Scarlet and Game
Fansided

Ohio State Football: 5 predictions for Fiesta Bowl

By Frank Teriaca

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes and his players prepare to take the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2019 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes and his players prepare to take the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2019 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 02: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Clemson Tigers (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 02: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Clemson Tigers (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

The Ohio State football team takes on the Clemson Tigers on Saturday night in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. The winner earns a trip to the national title game. Here are five predictions for the game.

The Ohio State Buckeyes look to earn a trip to play for their second national championship in the last five seasons as they take on the Clemson Tigers. Clemson, fresh off two national titles of their own in that span look to make it back for the fourth time since the College Football Playoffs inception.

Arguably, these are the top two teams in the country and most certainty two of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence were the top two prized recruits coming out of the 2018 class and now they get a chance to battle it out on the national stage.

The Buckeyes look to rebound against the Tigers as Clemson has taken care of business against Ohio State the last two times they have played. Clemson beat Ohio State 40-35 in the 2013 Orange Bowl and we all still remember the 31-0 loss on New Year’s eve of 2016.

But this Buckeye team is different. This Ohio State roster arguably has the most talent that we have seen since the 2014 title team.

And they have played with an edge and hunger all season. This should be a fantastic game so let’s make five predictions for what may go down on Saturday night.

Trevor Lawrence has a monster game

The Buckeye defense has not seen a quarterback all season long that even comes close to the talent level of Trevor Lawrence. This will be a massive adjustment for Ohio State’s defenders.

Lawrence for the season has over 3,100 yards passing and 34 touchdowns. But he also gets it done on the ground as he has rushed for 407 yards and seven scores. Ohio State is going to have to try to get a pass rush on him while also keeping him in the pocket, something easier said then done.

Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan laid the blueprint on how to beat Ohio State. Designed quarterback runs really loosened up the defense for Coan to get the ball down the field on this extremely talented Buckeye secondary.

And no offense to Jack Coan but he is no Trevor Lawrence. The talented sophomore has great deep ball accuracy that can really cause some problems for Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette.

It’s not a matter of stopping him if your Ohio State, the defense just needs to slow him down and making him work for everything he gets. Lawrence will get his numbers and thus will kickstart his 2020 Heisman trophy campaign: 23-34 passing for 340 yards, three touchdowns, one INT and 40 yards on the ground.

Home/Ohio State Football