DALLAS – We are just hours away from kickoff at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the 2017 Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and USC.
The excitement for the game outside the team locker rooms seems to be slightly subdued due to the fact that neither team is playing for a national title, yet the history between the two programs seems to add something extra to an otherwise disappointing ending to the year for both teams.
USC comes into the game with a chance to win 12 games for just the fourth time in school history, while Ohio State has the opportunity to send its seniors out with a third bowl win to go along with two Big Ten championships and a national title.
For the final time this season, it's time to get to your questions ahead of the last game of the 2017 campaign for the Buckeyes.
Who are the two players – one on each side of the ball – who need to play their best game of the year for Ohio State to win and why? - Iowabuckeyes
It's going to sound cliche, but offensively for Ohio State to play well, J.T. Barrett has to be at his best. I think the Buckeyes will get yards on the ground to start the game, but eventually the Trojans are going to have to add extra defenders into the box. From there, if Barrett can hit a couple of down field throws, I think OSU can win by two or more scores. If not, we might be in for another Michigan or Wisconsin style of game where it comes down to a final drive.
Defensively, I am going with Ohio State's entire defensive line. When going up against an elite quarterback like Sam Darnold, you can't allow him to make too many plays with his arm, but you also have to account for his feet. Darnold's ability to extend plays makes him a weapon, and he throws extremely well on the run. Ohio State's defensive line will need to contain him and maintain constant pressure so not to allow Darnold to get comfortable in the pocket.
Who do you give the edge in talent to, when comparing each team's running back, wide receivers, OL, QB position? - Johnblairgobucks
Ronald Jones II gets the edge for me at running back because of his experience, speed and physicality. Ultimately, I think J.K. Dobbins will be the better overall college player once his career is over, but as of now, I like Jones as the best running back on the field Friday night.
USC also probably gets the nod at receiver, simply because they have been more productive. A lot of that has to do with the system the Trojans run, but also is a credit to their consistency.
Ohio State has an overwhelming advantage in offensive line play, in my opinion. Outside of Branden Bowen, the Buckeyes have remained healthy and Demetrius Knox has shown tremendous improvement since this time last year when Clemson dominated him in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal. Ohio State has the veteran leadership up front that should give them the advantage in the trenches.
Quarterback is pretty obvious. Darnold is a future top-five pick for a reason. He can do it all with the ball in his hands and makes those around him significantly better. That isn't to say that J.T. Barrett doesn't do that, but it is not to the same level that Darnold does. Barrett edges Darnold in the leadership aspect of football, but as for the on-field talent, Darnold gets the nod.
What are the three key things Ohio State must do to win on Friday? - Buckeye.383
- Shut down Ronald Jones II on first and second down.
- Contain Sam Darnold in the pocket and make him throw 40+ times.
- Limit offensive turnovers and create at least one on defense.
If USC plays a 4-2-5 defense as they supposedly do, how in the world can they stop Dobbins or Weber? - Buckeyearchie76
The 4-2-5 is put together to slow down spread offenses, but it's just one player that changes, not the alignment. If you will remember back to the Jim Heacock days at Ohio State, the Buckeyes used Tyler Moeller as a "Star" position player. That position was used in a 4-2-5 as a hybrid between a linebacker and a nickel, as someone who could play in space but also defend against the run. That is what USC is trying to accomplish.
How many yards do we gain on the ground and who's leading the way? - Seattle Linga
I think this could be a breakout game for J.K. Dobbins, as he is playing in his home state. Ohio State strives to be balanced, and get to 250 yards rushing. I will say the Buckeyes finish with right around that number of rushing yards and come up around 200 in the passing game.
Any curveballs to look out for...i.e., two back set, snaps for Haskins, trickeration? - Hovenaut
I definitely don't think Dwayne Haskins gets reps in this game unless Barrett goes down. As far as trickeration, you can't put it past any coach in any bowl game to pull something out of the hat that hasn't been seen all year. That said, Kevin Wilson strikes me as a guy who feels he doesn't need trick plays to beat you. I would be surprised if Ohio State tried anything more than perhaps a wildcat package or something of the like against USC.
How does OSU's team speed match-up against USC's team speed? - T-Dub
Honestly, I think the two are pretty even. Ronald Jones II for USC is perhaps the fastest running back Ohio State has seen all season and the Trojans have burners all over the field at the wide receiver positions.
That said, I think the play of Denzel Ward – who appears to be playing after all in this game – will be critical in man-coverage. If he continues to shut down opposing receivers like he has all season and can shut down an entire side of the field, Ohio State should gain the edge on that side of the ball.
Offensively, I think Ohio State has the edge in speed, but at wide receiver my biggest question is, can the Buckeye wide receivers make plays for Barrett in 50/50 situations? If they can't, the Trojans might have success defensively.
Is everyone healthy? - Hetuck
Urban Meyer said he anticipates having everyone available for the bowl game, so as far as we know, yes.
May be a get off my lawn comment, but with the game not set to kick off until the 29th, doesn't it seem a bit unnecessary/premature to fly the team down before Christmas? - GareBear
It's unfortunate for the players and their families, but if you don't arrive until the 26th, you only get two true days of preparation. As much as you'd like to give the players off for Christmas, you lose the competitive advantage if you do so in this situation.
I saw the piece that Tate is running the offense, which is intriguing. I can't imagine they burn a RS on him, but what specifically has he done to show that he can take the car for a spin? - Bakerjon
To clarify, Martell was getting reps with the starting interior offense, not the entire offense. Martell was at QB for Ohio State's inside-run portion of practice, which is just run plays against a scout team front-seven. It was however the first time that I can remember Martell donning a black no-contact jersey and getting reps with any first-team players so it is definitely something to keep an eye on moving forward.
Will OSU use Dobbins and Weber in the back field at the same time? - ChazBuckeye
If we haven't by now, I highly doubt it. That said, bowl games tend to bring out new packages and plays not yet seen, so I won't completely rule it out. However, I would be surprised if we saw anything like that against USC.
