Watching the College Football Playoff Championship game, I could not help thinking about what Ryan Day must change for Ohio State to dethrone Clemson.
It is not premature to say the torch has been officially passed from Nick Saban to Dabo Swinney, so Ryan Day has to make changes to his Ohio State football team to keep up with Clemson.
The Tigers took the Crimson Tide to the woodshed, physically dominating the game with a true freshman quarterback and receiver that both played like four-year All-Americans against the Tide’s mighty defense.
I don’t want to hear that this was a flawed defensive unit. It flew through the SEC, a conference most national pundits fawned over all season, unscathed and emerged invulnerable.
The outcome was not an accident. With two titles in three seasons, Swinney has built the best program in college football. That’s not debatable right now.
I know Alabama will be back. Saban has plenty of talent and will make the necessary adjustments to win the SEC next year.
Helping its cause is a favorable schedule again. I know, shocking. The non-conference games against Duke, Southern Miss, New Mexico State and Western Carolina. The cross-over games are South Carolina and Tennessee.
I digress.
Now is the time for Swinney to stop his ah shucks routine about Clemson not belonging. That may have worked five years ago. It is mundane banter today.
When Urban Meyer took over in 2012. The standard-bearer he used to measure his team was Alabama.
Day’s challenge is Clemson. If for no other reason, the Tigers owned the Buckeyes in the last two meetings and it is far past the time to settle the score.
I also think they’ll meet next season in the playoff.
When that happens, here are a few areas that need fixed to unseat Clemson: