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James gave a gift to the Ohio State Football team before their Fiesta Bowl showdown tomorrow with Clemson.

LeBron James is on the mend after catching a knee to the groin from Patrick Beverley on Christmas Day but even as he is recovering, James still has some other important things to do when it comes to his favorite football team, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

James has been a supporter of the Buckeyes for a long time, even attending the 2015 National Championship Game that Ohio State won. His gifts to the program over the years have included customized LeBron football cleats and ahead of their Fiesta Bowl National Semifinal matchup with Clemson, James gifted the entire team Beats headphones before Saturday’s game.

It’s currently unclear that LeBron plays on Saturday night when the Lakers visit the Portland Trail Blazers, given that he felt like he suffered a setback in the first quarter of their Christmas Day loss against the Clippers. James and the Lakers will otherwise be at home for a few weeks until Jan. 7.

James was an original investor in Beats when the company was started by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine and he received a considerable payday when Beats was purchased by Apple. He still remains a Beats spokesperson.

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Fiesta Bowl: Clemson vs. Ohio State odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl between the Clemson Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes, with NCAA football betting odds, picks and best bets.

The Clemson Tigers (13-0) battle Ohio State Buckeyes (13-0) in Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Az. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Clemson-Ohio State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Ohio State heads into the national semifinal ranked No. 2 in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA Today Sports. Clemson is ranked No. 3.

Clemson vs. Ohio State: Three things you need to know

1. Clemson has averaged 46.5 points per game (fourth in FBS) while allowing just 10.6 PPG (first). Ohio State has averaged 48.7 PPG (first) while yielding 12.5 PPG (second). The Tigers are making their fifth straight appearance in the playoff and are the defending national champions. The Buckeyes are making their third appearance in the playoff.

2. The game features RB Travis Etienne (Clemson) and RB J.K. Dobbins (Ohio State), both standouts among college football rushers. Etienne has piled up 1,500 yards on 182 carries (8.2 average) while rushing for 17 touchdowns. Dobbins has rushed for 1,829 yards and 20 TDs on 283 attempts (6.5). Both runners headed into the latter stages of the season with fresh legs due to many a second half on the bench watching understudies close out 35-point margins. Dobbins, however, has been used a lot (100 carries) in OSU’s tough three-game stretch at the end of the season (Penn State-Michigan-Wisconsin).

3. Stopping the run and an ability to shut down good offenses makes Ohio State a worthy play as a narrow underdog. The Buckeyes and Tigers played wildly divergent schedules in 2019. In no other area is this more evident than in the offensive averages (and underlying analytics) of opponent offenses. OSU’s smothering of good offensive teams like Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan and Indiana represent a collection of good-on-good that simply can’t be found in Clemson’s schedule. Allowing a combined 13 points to Louisville, Charlotte and Boston College is the closest the Tigers get to the Buckeyes’ list. And it’s a pale comparison.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Clemson vs. Ohio State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 6:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Ohio State 31, Clemson 24.

Moneyline (ML)

Play OHIO STATE (+105) and leave the spread alone. The chances of a close game are nearly dead-even, but Ohio State may well turn out to be an all-time top-10 caliber squad. I peg the odds of a two-score victory much in favor of the Buckeyes.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Ohio State returns a profit of $10.50.

Against the Spread (ATS)

PASS on Ohio State (+2.5, -110).

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 62.5 (-106) is the play for a smaller piece, with the thought this game plays out similarly to OSU versus Wisconsin (twice) and Penn State. All three games played to the Under.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ohio State vs. Clemson Buckeye Battle Cry: What advantage can the Buckeyes exploit?

What one area does Ohio State have over Clemson that it can exploit to win the 2019 Fiesta Bowl? Members of our staff discuss in our BBC.

Okay, it’s almost time for the biggest of the big ones. Ohio State and Clemson are finishing up their preparations for one of the College Football Playoff national semifinals, and doing it all in the desert at the Playstation Fiesta Bowl. And it’s Friday, so it’s time for our weekly roundtable we like to call the Buckeye Battle Cry.

So far there’s been a lot of build up and a lot of talk, but it’s almost time to put the pads on, strap up the helmets and settle it all on the field. Oh but wait. Seems like nobody is giving Ohio State a shot in this one because last time the two met, the Buckeyes got taken behind the woodshed to the tune of a 31-0 drubbing.

But it’s a completely different team on both sidelines so that should mean little in this one. In fact, Ohio State has some advantages over this Clemson team. On that note, we decided to ask our contributors the one thing about this Buckeye squad that could mean all the difference in beating the defending champions and moving on to New Orleans for a national championship.

Have at it Mark.

Next … Mark’s belief

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What Ohio State football players are receiving in their “swag bag” for the Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State and Clemson players are receiving quite the gift package from the Playstation Fiesta Bowl this year.

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It’s always fun to see what type of gifts certain bowls hand out annually. Under NCAA rules, bowl games are allowed to provide gift packages that amounts to no more than $550 per player. That’s a decent amount of money, especially for a college kid, so there’s usually some pretty good stuff in what the media-types call the “swag bag.”

So what is the Playstation Fiesta Bowl handing out to each individual player this year? It’s a good thing Sports Business Daily has been tracking this sort of thing since 2006, so we get a peek at what’s being handed out to both the Ohio State and Clemson players in the desert.

You can probably guess what one of those gifts might be with the title sponsor and all. And yes, that’s right, each player’s featured gift is a Playstation PS4 gift package. But that’s not all, also included is a Fossil watch, Ogio Shuttle Pack backpack, a book titled “History of the Bowls: Celebrating the Good of the Game“, and an Ice Shaker insulated bottle.

Now, in a “generous” gesture, the NCAA has allowed for a one-time exception allowance for the History of the Bowls book in honor of college football’s 150 year anniversary.

That’s all a pretty good haul. And for Ohio State, LeBron James also chipped in with some Beats By Dre headphones for the entire football team that’s also separate and an allowable allocation by school individually. Maybe the powers that be should have included some additional luggage for all these gifts.

Of course the most important gift each player would love to have is the Fiesta Bowl trophy for winning this thing on Saturday to move on to New Orleans.