GAME PREVIEW: OHIO STATE
the run, including holding the Georgia
Tech and Navy triple‑option schemes
at bay and allowing Heisman Trophy
runner‑up Christian McCaffrey of
Stanford only 94 yards on 27 carries.
It also limited Clemson quarterback
DeShaun Watson, third in the Heis‑
man balloting, to 8‑of‑21 passing for
97 yards, meaning it has overall suc‑
ceeded at taking away the focal point
of an offense.
In today's pass‑happy football, Ohio
State has averaged a relatively low 23
passes per game.
"Their system of offense has some
similarities in terms of what we do,"
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly
said. "They have been really commit‑
ted to their run game with Ezekiel El‑
liott and their offensive line and J.T.
Barrett in terms of him being the sec‑
ond threat [running] there.
"Everything they do is based upon
their ability to throw it off of their run
game, which has a lot of similarities to
what we do. We just choose to throw it
a little bit more."
The Irish offensive line dominated
Pac‑12 champion Stanford to the tune
of 299 rushing yards and 8.5 yards
per carry even without leading rusher
C.J. Prosise in the lineup. Prosise and
tight end Durham Smythe, who has
been out since mid‑September due to
First-team Associated Press All-American offensive tackle Taylor Decker has starred on a unit that empha-
sizes establishing a power running attack.
PHOTO COURTESY OHIO STATE
