2019 CFB Pre Week 14 Thoughts

[The_QCT]

The committee released their 3rd CFP poll this week with a top 10 of:

1. Ohio State
2. LSU
3. Clemson
4. Georgia

5. Alabama
6. Utah
7. Oklahoma
8. Minnesota
9. Baylor
10. Penn State

The most important race right now is between Ohio State and LSU to #1. Why? Per almost CFB analysts on ESPN, Fox, CBS, and pretty much everywhere, it's because whoever gets #1 avoids having to play Clemson in the Semi Final, which equals a sure loss for the unlucky recipient of the #2 seed.

With that said, Ohio State moves into the #1 spot after a subpar performance vs a mediocre Penn State team. Interesting move by the committee as they are clearly setting up a match-up of the best 2 teams in college football in the National Championship.

I saw some things out of OSU on Saturday that give me plenty of confidence going into that National Championship game. 1) Fields never goes to his 2nd read...he's a half the field, 1 read QB...and that is it. 2) He was faced the most pressure he has all season vs PSU's front 4...and he was not accurate as it bothered him a great deal. 3) OSU's LB's and Safeties are mediocre at best.

Clemson's defense made Tua look like he's never played football before last season...and Tua had experience and the best WR corp in the nation. Fields has neither.

Clemson is better at QB.
Clemson is better at OL.
Clemson is better at the skill positions.
Clemson has the better defense.
Clemson has the better coaching staff.
Clemson has more experience in these situations on the field (players).
.
Clemson will beat OSU by double digits to go back-to-back.

 

[Stray Dawg]

My observation. Thee Ohio State University must beat Michigan today. The other teams aforementioned are an afterthought. Go Buckeyes!

 

[Stray Dawg]

Now that this game is in the bag, I say to you QCT, thank your lucky stars Clemson wasn't playing Thee Ohio State University today. I will also add that what I saw today, your Clemson Tigers are gonna take a severe beat down if we do end up playing each other

 

[jaydog]

And 'bama lost to auburn!!!

So it's LSU and Georgia in the SEC title game while we play Wiscy.

Top four teams are OSU, LSU, Clemson and TBD. Could be Oklahoma. Could be Utah. Then again the powers that be love SEC teams so Georgia is also in play if they beat LSU.

 

[The_QCT]

Now that this game is in the bag, I say to you QCT, thank your lucky stars Clemson wasn't playing Thee Ohio State University today. I will also add that what I saw today, your Clemson Tigers are gonna take a severe beat down if we do end up playing each other

Thank stars for what? Michigan stinks and OSU would have lost had they played Clemson today, next week or in January.

And 'bama lost to auburn!!!

So it's LSU and Georgia in the SEC title game while we play Wiscy.

Top four teams are OSU, LSU, Clemson and TBD. Could be Oklahoma. Could be Utah. Then again the powers that be love SEC teams so Georgia is also in play if they beat LSU.

Utah should have the inside track for #4 if they win out IMO.

 

[jaydog]

Clemson's schedule is extraordinarily weak. Everybody knows that. The Bucks and LSU have had the tougher schedules, but it is what it is when you play in a basketball conference.

The ACC doesn't have a anybody other than Clemson that can have a puncher's chance at beating the top 5 or 6 teams.

I wasn't sure what to expect at the beginning of this season with a new HC and all, but Ryan Day has done everything right and has been particularly impressive these last two games against top talent. He's turned Justin Fields into an excellent QB, Dobbins into an excellent RB and allowed the defense to just make plays. Not bad for a rookie HC to go undefeated with a road win in Ann Arbor. Especially after the main stream media was all but handing over the Big 10 'ship to TTUN at the start of the season.

Well Done coach!
:applause::applause::applause:

 

[jaydog]

 

[The_QCT]

Day is an excellent coach. Unfortunately for OSU fans, his future is most likely in the NFL.

 

[The_QCT]

Clemson's schedule is extraordinarily weak. Everybody knows that. The Bucks and LSU have had the tougher schedules, but it is what it is when you play in a basketball conference.

The ACC doesn't have a anybody other than Clemson that can have a puncher's chance at beating the top 5 or 6 teams.

I wasn't sure what to expect at the beginning of this season with a new HC and all, but Ryan Day has done everything right and has been particularly impressive these last two games against top talent. He's turned Justin Fields into an excellent QB, Dobbins into an excellent RB and allowed the defense to just make plays. Not bad for a rookie HC to go undefeated with a road win in Ann Arbor. Especially after the main stream media was all but handing over the Big 10 'ship to TTUN at the start of the season.

Well Done coach!
:applause::applause::applause:

This year, Clemson's schedule has not been the hardest. However, year-in and year-out that is not the case. The B1G is not a good conference. It's filled with a bunch of big, slow teams (on both sides of the ball; and QB's who can't complete a forward pass. There is a reason B1G teams get smoked when they play teams from the SEC/ACC in bowl games...because it's normally the first time they've seen real athletes and team speed.

The B1G also doesn't have anybody outside of Ohio State who has a chance to beat Clemson, LSU, UGA, Alabama, etc.... PSU's QB is trash and their back 4 on defense are slow and unathletic; Michigan's offense stinks and might not score on Clemson or UGA. Again, the B1G and their 3 yard and a cloud of dust conference are overrated by the media, but trust me, nobody in the South takes the conference seriously. Ohio State is the only team in the conference with athletes and team speed...which is why the easily dominate.

I told you at the beginning of the season that Day was an excellent offensive mind. I thought it would take Fields a little while to catch on, but OSU was my pick from day 1 to in the B1G and go to the CFP (you can fine the receipts). Day has done a great job of taking away half the field and limiting Fields from having to run through a regression (his weak point) and get the ball out quickly. He basically has 1 read and either check down or run....pretty simple. And the fact OSU plays a bunch of big, slow, unathletic teams means most of the time the WR's just out-athlete the opposing DB's...so Fields is either throwing to wide open WR's or can just throw it up and let his WR go get it like a Frisbee catching dog.

The problem for OSU, is that if they have to play Clemson, they can't out-athlete them. Clemson's DB's are the most athletic and best secondary Ohio State will see by a country mile. Their WR's won't be open like against all those big, slow B1G D's...and Fields will be forced to go through a regression or run...and Clemson has the best LB in the nation to spy Fields. Ohio State's entire offense is dependent on Dobbins running the ball which enables Fields to attempt to confuse D's win the read option and RPO. Clemson was running RPO's since Deshaun and our defense faces a better RPO offense every week in practice. We also saw Fields struggle when under pressure vs PSU...and their front 7 isn't in the same universe as Clemson's. Clemson's DC Venables has installed a 3-3-5 that has absolutely confused and destroyed teams to the tune of the #1 scoring defense in the country. Isaiah Simmons (the most versatile and best overall defender in the country) plays OLB, ILB, Nickel, S and even DE. Fields (and Day) will have no idea where pressure and blitzes are coming from...and the change in post snap coverage (which made Tua look like he never played football before) will make Fields hold onto the ball too long.

I know everybody wants to avoid Clemson in the semi-final, but if you were smart, you would want to pay Clemson in the first match-up. Ohio State will need the entire month to prepare for Clemson's defense. Only having a week in between the semi and national championship game could make the end result similar to a couple years ago in Phoenix.