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Game Thread Orange Bowl: tOSU vs Clemson, Jan 3, 8:30 ET, ESPN

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ScriptOhio said:
FWIW, I think both Ohio State and Alabama were the better team in their respective bowl game. They both lost because "they really didn't want to be there"; all season both teams were focusing on the BCS National Championship game and the runner-up consolation prize bowl game was a disappointment.

Coaches and college kids have short memories, besides each year is basically a new team. Both teams loose a lot of starters and the new starters will be excited about (finally) getting a chance to play. The both teams will do well going forward as long as they continue to recruit at their usual consistent high level. Schools like Ohio State and Alabama don't "rebuild" they just "reload".
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For whatever reason I don't think this team had the 'Juice' like last year. The suspensions, the streak, defending the strength of schedule all seemed to weigh on this team and especially the d team and staff. They seemed to play and coach cautiously from the start..and when Fickell did face the media he seemed defiant but had no answers. I know Urban disagrees with me but something didnt seem to click all year..I think this Defense was capable of more..but it never happened. We really never replaced the Leadership and CONFIDENCE of a Boren and Simon. Boren switched over to D last year and whether he knew all the D he played with a swagger and a confidence that'we can do this.
 
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LordJeffBuck said:
A little perspective:

Ohio State went 12-0 and then lost their last two games (#4 MSU, #12 Clemson) by a combined 15 points.

Alabama went 11-0 and then lost their last two games (#2 Auburn, #11 Oklahoma) by a combined 20 points.

Does anyone here think that Alabama is in trouble going forward?
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I think the Buckeyes would've fared better against 'Bama than we did against Climpson.

This was, comparatively, a down year for 'Bama after losing a lot of talent on the line, with talented but inexperienced young players trying to work into the system. Next year will be interesting for the Tide as they replace McCarron.

Neither team is "in trouble." But both have a lot of work to do if they want to make the four-team playoff next season.
 
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Mike80 said:
But they were also a far more talented (developed?) team on defense this past season than Ohio State was. So I guess we'll see what happens.
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In their two season-ending losses, Alabama gave up an average of 40 points and 411 yards. After their great run, Alabama was a bit down this year, but I don't think that they're in panic mode yet, like Buckeye fans seem to be.

Onebuckfan said:
For whatever reason I don't think this team had the 'Juice' like last year.
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It's easier to have "juice" when you don't play two top-ten teams at the end of the season.

Ohio State has a lot of holes to fill going forward, but after the near-disastrous 2012 recruiting class, the staff is starting to bring in the talent that it will take to compete in 2014 and beyond.
 
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ScriptOhio said:
FWIW, I think both Ohio State and Alabama were the better team in their respective bowl game. They both lost because "they really didn't want to be there"; all season both teams were focusing on the BCS National Championship game and the runner-up consolation prize bowl game was a disappointment.
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I didn't watch much of the Sugar Bowl, so I can't speak for Alabama, but I don't think OSU suffered from "really didn't want to be there." I think Clemson was just a terrible matchup for OSU--very experienced, very good QB for Clemson, coupled with a top-10 NFL pick at WR (not to mention the 6'5" WR who caught two jump ball TDs). And this against an OSU pass defense that wasn't very good all year and was missing its top CB and DE. And on the other side of the ball, I thought OSU would have more of an advantage going into the game than they really did, which I credit to the Clemson staff devising a great game plan to frustrate Brax and take advantage of his weaknesses.

To be honest, at several points in the game, I couldn't believe OSU had the game as close as it did, or was winning. To have the ball in Clemson territory with 1:30 or whatever it was to go in the game and down 5 was a great result for OSU.
 
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I did watch the Sugar Bowl, and I think the "they really didn't want to be there" was ESPiN's predetermined response to what would happen if Bammer got their butts kicked. I do believe Bammer was expecting the Sooners to just roll over and crumble, and was surprised when Okie punched them in the mouth. I believe it was that much more than didn't want to be there.
 
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buckeyeintn said:
I did watch the Sugar Bowl, and I think the "they really didn't want to be there" was ESPiN's predetermined response to what would happen if Bammer got their butts kicked. I do believe Bammer was expecting the Sooners to just roll over and crumble, and was surprised when Okie punched them in the mouth. I believe it was that much more than didn't want to be there.
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I keep seeing this "we didn't want to be there" excuse for OSU, but what is the basis for it? Who specifically can you point to that looked to be going through the motions? Because I saw Brax giving a guttier performance than I've ever seen him give, Hyde fighting for 2-3 yards when zero yards were there, Bosa fighting through what appeared to be a horribly painful leg injury, etc.
 
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buckeyesin07 said:
I keep seeing this "we didn't want to be there" excuse for OSU, but what is the basis for it? Who specifically can you point to that looked to be going through the motions? Because I saw Brax giving a guttier performance than I've ever seen him give, Hyde fighting for 2-3 yards when zero yards were there, Bosa fighting through what appeared to be a horribly painful leg injury, etc.
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Where in my post do you see "OSU didn't want to be there"? Actually, where do you see anything stated or implied about the Orange Bowl in this post or any other post I have made about not wanting to be there? I believe both teams wanted to be there and played their hearts out. The Bucks just came up short.
 
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LordJeffBuck said:
In their two season-ending losses, Alabama gave up an average of 40 points and 411 yards. After their great run, Alabama was a bit down this year, but I don't think that they're in panic mode yet, like Buckeye fans seem to be.


It's easier to have "juice" when you don't play two top-ten teams at the end of the season.

Ohio State has a lot of holes to fill going forward, but after the near-disastrous 2012 recruiting class, the staff is starting to bring in the talent that it will take to compete in 2014 and beyond.
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While your point, presumably about keeping things in perspective, is a good one, I suspect that Buckeye fans would be a bit calmer if OSU had won three NC's in the last four years and was closing in on yet another #1 recruiting class.
 
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buckeyeintn said:
Where in my post do you see "OSU didn't want to be there"? Actually, where do you see anything stated or implied about the Orange Bowl in this post or any other post I have made about not wanting to be there? I believe both teams wanted to be there and played their hearts out. The Bucks just came up short.
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Calm down--I misread your post. But the fact remains that I've seen others here on BP suggest OSU didn't want to be in the Orange Bowl.
 
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LordJeffBuck said:
In their two season-ending losses, Alabama gave up an average of 40 points and 411 yards. After their great run, Alabama was a bit down this year, but I don't think that they're in panic mode yet, like Buckeye fans seem to be.
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The fans may not be, but I think it's pretty clear Saban knew this was the last year for a while that his program would be near the top.
 
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h04011122
 
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