Cotton Bowl Preview 12/28/17: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. USC Trojans

By Jason Disantis, @JasonInCLE


The Ohio State Buckeyes missed out on the College Football Playoff this year as the committee ranked them at No.5 putting them one spot away from their third appearance in the final four. Although the Big Ten Champs won’t be playing for a National Title the Buckeyes were rewarded with a showdown against Pac 12 Champs, USC.

Although not a Playoff game, the nations attention will be squarely on AT&T Stadium Friday night for a number of reasons.

Ohio State and USC carry the rich histories of traditional powers. They are both in the top ten in National Championships and two of the winningest programs in college football history with over 800 wins a piece.

Not only have these two prestigious powers been successful at the team level but they have also put on display some of the biggest stars to walk on the field at the college level. Ohio State and USC (along with Notre Dame) have had the most Heisman trophy winners of any other college football program, each with seven. And there will be no shortage of stars come Friday night in Arlington.

The big question for the Buckeyes is will they be able to stop USC star quarterback and potential No.1 pick in the upcoming draft, Sam Darnold.

Darnold ended his 2016 campaign by putting on a show by throwing for 5 touchdowns and over 400 yards in a Rose Bowl win against Penn State. That game put Darnold on the short list for the Heisman in 2017 and people were already talking about him being the No.1 pick when he decided to declare.

Although the statistics show a small regression for Darnold in 2017 he is still considered one of the top quarterbacks in college football. Over the past five games he has really upped his play throwing for nine touchdowns to just two interceptions. At 6-4, 220 pounds Darnold has all of the physical measurables you look for. He has a big arm and can make all of the throws but his most impressive skill, and the one the Buckeyes will have to be increasingly aware of, is his ability to make plays out of the pocket.

Darnold has a QBR of 68.2 when throwing outside of the pocket completing 59 percent of those passes to go with six touchdowns. When outside the pocket Darnold leads the nation in touchdown passes, yards, completions over 20-yards and first downs. It is the ability to make a play anywhere on the field that makes Darnold so dangerous.

The Buckeyes will counter with their own star quarterback and high-powered offense.

Despite not being the NFL prospect Darnold is, J.T. Barrett has been one of the greatest quarterbacks in Ohio State and Big Ten history. Barrett owns all of the Buckeye passing records and became a legend when he won the Big Ten Championship against an undefeated Wisconsin a week after having knee surgery. Barrett has thrown for more touchdowns and less interceptions than Darnold this season and while Darnold has the ability to make a play with his legs, he isn’t on the same level of J.T. Barrett. Barrett has run for over 3000 yards and 41 touchdowns in his Ohio State career. Over 700 of those yards and 10 touchdowns were tallied up in 2017.

While this game will boast two of the nations most impressive offenses, it is on the defensive side that the biggest differences can be seen.

The Buckeyes are allowing over 100 yards and touchdown less per game than the Trojans. They are lead by the nations best defensive line and another highly touted draft prospect, consensus All-American cornerback Denzel Ward.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a chance to finish the 2017 season on the right note and set the tone for 2018. Some faces will be new, others familiar. Once again, they will be among the favorites for the 2018 National Title and there is no better way to begin that journey than by finishing this one.





What: The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. University of Southern California Trojans
When: December 29, 2017 at 8:30 PM ET
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Watch: ESPN
Spread: OSU -7.5
Over/Under: 64.5
Money Line: OSU -300, USC +240