Paper Tiger

“I just don’t think it’s right that three teams have to play 13 games to be the champion, and one team has to play eight.”

That's just a little snippet of Dabo Swinney's comment about why he ranked Ohio State 11th in the college football polls. But, that didn't stop him from doubling down when the Buckeyes made into the college football playoffs despite playing 6 games because the Big Ten started later and couldn't make up cancelled games. But, when you're 4-0 against the Buckeyes and one of the 800lbs gorillas in college football, you can troll your opponents with little impunity. Yet Swinney kept supplying more bullentin board material for the Buckeyes. I think he felt he was in Ohio State's head rent free and probably thought he was going to beat them again. 

I guess the lack of respect from him and media or how last year's game ended was enough fuel and motivation for Ohio State. Going into the game, I had no idea what Ohio State team was going to show up - win big or lay an egg. They played 6 games since October and three games were cancelled. It's hard for a team to find any rhythm and grow when they have to sit and deal with their own issues of players and coaches getting the virus. Plus their defense was suspect. 

All I know was Ohio State had to bring their A game and for quarterback Justin Fields, he would have to be flawless, because he had two subpar games against two quality opponents in Indiana and Northwestern. Fields answered the call by setting a Sugar Bowl record by throwing 6 touchdowns. He took a vicious shot to the midsection and gutted out the rest of the game as the Buckeyes throttled the Tigers by the score of 49-28. Not bad for a 11th ranked team and I can't imagine what the score would have been if Clemson played Coastal Carolina, who were actually ranked 10th according to Swinney's poll. But in the end it's Dabo just being Dabo and as of this morning, he's being roasted and trolled on social media.

As for Buckeye fans there's the "what if" as before the season started Harbaugh ran his mouth about Ohio State and Day privately told his team that there should be a mercy rule because they were going to hang a 100 on them. As it turned out Michigan had to cancel the game because Covid. The Wolverines were a dumpster fire on both sides of the ball and a lot of fans on both sides knew it was going to be a blood bath. 

Next is the Crimson Tide and it should be a hell of a game.