|
 Clemson (10-2) capped its season with a fifth consecutive loss to
archrival South Carolina while the Buckeyes (12-1) had its national
title hopes dashed with a loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten
title game.
"What happened in the previous 12 games is behind us," said
Clemson's Swinney, whose team was ranked 12th in the final BCS
standings. "Our guys are excited about the postseason. We've never
had back-to-back 11-win seasons, so there's a lot of opportunity. We
want to play well, we want to represent the ACC well."
Meyer believes his team, ranked seventh in the BCS, will find some
incentive as well, despite having a 24-game winning streak snapped
by the Spartans.
"They're heartbroken, but they're competitors," Ohio State's Meyer
said. "And the fact that we're playing in a BCS game against Clemson
will wake you up in a hurry. I have no doubt that we'll be excited
to go play in this bowl game."
The Tigers and Buckeyes have met just once, playing in the 1978
Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. Clemson won that game 17-15,
capping the first 11-win season in school history.
But that game was more notable for a couple of other reasons — it
was the first game for young Clemson coach Danny Ford, who would
lead the Tigers to their first and only national title three years
later, and the final game for Ohio State coach Woody Hayes, who was
fired the next morning after punching the Tigers' Charlie Bauman
along the Buckeyes' sideline following Bauman's late-game
interception.
Thirty-five years later, both teams are hardly recognizable. Clemson
and Ohio State both rank among the national scoring leaders with
averages of more than 40 points per game. The Tigers boast a
prolific passing game while the Buckeyes feature a relentless
rushing attack and a pair of 1,000-yard rushers — one of whom is a
quarterback.
"Braxton Miller is a winner," Swinney said. "I mean the guy's lost
one game in two years, that's the thing that jumps out at me. He's
like a running back that can throw the football. He's just an
outstanding player who can beat you in a lot of ways."
Swinney has a potent weapon of his own in senior quarterback Tajh
Boyd, and the Orange Bowl could come down to a battle of
quarterbacks. Boyd owns 58 school records and ACC marks for career
touchdown passes (102), passing efficiency (154.6) and touchdown
responsibility (127).
Boyd has a variety of weapons in the passing game, and that may be
Meyer's ultimate concern.
"Their quarterback can run and throw, and that makes it difficult,"
Meyer said. "Their athleticism at receiver is ridiculous."
The Orange Bowl will be Clemson's second BCS bowl berth in three
years and its first selection as an at-large team. Ohio State will
be making its nation-leading 10th BCS bowl appearance.
"It will be a huge challenge against what might be the best team in
the country — a team that was a couple of plays away from getting
the chance to prove that," Swinney said.
 ___
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
-
QB Tajh Boyd dictates Clemson's success, much as does Ohio State
quarterback Braxton Miller. After a sub-par performance in a
regular-season ending loss at South Carolina, Boyd would like
nothing more than to cap his record-setting career with a strong
showing on a national stage. The Orange Bowl will present that
opportunity, and a youthful Buckeye secondary that ranks 102nd
nationally in pass defense may help him capitalize.
-
WR Sammy Watkins is just a junior, but he's also a lock to be a
high first-round selection in next April's NFL Draft, so the Orange
Bowl is expected to be his going-away party. Watkins enters the game
with 85 receptions, which is just four shy of the school record for
a season, and nine shy of the school's career reception record of
232 held by Aaron Kelly. A 100-yard game would give Watkins eight
this season, extending his own school standard.
-
WR Martavis Bryant has been overshadowed by playmaker Watkins, but
there's no question that Bryant has made the most of his
opportunities, as his 20.5 yards-per-catch average will attest.
Bryant is fast and rangy and showed out against Georgia Tech on Nov.
14, catching five passes for 176 yards and a touchdown and catching
the eye of 22 NFL scouts who came expecting to be wowed by other
players. He's just a junior, but don't be surprised if Bryant
seriously ponders a professional jump, particularly if he makes some
big plays in the Orange Bowl.
-
QB Braxton Miller is the catalyst in the Buckeyes' potent
offensive attack, whether he's running or passing. Dual-threat
quarterbacks have given Clemson's defense fits in the past, and most
recently when South Carolina's Connor Shaw gouged the Tigers for 94
yards rushing just two weeks ago. Miller's strength is his
efficiency; he doesn't beat himself with many mistakes, as evidenced
by his 22-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but he may be most
effective when he's giving the Buckeyes yet another threat in the
running game.
-
RB Carlos Hyde has been the workhorse in the Buckeyes' ground game
and one would expect nothing to change in the Orange Bowl. He's a
load to bring down, a 1,400-yard rusher who during one stretch this
season had four consecutive 100-yard games, all against Big Ten
opponents. But if anything, Hyde wasn't used enough in the Buckeyes'
loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game, carrying just 18
times for 118 yards. Expect him to get 25 carries against Clemson.
-
LB Ryan Shazier led Ohio State in tackles with 134 this season and
was a finalist for the Butkus Award. He's a throwback type of
linebacker — fierce, hard-hitting and instinctual and a leader by
example on the Buckeyes' rugged run defense. If Clemson can't get
him blocked in the Orange Bowl, it's doubtful that the Tigers'
Roderick McDowell will find much daylight.
