2019 Clemson vs Ohio State Predictions – College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: For the second time in the College Football Playoff era, the Clemson Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes will square off in a national semifinal. The Tigers blanked the Buckeyes back in 2016, but while OSU enters this matchup as the No. 2 team in the country, it is the third-ranked Tigers who are two-point favorites in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
Based on the numbers, Clemson and Ohio State have been the two most dominant teams in the country, and they are remarkably similar on paper. The Tigers are averaging 46.5 points and 547.7 yards of offense per game while the Buckeyes are averaging 48.7 points and 531.0 yards of offense. On the defensive side of the ball, Clemson allows the fewest points and yards in the country at 10.6 and 244.7 per game, but OSU isn’t far behind with averages of 12.5 points and 247.6 yards per game, ranking third and second nationally.
Not surprisingly, both sides bring plenty of star power. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence will be the No. 1 pick as soon as he is allowed to enter the NFL Draft, and Ohio State’s Justin Fields is a Heisman finalist in his first year under center after accounting for 50 total touchdowns and a single interception. The Tigers have one of the most explosive running backs in the country in Travis Etienne, who is averaging 8.2 yards per carry, but the Buckeyes have a sledgehammer in J.K. Dobbins, who ranks third in the country with 1,829 rushing yards and fifth with 20 touchdowns.
The Buckeyes have another Heisman finalist in defensive end Chase Young, and the dynamic pass-rusher leads the country with 16.5 sacks despite being suspended two games. Young is the main reason OSU leads the country with 51.0 sacks this year, and the Buckeyes also have a First-Team All-American in their secondary in corner Jeff Okudah. Clemson counters with one of an excellent defensive front, and Butkus Award winner Isaiah Simmons makes plays all over the field as a hybrid safety/linebacker.
2019 Clemson vs Ohio State Predictions: College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
The Tigers Win If:
Neither of these teams have a lot of weaknesses, but Fields has shown a tendency to hold the ball to long at times, taking sacks and putting the ball on the ground. If the Tigers can put consistent heat on the OSU quarterback, they should be able to get the Buckeyes offense out of rhythm by putting them in third-and-long situations and potentially create some turnovers. When Clemson has the ball, neutralizing Young has to be the top priority. Even if it requires two or three guys to get it done, keeping Lawrence upright so that he can take advantage of Clemson’s loaded receiving corps will be well worth the effort.
The Buckeyes Win If:
No team in the country is a better frontrunner than Ohio State. The Buckeyes have been able to score in bunches all year, and when they jump out to a lead, it allows Young and the country’s best pass rush to go into attack mode. It’s a football version of an avalanche, and the Buckeyes can quickly turn any game into a blowout. Needless to say, a fast start will be absolutely crucial, and the most important player for the Buckeyes will likely be Fields. He’s answered the bell all season, but this will be the best opponent he has faced on the biggest stage. If he is able to avoid mistakes and keep the Buckeyes offense on schedule, Ohio State is going to put plenty of points on the board.
Bottom Line:
I can’t remember the last time a defending national champ has been as disrespected as Clemson has been this season. Yes, the Tigers had a bit of a sloppy start to the year, but after a close call from North Carolina, Lawrence and company have been annihilating all comers. Since surviving the Tar Heels, Clemson has won eight straight games by at least 35 points, holding all eight opponents to 17 points or less and topping 50 points in five of its last six games. During that stretch, Lawrence has thrown three or more touchdowns in all eight games, tossing 20 touchdowns and no interceptions over the last six.
More importantly, the Ohio State defense showed some small cracks late in the year, allowing Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson to throw for 305 yards and surrendering 432 yards of offense to Wisconsin. If the OSU secondary has any breakdowns in this one, Clemson’s dynamic receiving duo of Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross is going to make the Buckeyes pay in a big way. Meanwhile, one missed tackle is all it takes for Etienne to take one to the house. I’m expecting both offenses to make a run at 30-plus points, but I think Lawrence will make more big plays and fewer mistakes than Fields down the stretch, putting the Tigers into the title game.
Prediction: Clemson Tigers (-2) Cover the Spread
