3 reasons Ohio State wins the CFP Championship over Alabama

3. The Buckeyes’ defense will be a problem for the Crimson Tide.

The most impressive aspect of the Buckeyes’ win over Clemson in the semi-final was the defense. The display was certainly a surprise to Clemson and college football fans not familiar, but it was an expected effort to those who have been riding with the Buckeyes for a while. When it comes to games that entail emotion or championship motivation, the Buckeyes’ defense comes alive.

What is interesting about the Buckeye defense of this season is their tendency to give up points early but slowly get stronger with each ensuing possession. The defense tightens up and suffocates their opposition like a snake and its prey. This has been true for the majority of the games this season and was on display in the Big Ten Championship and CFP semi-final.

The Buckeyes let up 10 points during the first quarter and half of the second quarter in the Big Ten Championship but didn’t allow a single point for the rest of the game. In the CFP semi-final, the Buckeyes let up two touchdowns to Clemson in the first quarter but shut them down to zero scores until the game was nearly out of reach. In situations when the Buckeyes need their defense to step up the most, they’ve always come through.

The Buckeyes’ defense loves to hit especially when it comes to getting after the opposition in the backfield. The team had five tackles for loss against Clemson with two sacks. Those numbers should have been even higher but Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence was either elusive enough to throw the ball away or he was fumbling it. The Crimson Tide may not be so lucky to escape a big hit from the Buckeyes as their quarterback Mac Jones is far less elusive.

There are multiple defenders for the Buckeyes who can get after the quarterback and cause problems for the Crimson Tide offense including but not limited to Jonathon Cooper, Tyreke Smith, Tommy Togiai, Justin Hilliard, Haskell Garrett, Zach Harrison, and Baron Browning. The Buckeyes’ front seven is absolutely stacked while being considerably underrated. The defense has had an up and down last few years but are certainly peaking at the right time.

The Crimson Tide’s offense operates behind one of the best if not the best offensive line in the nation. It will be an upgrade from Clemson’s line but any slowing down of the Buckeyes’ defensive front remains to be seen. Expect the Buckeyes to come out swinging once again as they prepare to take it to the Crimson Tide.