Complete overpursuit. Landon Collins was also out of the game at this point due to trying to put a big hit on Cardale, who was a large man. It's interesting watching this game how much more mentally ready OSU was. They had athletes that were just as good as bama, and OSU was far better mentally.
Agreed about the mental edge, which is how tiny little Boren manhandled your mountains along the DL.
Evan Spencer had maybe the best block in the history of OSU football from a non-lineman. He detonated both interior LBs. That play alone makes him a legend, but also throwing the best WR pass I've ever seen, recovering the onsides kick and almost hauling in that absurd one hander? Mercy.
Any chance this game is a shootout? What type of score are you guys predicting? I keep getting hung up on how Clemson looked last year, but it's clear something is different about them.
If both teams are clicking, I see 37-34. If both teams are a bit off, I see 27-21 OSU. I think OSU is better equipped to win an ugly offensive game. JT knows how to win ugly (and frequently does so after having a pretty mediocre/bad first half).
It does not bode well for Clemson that they are really sloppy with turnovers. OSU is terrific at turning teams over and converting those into pick sixes, and Jerome Baker has been just as lethal as the DBs in this regard. I said all year that it would come back to bite Speight when he played OSU and it did.
OSU's defense is very good but not great. Hooker and Baker are incredible talents but can get a bit undisciplined. OSU has 3 premiere DBs in CB Conley, CB Lattimore and S Hooker but are weak at the nickel spot (although sometimes weak = not a top-20 pick). Teams have picked on the other safety Webb and nickelback Arnette this year, to the point where OSU began 3 cover corners and sliding Conley into the slot in nickel formations.
OSU has recruited at a Bama level everywhere but WR and DT, specifically nose tackle. Not surprisingly, those are their two weaknesses in this game. OSU has a lot of 3-techs and promising tweeners, but at the 1-tech spot they have Michael Hill and no one else (redshirt frosh Hamilton has been okay but isn't a 3-down player). OSU came in second for Lawrence and Wilkins and would kill for either one (and now gets to face both).
In their place, they have junior Michael Hill and literally nothing but freshmen DTs. Dre'Mont Jones is a 3-tech hybrid who has played pretty well but is still a bit undersized (thickness wise). Robert Landers is a very undersized whirling dervish at DT and is the type of guy who usually lands at Purdue or Wisconsin and wreaks havoc on the blue bloods that thought he was too small. Nick Bosa has been ahead of big brother Joey Bosa at every point in his football career and that holds true this year as well. He's also a bit of a hybrid for now.
OSU is pretty good at forcing 3rd and medium to long situations, which brings out their best unit, their rushmen package with 4 killer pass rushers. They use Jalyn Holmes and Joey Bosa inside with Hubbard and Lewis outside. They don't always get home but they consistently force early passes and iffy decision making, leading to the many interceptions and TDs. Unlike early downs where they're a little undersized, they are as good as anyone in america when it comes to their DL on passing downs. They also force this pressure without much blitzing, making an unexpected blitzing LB even more devastating (like Michigan found out).
