OSU, Clemson players: Rematch will be different – ESPN

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — No one has forgotten what took save the final time Clemson and Ohio Thunder performed in the College Football Playoff semifinals on the PlaystationFiesta Bowl.

Even gamers who have been no longer on the roster on the time.

No. 3 seed Clemson beat No. 2 seed Ohio Thunder 31-0 en path to the nationwide championship in 2016. Three years later, the groups enter their game Saturday with the same seeds, making for any easy storyline to see leading into their matchup.

“The final time we performed Clemson, they fully embarrassed Ohio Thunder and the dispute of Ohio,” stated Ohio Thunder receiver Chris Olave, who used to be a junior in highschool in 2016. “It used to be no longer easy for us at that moment. We brought it up in the ability a few instances, but we haven’t genuinely talked about it. Right here’s 2019 upright now, and so they’re unruffled genuinely unswerving. Now we must exit there and eliminate a gain out about at to beat them.”

Both Ohio Thunder and Clemson gamers and coaches show the dramatic differences in the Buckeyes going into this game when put next with 2016, starting up with their offense.

“I occupy bask in they’re a bigger group total,” Clemson safety K’Von Wallace stated. “I occupy bask in they’re deep. They fabricate no longer have that one person that would possibly possibly well apt kill you. They have more than one those who can kill you. You’ve gotten to be ready for all the pieces they originate. They fabricate no longer have a weak point. I occupy bask in in ’16, they’d a runt bit bit of a weak point with some packages they have been doing and we exploited it and that is the clarification why we got here out 31-0.

“But this Three hundred and sixty five days we have to bring it. We’re no longer having a gain out about for no shutout. We’re hoping we are in a position to preserve it shut in the fourth quarter and come out with the eliminate.”

The addition of Justin Fields has made Ohio Thunder dramatically improved, starting up with their downfield passing game, which used to be genuinely nonexistent the final time these groups performed. Ohio Thunder quarterback J.T. Barrett threw for 127 yards in the 31-0 loss. Going into this game, Fields is averaging 227 yards passing per game.

Combine his ability to bustle, plus the dimension J.K. Dobbins brings to the running game, and Ohio Thunder is a vastly improved group. The addition of Ryan Day to the Buckeyes’ instructing workers, first as a co-offensive coordinator in 2017 earlier than taking on as head coach this Three hundred and sixty five days, has also made the offense more balanced.

“Whenever you gain out about support, they have been more one-dimensional in 2016,” Clemson safety Tanner Muse stated. “Now they’re so unswerving at all the pieces — bustle game, pass game, immediate game, long game, all of it. It be no longer easy.

“You’ve gotten to pause the bustle; all the pieces comes with the bustle, so whenever it’s seemingly you’ll presumably pause the bustle and develop groups one-dimensional, it helps you out a runt bit bit. But they’re so unswerving at passing the ball, it’s no longer easy to eliminate one speak away.”

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables pointed to Ohio Thunder’s success on third down as a well-known distinction as successfully. The Buckeyes lead the nation in third-down offense, converting 57 p.c of the time.

Defensively, Ohio Thunder is a various group all over the board, too, with distinction makers bask in Trip Young and Jeff Okudah leading the map in which. Whether which map there’ll doubtless be a various consequence stays to be seen.

“It be two diverse groups,” Ohio Thunder cornerback Damon Arnette stated. “Fully diverse gamers. They got us [in the last matchup], but if they’re having a gain out about prior to now, then that is no longer going to be unswerving for the future. There is nothing we are in a position to originate about that ranking, but there is something we are in a position to with out a doubt originate about it this Saturday.”