[to top of second column] |
BOWL HISTORY: Clemson is 17-18 all-time in bowl games, and the
Tigers' 17 bowl victories rank 18th in college football history.
Clemson has played in a bowl game in 25 of the last 29 years, with
their most recent triumph a 25-24 win against LSU in last year's
Chick-fil-A Bowl.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Getting to another BCS bowl game is very important
for our program. It shows that we've developed some consistency the
last three years." — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on his team earning
a trip to the Orange Bowl for the second time in three years.
___ STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL GAME BREAKDOWN
Scouting the running game: Clemson senior running back Roderick
"Hot Rod" McDowell enters the game just 44 yards shy of a
1,000-yard season. If he accomplishes that feat, he'll give the
Tigers a 1,000-yard rusher for a third consecutive year for the
first time in school history. Of course that may be easier said
than done against a strong Ohio State defensive front that
limits opponents to just over 100 yards per game and 3.1 yards
per attempt. Clemson, meanwhile, will have its much-improved
front seven severely tested by an Ohio State rushing attack that
ranks fourth nationally at 317.5 yards per game. Burly senior
Carlos Hyde is the star of the Buckeyes' power ground game and
became coach Urban Meyer's first 1,000-yard running back in a
big way this season, bulling his way for 1,408 yards. As if
slowing Hyde wasn't concern enough, quarterback Braxton Miller
added 1,033 yards on the ground this season, making the Buckeyes
one of the nation's toughest teams to defend.
Scouting the passing game: Ohio State quarterback Miller hasn't
had to pass much this season, but he's been highly effective and
efficient when he's gone to the air. Miller passed for 1,860
yards and 22 touchdowns with just five interceptions, resulting
in a 157.9 passing efficiency that ranked 14th nationally. Corey
Brown and Devin Smith are the primary weapons, with both players
amassing 655 yards receiving this season. Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd is blessed with several playmaking receivers, but the
best of the bunch is junior Sammy Watkins, a super-fast junior
with breakaway speed and an uncanny ability to snatch passes.
Fellow junior Martavis Bryant also is a big-play threat with NFL
size while junior Adam Humphrey is a reliable option. Boyd will
have to be on his game, because he's shown a penchant for
getting rattled, particularly if things take a negative turn
early in the game. Scouting the run defense:
Both Clemson and Ohio State feature
talented front sevens, so it'll be interesting to see who
emerges as the best against the run. Ohio State's unit is
youthful, but extremely talented. The Buckeyes are led by
sophomore defensive tackle Noah Spence, who leads the team with
eight sacks, and junior linebacker Ryan Shazier, who paces the
Buckeyes in tackles (134) and tackles for loss (22.5). Clemson's
run defense is anchored by a similar pair — defensive tackle
Grady Jarrett and linebacker Spencer Shuey. Shuey leads the
Tigers with 84 tackles while Jarrett ranks as one of top
penetrators in the ACC. At 235 pounds, Ohio State running back
Carlos Hyde will provide a big challenge, but Clemson has fared
well against two big backs this season, holding the nation's
leading rusher — Boston College's Andre Williams — to just 70
yards, and South Carolina's Mike Davis to only 22 yards on 15
carries. But the Tigers have been susceptible to running
quarterbacks in the past, so keep an eye on the Buckeyes'
Miller.
Scouting the pass defense: Ohio State's secondary is
significantly less proven than Clemson's, as evidenced by the
Buckeyes ranking 102nd nationally in passing yardage defense.
Cornerbacks Bradley Roby and Doren Grant and safety C.J. Barnett
each have three interceptions this season, but that may be more
of an indication of opponents' willingness to capitalize on the
Buckeyes' perceived weakness. If Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd
gets in a groove and all of his receivers get involved, Ohio
State could be in for a long night in the secondary. Clemson's
pass defense isn't spectacular, but it has shown considerable
improvement. The Tigers have rotated some youthful talent into
the secondary and that has resulted in more depth than at any
time in coach Dabo Swinney's five-plus seasons. Junior
cornerback Bashaud Breeland and senior cornerback Darius
Robinson are the best of the bunch, but overlook freshman safety
Jayron Kearse, who has filled in admirably for the injured
Travis Blanks. The Tigers enter the Orange Bowl ranked 15th
nationally in pass defense, surrendering just 198 yards per
game.
Scouting the special teams: Clemson couldn't feel better about
its kicking game, what with senior Chandler Catanzaro on hand.
Catanzaro has been near-perfect over the past two seasons and
has converted 13 of 14 field goal attempts this season,
including a career-long 51-yarder. Sammy Watkins has been
serviceable as Clemson's return man on kickoffs, but has yet to
break one for score this season while punt return specialist
Adam Humphries has averaged more than 10 yards per return, but
is coming off a game in which he fumbled two punt returns. Ohio
State boasts a real return threat in Dontre Wilson, who averages
just under 25 yards per return on kickoffs. The Buckeyes also
have to feel confident in their kicker, Drew Basil. Basil has
made 9-of-10 attempts this season.
ROSTER REPORT
-
Clemson S Travis Blanks is out with a torn ACL suffered Nov.
23 against The Citadel.
-
Ohio State DB Bradley Roby, who suffered a leg injury against
Michigan State, is expected to play in the Orange Bowl.
[© 2013 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2013 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
