Solely two groups are left standing within the inaugural 12-team School Soccer Playoff.
Ohio State and Notre Dame meet later tonight in Atlanta with a shot at a nationwide championship. Whereas each groups have earned yet another recreation and an opportunity at a title, just one will emerge victorious.
Listed here are three the explanation why Ohio State will probably be that group.
Jeremiah Smith creates too many issues for a protection to unravel
When the Nationwide Championship Recreation kicks off Monday night time at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Ohio State true freshman Jeremiah Smith may be the perfect participant on the sphere. The younger extensive receiver has been sensational for the Buckeyes this season, hauling in 71 passes for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns.
These yardage and landing numbers tempo Ohio State.
Smith was a pressure within the Buckeyes’ first two Playoff wins, catching 6 passes for 103 yards and a pair of touchdowns of their win over Tennessee, and following that with a 7-catch efficiency towards Oregon, banking one other 187 yards and a pair of scores.
As you would possibly count on, Texas devoted a variety of consideration to him within the Cotton Bowl. However the issue with focusing a lot on Smith is that his gravity creates alternatives for the remainder of Ohio State’s gifted wideouts. Whereas Texas was holding Smith to only one reception receivers like Carnell Tate, Emeka Egbuka, and tight finish Gee Scott Jr. had been discovering alternatives within the Longhorns’ secondary. Even operating again TreVeyon Henderson took benefit. On the 75-yard display screen cross that went for a landing simply earlier than halftime, Smith had a cornerback and a linebacker bracketing him beneath, with a security shaded excessive.
Whether or not producing himself, or creating probabilities for his teammates, Smith goes to be an enormous issue Monday night time.
Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson
Notre Dame enters the Nationwide Championship Recreation with probably the greatest passing defenses within the nation. The Preventing Irish allowed an common of 165.1 yards passing this season — second solely to Ohio State — and held opposing passers to an NCAA Passing Ranking of 99.5, lowest within the nation.
Whereas that may assist Notre Dame when Will Howard seems to throw, it might come at a value.
Enter operating backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.
Whereas the Preventing Irish have been stout towards the cross, it’s a a lot completely different story when different groups look to the bottom. Notre Dame allowed a median of 133 yards per recreation on the bottom, nicely outdoors the Prime-25 defenses in that class.
Even of their win over Penn State Notre Dame gave up 204 dashing yards, with Kaytron Allen notching 82 yards on 19 carries and Nick Singleton selecting up 84 yards and three touchdowns on his 15 dashing makes an attempt.
Notre Dame could look to decelerate the Ohio State passing recreation, however that might open up alternatives for Judkins and Henderson on the bottom Monday night time.
Jim Knowles and the OSU protection
We now flip to the state of play when Notre Dame has the soccer.
Jim Knowles has constructed probably the greatest defenses within the nation. The Buckeyes are a stellar, all-around group. Ohio State allowed simply 251.1 yards per recreation this season, tops in faculty soccer. They allowed simply 161.1 yards per recreation by the air, tops in faculty soccer. They allowed simply 89.9 yards per recreation on the bottom this season, third-best within the nation.
They usually sport the perfect scoring protection within the land, giving up simply 12.2 factors per recreation this 12 months. Solely twice did they offer up greater than 17 factors in a single recreation, and each of these got here towards Oregon.
Oregon will probably be watching this recreation from the sideline together with the remainder of us.
Up entrance Jack Sawyer and defensive deal with Tyleik Williams give Knowles gamers that may win in one-on-one conditions, Sawyer on the sting and Williams within the inside. They will scheme strain as nicely, with their win over Indiana again within the common season an ideal instance of what issues seem like when Knowles turns to the blitz recreation. And within the secondary they appear to Caleb Downs, the protection in the midst of the sphere, because the ringleader of an opportunistic group.
Ohio State’s offense could seize the headlines, however this protection may very well be the primary purpose they convey dwelling a title Monday night time.
