National championship 2021: Five keys to Ohio State beating Alabama and winning the college football title
3. Elite run defense to make Alabama one-dimensional
Ohio State boasts the No. 2 rushing defense in the country in yards allowed per game and ranks No. 10 in yards per attempt, and that group showed out against Clemson in limiting the Tigers to just 44 net rushing yards on 22 attempts. Dabo Swinney pointed out at halftime that the Tigers struggling to run the ball effectively was a huge reason for the lopsided score. In the second half, we saw Clemson turn into a one-dimensional offense; yes, Trevor Lawrence finishing with 400 passing yards but on 48 attempts with only two touchdowns.
This is a different Ohio State defensive line in that its stars are not the elite pass rushers on the edge like a Chase Young or Nick Bosa, but instead the run-stuffers on the inside like defensive tackle Haskell Garrett are shining. While Alabama's passing attack can overwhelm opponents, forcing the Tide into obvious passing situations with good run defense on early downs makes things easier for defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs.
If you eliminate the Najee Harris hurdle highlight run of 53 yards, Notre Dame held Alabama to just 87 rushing yards on 24 attempts (3.6 yards per carry). When Nick Saban discussed his frustrations with the offense's inability to run the ball in the second half, he's thinking of all those short or negative gains that contributed to a pedestrian effort on the other two dozen rushing attempts while all we can think about is the hurdle. Good run defense helped Notre Dame limit Alabama to its season-low point total, and it's a huge key to keeping the Tide offense in check on Monday night.
4. DeVonta Smith vs. Shaun Wade
One of the things that Ohio State did defensively against Clemson was leave Shaun Wade on somewhat of an island to win one-on-one battles and allow the rest of the defense to focus their attention elsewhere. That extra help from safeties and linebackers is huge for stopping the run and clogging passing lanes for the second and third options in a quarterback's progression. Wade is the next in line of a revolving door of Ohio State defensive backs to be high picks in the NFL Draft, and while there have been a few performances worth criticism during the regular season, he's brought his A-game to the College Football Playoff. Now comes his biggest test in lining up against 2020 Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith.
"You already know who I want to go up against at the end of the day," Wade said this week, later noting that, "DeVonta is a very great player, quick and shifty and fast. You see it on his highlights. He can do everything in the book as a receiver, and just really looking for that matchup at the end of the day."
Two elite skill players going head-to-head in the national championship game, and Wade welcomes the challenge. I love the competitiveness and can't wait to see that battle when they do get matched up. Considering the many ways Smith is used in the Alabama offense, it won't be an every-down scenario; after all, Tide offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian would much rather get Smith a more advantageous matchup. But when it happens, it will be a preview of what's to come on Sundays from two future starters in the NFL.
Entire article:
https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...-college-football-national-championship-2021/
