Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/616353
GAME PREVIEW: OHIO STATE heavily favored against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl — but the Sooners pulled off the 45‑31 upset, with some blame again placed on the Crimson Tide "losing focus." That same year, Ohio State was 12‑0 and had won 23 straight before losing to Michigan State in the Big Ten cham‑ pionship game. Although the Buckeyes battled in the Orange Bowl, they then lost to Clemson 40‑35, with no national title on the line. Which Buckeyes team will show up on this year 's Fiesta Bowl? The one that unraveled against Michigan State, or the angry, determined unit that steamrolled Michigan a week later? After the MSU loss, Elliott's outburst included him stating that he won't re‑ turn for his senior year and turn pro instead. That can be used as a positive with an audition against Notre Dame, as it will be for so many other Buckeye players, or it can be a negative with the attention more on the individual than the team. One Buckeyes luminary the past few years, senior defensive lineman Adolphus Washington, already has been suspended for the Fiesta Bowl by Meyer Dec. 9 after he was arrested for solicitation. "You have to have the right frame of mind going into these games," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said. "It's about your attitude and what you want to accomplish as a team. You have to be bought in 100 percent about playing this game and the purpose of this game. You can't be thinking about what your individual future is about. "Preparation is preparation, and it won't change much. We're not going to outcoach them. They're not going to outcoach us. It will be about the at‑ titude of the football team and about the team playing together." TRENCH WARFARE Both teams have their share of play‑ makers on offense. Ohio State has a little more experience at quarterback with redshirt sophomore J.T. Barrett and redshirt junior Cardale Jones, and a dominant running back in junior Eze‑ kiel Elliott. Meanwhile, Notre Dame has a little more explosiveness at wide receiver with junior Will Fuller headlining the troops. This matchup will be more about what's in the trenches and going toe‑ to‑toe with the Buckeyes ' ultra‑phys‑ ical identity. Ohio State's modus ope‑ randi is to establish the running game with Elliott, and the line includes As‑ sociated Press first‑team All‑America tackle Taylor Decker — who originally committed to Notre Dame in 2012 be‑ fore switching to the Buckeyes — and AP second‑team All‑American guard Pat Elflein. They will be going against a stout Notre Dame front seven that is now likely to include senior nose guard Jarron Jones, who was sidelined with an MCL injury in August, in at least a part‑time role (it would not affect his fifth year of eligibility in 2016 be‑ cause Jones already was redshirted as a freshman in 2012). Although the Irish defense has had its share of struggles, it has done a good job overall selling out against