Ohio State's offense vs. Georgia's defense screams must-see TV.
Both units are among the very best in college football, with Ohio State boasting the second-ranked scoring offense nationally (44.5 points per game) and Georgia turning in the second-best scoring defense in the country with 12.77 points allowed per game.
Throughout the week, Ohio State players and coaches had nothing but praise for Georgia's defensive unit at all levels, with defensive tackle Jalen Carter drawing the most recognition from the Buckeyes.
We compiled the best quotes of the week from Ohio State at media sessions to get the Buckeyes' perspective on facing the Bulldogs. We've also added a few additional tidbits from those sources regarding the upcoming College Football Playoff matchup.
Ryan Day
- On preparing for the upcoming game: Yeah. I think preparations have been excellent. I think the practices have been excellent. Our guys — we got down here Christmas night. It was good to get down here early. Had a good practice Monday, two really physical practices the last two days. We'll have a really good practice today and good preparation here as we head into meetings this morning. But all the focus is just playing the fastest and most violent game we've played all season here Saturday night at 8 p.m. And I think all the work that we've put in the last month is going to show. Our guys are going to play with confidence because we've had a really good month of prep.
- On what he expects from Georgia’s defense: I think they have good players all over the place. They have five stars running around all over the field, certainly in the back end. The corners are excellent. Their safeties are really good. Linebackers are really athletic and play downhill and play physical. The front is very good as well. We're going to be balanced like we always are. We're going to have to find ways to score in the red zone. We're going to have to be creative in all kinds of different areas, but at the end of the day, it's going to come down to who's more physical, who's winning the game upfront, who's going to play harder, who's going to play through the whistle, who's going to play for four quarters. And they're a very, very good team, but so are we. This is going to be a great game on Saturday night. I think it's going to be one of the more — I think they said more people in this game they've ever had in the stadium. So our guys are excited about that. When you get to this point of year, this is where you want to be. All the focus has been on this game for our guys.
- On if Jalen Carter can be compared to anyone else Day has seen at the collegiate level: Very good player. Disrupts the game, and their entire frontage is really good and so is their back end. They really don't have any weaknesses on defense. They're very, very good, and you can see why they're ranked one of the best in the country. They do a good job, and he is very good as well. Our guys know what the challenge is, and that's why we've been prepared for it so hard.
- On what challenges Georgia presents defensively: Oh, where do I start. First off, it's the talent. They have a tremendous amount of talent. In the back end, they can fly around. They have great coverage skills and create a lot of problems, and it goes right to the linebackers and the guys upfront. Schematically they're very, very well coached. They do an unbelievable job of getting them to play hard. They have a history of knowing how you're trying to attack them, and they can make adjustments in game and certainly you try to recognize what you're doing and how you're lining up and things like that. So very, very good talent and very, very well coached.
C.J. Stroud
- On being recruited by Georgia: Recruitment with Georgia, I went on an official visit, and I did have an in-home visit with coach Smart and coach McGee. I think it was one of the other coaches, too. But, yeah, it was — they were very respectful. I enjoyed my time up there, met some of the players, and I think some of them still play for them now. So I have respect for them, and I think they have respect for me. I got to see them up at the Heisman with Stetson. Got to talk to Coach Smart a good bit. He's a good dude, definitely a good coach. Come around a full 360 to be playing with them now. So I'm excited to do that. It was close, but I'm glad where I went, and I'll ride with that till I die. So, yeah, they were like second in my recruitment, but I feel I made the right decision coming to Ohio State.
- On if Ohio State can take advantage of Georgia allowing a surplus of passing yards to LSU in the SEC championship: We got to play Buckeye football. LSU did what LSU did. So I'm pretty sure they're not going to let us drop back and do what we want to do. I'm pretty sure they've been watching film on us and make sure that's something they stop. They probably think — well, I don't know what they think. That's part of it. LSU got to throw the ball against us really well, and we'll just go out there and do it. I'm pretty sure they'll have a plan for that, and we'll have to be on our game just as much as they are. So that was good for LSU, but we gotta go play Buckeye football and make sure what happens on Saturday for us.
- On what stands out about Georgia’s defense: Really a multitude of things. Of course Jalen Carter up front. He shines on film. He's a really good player. I'm actually a fan of his. I watch Georgia defense a lot. They fly around, play really good ball. Their safeties do a great job, (Chris Smith) and (Malaki Starks). Even though (Starks) is pretty young, he plays really hard and is good in coverage, blitzes really hard. The leader of their defense is (Jamon Dumas-Johnson). He does a great job of calling the defense, moving the front, stunting them, and just really great communication. I think there's really 11 coaches on the field, and you can kind of tell because of motions and things like that, they handle it really well. And they're ball hawks. They get to the ball. I know Kelee (Ringo) personally. Kelee is one of my good friends. It's going to be fun playing against him. I can't wait. He's a great corner.
- On how he and Georgia's Kelee Ringo became friends: Just through the recruiting process. Playing against him in seven-on-seven a couple of times. We didn't know each other then. I think we officially met at The Opening our junior year in high school. It's kind of crazy, we're juniors in college now, which is wild. It was then, and then All-American Bowl we hung out every day up in San Antonio. He's a great dude, great family. He's been through a lot with his mom and stuff like that. So I've definitely been praying for them and making sure they know that I'm praying for them and they have a support with me.
Offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson
- On his impressions of Jalen Carter: Well, one, the impressions are they have a lot of tremendous players. Always have. I think it starts with their coaches, the way they recruit and the emphasis of defense and the passion. A lot of times when you put on tape, you see great players. A lot of times when you put on tape, you see scheme and structure. But sometimes when you put on the great teams, you feel the tape and you feel those guys on tape and you feel them on tape. You feel the plays he makes and the way he can impact and influence games. We have our hands full. Not just them. Everyone. You turn full focus there because there's other dynamic guys one on one. It's going to be a fistfight with every play. We got our hands full. Just a lot of respect for their structure, the culture, the way they play and most importantly, you feel their defense. We're going to have to do our best to make sure they feel us as we play this game because it's not going to be a reactionary game. It's going to be an attack game both ways, two guys going at each other. A lot of respect for those guys.
- On if Ohio State can take advantage of Georgia allowing a surplus of passing yards to LSU in the SEC championship: You look at those stats, but the result of the game was they won the game by 20. So that wasn't necessarily the formula to win the game and make plays in both phases, third down conversions, short yard conversion. You look at the history of championship football games, there's not a lot of 9 and 7, 13-10 ballgames. And we got two great defenses going at each other. There's play makers on the offense. And when you look at the big-time plays, you have to score points. We have to find ways to not only have yards passing and running. We gotta find a way to get the ball to the end zone if we want a chance to win this game.
Tight end Cade Stover
- On Georgia’s defensive line: That's a tough big front seven, athletic and long. We're excited for the challenge, and we're excited to play them.
- On the challenges Georgia presents trying to run the ball: We've got the plays down. We've got the people here to do it. It's just the fact of putting it all together here and playing all 11 together and just doing our job one at a time here and being successful running the ball.
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka
- On if Ohio State can take advantage of Georgia allowing a surplus of passing yards to LSU in the SEC championship: I'm very confident in the talent we do have on offense, and I feel like when it comes to us playing any team in the nation, I feel confident with our guys and our ability to sling the rocks. So like C.J. said, we're going to do all it takes to win, whether that's running or passing, but we're definitely aware of the talent that we have and we're going to look to exploit it and make big plays whenever we can.
- On the challenge of playing an elite team like Georgia: I think it's all conclusive. We have to play a complete game like you guys were talking about, in terms of not just pass catching, but run blocking. You know, making sure there's little to no mistakes, getting our play calling and just being great leaders. We always felt like zone six has been kind of one of the position groups on the team who has accepted up in big scenarios and made big plays. Not saying that anyone else can't do it, but sometimes we like to be the guys in those scenarios. So just make sure we're able to make those plays and we're all confident and the line being able to hold their blocks and the running backs doing their jobs and C.J. being a field general out there. So what me and Marvin (Harrison Jr.) think, we're just continuing to stay locked in and making sure we have everything down pat, and we're going to give it our all on Saturday.
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
- On what stands out about Georgia’s secondary: They play very fast, play physical. They have a lot of confidence in themselves to make plays. That's what great players have, confidence in themselves, and can trust their instincts, trust their abilities. They make plays and they've made plays all year. We just have to match their energy. Run game, pass game. Receivers need to go out there and play with some heat.
- On if the LSU game provides a blueprint for Ohio State on how to score on Georgia: I think we just have to go out there and play our own ball. Obviously, LSU did what they did and they came into battle and play their game. We just have to go out there and play our game. We have confidence in ourselves and how we're going to make things work and go out there and compete. We're not going to take too much from other teams. Obviously have to watch the film to see what other teams did, but just worry about ourselves and see what we can do.
- On if he sees a difference facing an SEC secondary: I never played against an SEC secondary, so this will be my first time. I'm excited for that. I don't really know the difference. I can't compare the two right now.
Offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr.
- On Georgia’s defensive line: They have a strong defensive line, and I believe that's probably one of the strongest units on the defense, of course. And I think it's like a match up game upfront. I think, of course, they have the Stackhouse and Carter. They have (Mykel Williams), (Robert Beal Jr.) and (Tramel Walthour) on the outside that rotate a lot, along with (Chaz Chambliss). And I think that's a solid group, and they rotate a lot, and I would say their twos are almost as good as their ones. So I think it's a respectable matchup. There's definitely not anybody on their line that you overlook in terms of doing your preparations for.
- On how he studies the defensive linemen he’ll be facing: Usually during the regular season, I only have about four days to do so like a lot of guys will look at. So for me, I like to look at maybe the last five games or what I would think their best five opponents or if there's a tackle that I respect or another school they've played, then those will be the big games that I study a lot. But in terms of bowl time, with all the days off that we had, I feel like I was able to take a look at all their games a lot while still having the focus on the tackles that I thought were probably the best matchups. I think that gave me the best looks at how they played.
- On if the LSU game provides a blueprint for Ohio State on how to score on Georgia: There were a lot of things, like the blueprint that they used to gain yards, but also, I feel like the main thing that I look at is to do exactly what some teams — to do like the opposite of what the teams did. Right. There was a lot of clips I watched where there was a breakdown in the run game immediately that resulted in the negative runs and maybe there was a lack of protection from one of the guards really early on. So I think looking at those, for me as a lineman, I like to look at the negatives as a lesson to learn before it happens. So I think those things that I saw from that game in particular were great lessons, not just for myself, but for the entire offensive linemen for this game.
Running back Chip Trayanum
- On if the LSU game provides a blueprint for Ohio State on how to score on Georgia: I think the whole game was just a good game overall. Georgia is here for a reason. We're here for a reason, too, but their defense is very stout. So we believe we have to have our best game on offense. And I think we're on pace to do that with the practices we've been having. Overall just from watching that game, LSU did some good things against them. So there's definitely a chance. Coach Day always preached there's always a chance — no matter how hard you work, there's always going to be a chance when you show up on game day.
- On if he feels conference bragging rights are on the line for the SEC vs. the Big Ten: Me personally, I don't think we're worried about bragging rights. At the end of the day, I think all the bragging rights just go into who holding up the national championship trophy at the end of all of this when it's all said and done. So I think the main goal is get to that final game.
