Post by WANG on Dec 30, 2015 9:15:17 GMT -5
Should be a fun match up, though both teams will be a bit depleted on defense.
ND is missing a trio of DBs, while OSU will be down two starting DTs (Schutt and Washington). Will OSU be able to air it out against a thin ND secondary? Will the ND DC still put all front 7 in the box, leaving his DBs on an island? How sill OSU fill the void in the middle of the DL?
Some stats:
OSU Offense vs ND Defense:
- OSU scoring O 28th (35.0 PPG) vs ND scoring D 32nd (22.4 PPG)
- OSU rush O 12th (241.9 YPG) vs ND rush D 64th (166.5 YPG)
- OSU pass O 103rd (187.0 YPG) vs ND pass D 28th (195.9 YPG)
ND Offense vs OSU Defense:
- ND scoring O 31st (34.8 PPG) vs OSU scoring D 2nd (13.1 PPG)
- ND rush O 25th (218.8 YPG) vs OSU rush D 22nd (127.3 YPG)
- ND pass O 37th (256.7 YPG) vs OSU pass D 12th (176.2 YPG)
Some things of note:
- OSU has struggled containing mobile QBs this season, and while Kizer won't be mistaken for Braxton Miller anytime soon, he can be dangerous with his legs (119 carries for 499 yards including sacks this season). OSU must contain Kizer, especially on 3rd and medium plays.
- OSU has been, well, terrible throwing the ball this season. And while the match up may not look favorable on paper, OSU SHOULD try to exploit NDs depleted secondary, especially if they load the box to stop Zeke.
- I think that OSU's secondary will end up being tested. With two DTs out, OSU will need extra help from the LB and S position against the run, leaving the corners on an island for parts of the game. If ND can capitalize on this, OSU could be in trouble.
At the end of the day, this looks like a match up between two solid teams on both sides of the ball. It should be a fun match up, and I expect a decent amount of scoring, maybe a bit more than initially due to injuries/suspensions on defense for both teams.
My pick:
OSU 35-24
ND is missing a trio of DBs, while OSU will be down two starting DTs (Schutt and Washington). Will OSU be able to air it out against a thin ND secondary? Will the ND DC still put all front 7 in the box, leaving his DBs on an island? How sill OSU fill the void in the middle of the DL?
Some stats:
OSU Offense vs ND Defense:
- OSU scoring O 28th (35.0 PPG) vs ND scoring D 32nd (22.4 PPG)
- OSU rush O 12th (241.9 YPG) vs ND rush D 64th (166.5 YPG)
- OSU pass O 103rd (187.0 YPG) vs ND pass D 28th (195.9 YPG)
ND Offense vs OSU Defense:
- ND scoring O 31st (34.8 PPG) vs OSU scoring D 2nd (13.1 PPG)
- ND rush O 25th (218.8 YPG) vs OSU rush D 22nd (127.3 YPG)
- ND pass O 37th (256.7 YPG) vs OSU pass D 12th (176.2 YPG)
Some things of note:
- OSU has struggled containing mobile QBs this season, and while Kizer won't be mistaken for Braxton Miller anytime soon, he can be dangerous with his legs (119 carries for 499 yards including sacks this season). OSU must contain Kizer, especially on 3rd and medium plays.
- OSU has been, well, terrible throwing the ball this season. And while the match up may not look favorable on paper, OSU SHOULD try to exploit NDs depleted secondary, especially if they load the box to stop Zeke.
- I think that OSU's secondary will end up being tested. With two DTs out, OSU will need extra help from the LB and S position against the run, leaving the corners on an island for parts of the game. If ND can capitalize on this, OSU could be in trouble.
At the end of the day, this looks like a match up between two solid teams on both sides of the ball. It should be a fun match up, and I expect a decent amount of scoring, maybe a bit more than initially due to injuries/suspensions on defense for both teams.
My pick:
OSU 35-24