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Recent bowl game history of OSU defense vs. the offensive hype

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namod65's picture
December 6, 2016 at 9:00am
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As expected, our match-up with Clemson is bringing back the now familiar narrative of "how in the world can OSU hang with [insert opponent]'s offense?"  This year's version features Deshaun Watson and Co. and of course the media/pundits think he is going to light it up against us. Not surprising as flashy offense always draws more media swoon, with the exception of every Alabama defense that ever existed of course.

By now this is a tired and old story for the Buckeyes, yet it happens every year. Over the last 15 years, every time a "stout" OSU defense has faced a "juggernaut" offense in a bowl game, the results have been very different than the pregame narrative from the media. Here are a few examples:

2002 NC game - "The U" with all their NFL talent like Dorsey, Winslow, Johnson, and McGahee were supposed to run roughshed over us. We all know how that turned out.

2005 Fiesta Bowl - Notre Dame and their Heisman hopeful Brady Quinn and Brent Musburger with his "get your calculators out folks" after both teams score opening TDs. AJ Hawk turned it into a different story after that.

2009 Rose Bowl - How the heck were the Bucks going to stop Jeremiah Masoli and LeGarrette Blount and the Oregon offense scoring 45 points a game? Some simple physical defense seemed to do the trick, holding them to 17.

2014 NC game - Again, how in the world could they stop Heisman QB Marcus Mariota and the now even better Oregon offense scoring 50 points a game? Same way as last time they shut down Oregon.

In 2013, OSU did get "lit up" by Clemson and I think that's the only time in this 15 year history that OSU's defense was dominated by a good offense. But this was also probably the worst defense OSU has had in a long, long time.

2006 is the only time when we had a good defense and actually still got killed in a bowl game. Although the 06' defense was Little Animal's coming out year, I don't think they were nearly as good as the previous years before.

The point is that hyped offenses are interesting to talk about, generate ratings, have more highlights to show, etc... But when the game starts, you want to be the team with the nasty, physical defense, as we have shown in the past.

I'll be surprised if OSU loses because they couldn't stop Watson from going on multiple 70/80 yard drives the whole game.

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