Sugar Bowl 2015: Updated Odds and Full Preview for Alabama vs. Ohio State
Controversy surrounds the Sugar Bowl.
As the bowl that houses the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff, this is a given. The fourth and final spot is the subject of much debate with both Baylor and TCU of the Big 12 on the outside of things.
In is Ohio State, a team with a third-string quarterback under center. That line is deceptive, but either way, the Buckeyes are in for a serious test against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Blake Sims and Co. are through the self-cannibalizing SEC and have done nothing short of improve each step of the way.
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It sets up a tantalizing showdown, to say the least.
When: Thursday, January 1, 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Television: ESPN
Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):
- Over/Under: 58
- Spread: Alabama (-9)
Preview and Prediction
What else could the world want? Yet another showdown between Urban Meyer and Nick Saban will put the butts in seats.
These two have quite the history, with another chapter set to unfold at the turn of the new year. ESPN College Football captures the story so far:
Meyer is the one in a new home, although this season shows he is quite great at adaptation. This is very much the case when it comes to the quarterback position.
J.T. Barrett was a surefire Heisman contender thanks to his strong performance in place of Braxton Miller, but now sophomore Cardale Jones is at the controls. Injuries continue to decimate the Buckeyes at the position, yet the team keeps rolling right along.
Case in point—the Big Ten Championship against Wisconsin, otherwise known as Jones' first start. A 59-0 triumph with 257 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions from the sophomore serves to explain why the Buckeyes are the fourth seed.
Still, Meyer understands that his wealth of riches via recruiting means little in the face of the juggernaut that is Alabama.
"At some point, if you're going to reach for the top, that you have to go through the top," said Meyer, per ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg. "And the last several years Alabama has certainly been at the top of college football."
Jones needs to prove in his second start that he can help uphold Ohio State's gaudy stats in the face of a top defense:
Alabama ranks fourth in the nation in total defense. Great, but boring. What folks focus on this year is an explosive offense that averages 37.1 points per game.
Senior quarterback Blake Sims has 3,250 yards and 26 touchdowns to seven interceptions this year. His mobility gives defenses fits, as noted by six more scores on the ground.
Life is much easier thanks to Heisman contender Amari Cooper. The future NFL first-round pick now has 115 grabs for 1,656 yards and 14 scores. Major help to free up the aerial attack comes from a number of talented rushers:
Which Ohio State defense will show up this January? The unit that let Indiana and Minnesota run wild for 200 or more yards on the ground, or the unit that just stuffed Heisman contender Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin to 76 yards?
It is difficult to project, but the onus of production falls on linebacker Joey Bosa, whose 13.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss suggest Ohio State is ready for the challenge.
As game as the Buckeyes seem, Las Vegas feels a certain way about the encounter for good reason.
Ezekiel Elliott (1,402 yards and 12 scores) is an absolute stud on the ground but has yet to encounter anything like the Alabama defense. This is understood, but neither has Jones this early in his career.
On the other side, there is not a corner or corner-safety tandem that can stop Cooper. A strong Ohio State rush is great, but Saban can get Sims out of the pocket on rollouts to soothe these issues.
The Buckeyes will hang tough and disprove most archaic thoughts about the program and the Big Ten, but Alabama is too ripe with firepower on both sides of the football to lose to a team with an inexperienced quarterback in control.
Look for the Crimson Tide to pull away late and ride the ground game.
Prediction: Alabama 24, Ohio State 21
Statistics and info courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.
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