Ohio State v. Texas

The hottest team in the sport vs a team that’s yet to play their best, who ya got?

#6 Ohio State v. #3 Texas (OSU – 6.5 T: 51.5) 7:30pm on ESPN

Here we go. Notre Dame punched their ticket to the Big Dance last night with a last second FG to beat the Tittany Lions of Pennsylvania State, so now one spot remains. A lot of talking heads (me) have been fondling Ohio State’s nuts the last two weeks, and for good reason. They’ve gone full super saiyan and reached their final form of “$20 Million Machine”. Will Howard looks like prime Tom Brady, Jeremiah Smith is the next coming of Julio Jones, and the defense has 8 seniors who are playing lights out. With two former NFL head coaches as their offensive and defensive coordinators, they are a cheat code of a team. Will they keep their foot on the pedal and continue to mow through every team they see? Idk, but let’s check on Texas.

The 2 loss longhorns suffered both losses at the hands of the now deceased Georgia Bulldogs, and are not exactly in prime fighting condition when considering their adversary. QB Quinn Ewers has been solid but still looks like he is missing something. He’s shown his talent at times with accurate strikes and leading methodical drives, but he also has thrown errant passes and made boneheaded decisions as well. If Texas can run the ball effectively (I don’t think they will be able to) then they have a real chance to make this a game. Everyone has raved about this great Texas OL, chalk full of NFL talent, but the last time they saw a pass rush similar to that of OSU, it was UGA, and they gave up 7 sacks. Soooo take that as you may. The bright spot for Texas is the matchups on the outside. I think WR Matthew Golden has really come on strong as a true WR1 and his ability to create separation and make plays after the catch will be evident here against a OSU secondary that has been known to give up explosives. Other WRs to watch are DeAndre Moore and Isiah Bond, two speedy play makers who are vertical threats at any time. Lastly, the other matchup I like is Jahdae Barron vs. this Buckeye WR core. That sentence could get me put in a TikTok edit in a few hours but I don’t care. The Jim Thorpe award winner is a problem. He’s long, physical at the line of scrimmage, and fast and twitchy. He’s a playmaker and the best defensive back this WR core has faced all year. Will he be able to hold his own against these cats? Idk, I’m just a man 🤷🏼‍♂️

The Pick: Like I said, Texas must run the ball. If Quinn finds himself in 3rd and long all game then I think it’ll be near impossible for the Longhorns to win. With a run game, they pose a threat. They have the size, speed and physicality to match OSU (similar to Michigan) and I think we’re gonna get a hell of a game. With that being said, I will be having the over as well as Texas +6.5. Will I regret that? Possibly, but can this Ohio State team really play 3 perfect games in a row? Idk, I’m just a man.

NFL Super Wild Card Weekend will be previewed in a special weekend newsletter tomorrow morning, so be on the lookout for that.

Love you guys,

TWD