re: Ohio State will beat Bama.

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If you had to say there's a weak ling in the defense for Alabama where is it?

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- power run up the middle (DT/ILB) - they don't get blown off the ball, we just consistently give up 2-4 yards it feels like. Barmore is a great pass rusher at DT and Tim Smith is a freshman who is going to be a great player, but we don't have that 1 dominant inside guy like we have in the past. DJ Dale is the run stopper and he's good, but he isn't great. Smith and Barmore make some big plays in the run game but they also guess some and give up big plays (which is why they trust Dale, but he also gives up 2-4 yard plays quite often).

- ILB/Safety coverage - better since Ole Miss, but still susceptible, especially against backs and formations that stack WRs

- stupid arse delayed blitzes on 3rd down


The general feeling on our end was that we've gotten better since Ole Miss - quite a bit. The Florida game on the surface looked bad, but a deeper look shows that (a) Florida just made a ton of perfect plays with horribly difficult matchups and (b) we missed about 5 shots to shut that game off and didn't do it (which is a problem). We've slowly started to accept that even really good defenses aren't going to shut down really good offenses. You have to get sporadic stops and play good red zone defense.

I think Florida gave us the most unique and difficult matchups of the season and played an excellent game in terms of exploiting those, but I think Ohio State is the best all around offense we will play this season in terms of balance and weapons all over the offense (WR, QB, RB, OL, etc).

It'll come down to who can force a couple 3 and outs, turnovers and who can force a couple of field goals. I think it'll be a really fun game for everyone who doesn't have a dog in the fight with NFL dudes running around everywhere.

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Just don't bet the house on it.

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Maybe just the wheels.

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Agreed. I told my buddy watching the Clemson game with me that we needed 4-5 stops to win the game. They got 3 stops in the second quarter and it was game over.

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It's incredibly difficult for programs like both of ours that were built around tough, hard nosed defenses that shut down the run and smothered teams to accept what defense is in the 2020s.

I mean, I mentally understand it. I get it, I get what it is, I understand the analytics, etc etc.........My base instincts still get mad

Right? I think back to Tresselball (which was a leading cause of heartburn for Buckeye fans) and just laugh. The days of get a 24-7 lead then sit on the ball, run clock and stifle them with your defense is long gone.

Now, Alabama did that to Notre Dame but Notre Dame is so limited offensively compared to the elite offenses that it's sad. Either of our two deeps in the WR room would all be starters at Notre Dame.

When Nick said it was over then I became a believer that great defense is over. Like the DC for Art Briles said many years back that he only practiced redzone defense because the limited filed actually helped his defense and the rest was a waste of time.

Really Bob Stoopss gave up on great defense years before he finally turned in his keys and he knew about great defense before the Big 12 turned into a track It didn't take Tubberville but one year in the Big 12 to switch from SEC football as well.

Hot take there. You are a regular Jimmy the Greek aren’t you?

Obviously you're an OSU fan and hopeful about the chances of both your team and Shaun Wade. All I can say is, Devonta is a fricking monster. The kid didn't win the Heisman because he's an excellent chef.

He has been toasting DB's all season, really his entire 4 year career if we're being honest. He's been on the biggest stages, with the brightest lights, and has seen every coverage a defense can possibly use.

I think the best OSU can do is just expect Smitty to get his and live with it. He's gonna have a game, like he always does. I would try to limit other parts of Bama's offense if I was the OSU staff. Smitty is just too good.

I had wet dreams as a kid too.

Victories for LUS over Alabama are so few and far between they are like mere dreams aren't they? Congrats.

But, his daughter is