Ohio State will face off against a Heisman Trophy finalist when it matches up with Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.
For the second straight season, Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson is headed to New York with a chance to claim the most prestigious individual award in all of college football.
Watson certainly earned this honor. The junior signal caller posted 3,914 passing yards, 524 rushing yards and 43 total touchdowns in helping guide Clemson to a 12-1 record and an ACC championship.
It's an enormous task for the Buckeyes' defense to contain a player like Watson, but it's one Ohio State has grown somewhat accustomed to over the last few years. Going against Heisman Trophy finalists has become somewhat normal.
"I've played a lot of Heisman finalists," Buckeyes middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan said. "They’re great players, but we do what we can to get a stop on them. Just gotta contain them because they’re going to get their plays. They’re some of the most special athletes in the nation so they’re going to get their plays, but you gotta make sure you can contain them too."
Ohio State already played three of this year's five Heisman Trophy finalists; Watson will be the fourth. The Buckeyes went against Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Dede Westbrook in addition to Michigan linebacker Jabrill Peppers earlier this season.
How did Ohio State fare against the three finalists it faced this season?
- Baker Mayfield: 17-for-32 passing for 226 yards and two touchdowns, two interceptions
- Dede Westbrook: five catches for 51 yards
- Jabrill Peppers: seven tackles, one interception; four carries for four yards; 49 return yards
Ohio State won both games and, for the most part, contained all three finalists.
But this is hardly the first season in which the Buckeyes played against some of the best individual players in college football. In 2014, Ohio State faced all three Heisman Trophy finalists in a row — Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon, Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper and Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota — on its way to claiming the national championship.
How did the Buckeyes do against those three?
- Melvin Gordon: 18 carries for 76 yards, one fumble
- Amari Cooper: nine catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns
- Marcus Mariota: 24-for-37 passing for 333 yards and two touchdowns, one interception; 39 rushing yards
Ohio State also played against Derrick Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, in that Sugar Bowl against Alabama. That was the year before Henry won the honor, though, and in that game, Henry ran for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Again, the Buckeyes did fairly well against some of college football's top players during that championship season.
"That's obviously motivation and how you compete against them it lifts your motivation," Buckeyes cornerback Gareon Conley said. "When we see that people are all in the media and stuff that makes us try even harder to compete against them and overcome their play."
These previous experiences have no real impact on how Ohio State will fare against Watson on Dec. 31, of course, but the Buckeyes can draw from past preparations with the hopes it assists in getting ready to play one of college football's biggest stars yet again.
"The team finds ways to help them make plays and they make plays on their own," McMillan said. "If you play a guy like Derrick Henry, the opposing offense is going to find a way to get the ball in his hands."
"When you’re playing a guy like that they’re going to have the ball in their hands and you gotta stop them."
