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Six Georgia Players Ohio State Will Need to Game Plan For in the Peach Bowl
Provided that Georgia is the No. 1 seed within the Faculty Soccer Playoff, it’s apparent to say the Bulldogs have quite a lot of gamers who’re able to giving Ohio State issues within the Peach Bowl.
The one workforce at present ranked within the prime 10 nationally in each whole offense and whole protection, Georgia is probably the most full workforce within the nation and loaded with what may be probably the most proficient roster in school soccer. Very like Ohio State, the Bulldogs have four- and five-star recruits all around the subject (with former walk-on beginning quarterback Stetson Bennett being one notable exception) and gamers who might be game-changers at nearly each place.
As such, Ohio State can’t merely deal with taking a number of gamers out of the sport. The Buckeyes must be sound in all areas in the event that they’re going to have an opportunity to upset Georgia and advance to the nationwide championship recreation. However there are a number of Bulldogs on either side of the ball who significantly stand out.
Ohio State will definitely be well-aware of Bennett after his look in New York as a Heisman finalist this previous weekend, however we’ll deal with his three most harmful weapons right here because the gamers who the Buckeyes’ protection will want to have the ability to restrict to maintain Georgia from placing up large numbers. On the opposite facet of the ball, we’ll have a look at three elite skills on protection who’ve repeatedly precipitated complications for opponents that the Buckeyes might want to account for of their offensive recreation planning.
Offense
TE Brock Bowers
The winner of this 12 months’s John Mackey Award, Bowers isn’t simply the perfect tight finish in school soccer however one of many nation’s most dynamic offensive gamers.
Bowers has been Georgia’s main receiver in each of his first two seasons as a Bulldog, catching 108 passes for 1,608 yards and 19 touchdowns over two years. Possessing uncommon pace and run-after-catch skill for a good finish, Bowers is all the time a risk to make an enormous play over the center however can also be utilized as a receiver out of the backfield and whilst a runner, scoring touchdowns on 4 of his 10 profession speeding makes an attempt.
This 12 months’s Ohio State protection has been largely profitable at limiting tight ends who function main receivers like Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer (who Combating Irish followers felt ought to have received the Mackey Award over Bowers) and Iowa’s Sam LaPorta. However the Buckeyes did look extra susceptible in opposition to tight ends late within the common season – giving up landing receptions to tight ends in every of their final three video games – and Bowers is not like some other tight finish within the nation.
RB Kenny McIntosh
Georgia has three operating backs who’ve rushed for greater than 500 yards and at the very least six touchdowns this season – McIntosh, Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton (a reputation seemingly acquainted to Ohio State followers who comply with recruiting intently) – so the Buckeyes can’t put together for only one operating again. All three of them have had at the very least 100-yard speeding recreation this season, most not too long ago Milton within the SEC Championship Sport in opposition to LSU, so any of them are able to having an enormous day.
That stated, McIntosh has been the Bulldogs’ most constant risk out of the backfield. He leads Georgia with 709 speeding yards and 10 touchdowns on 137 carries and has been the Bulldogs’ third-leading receiver, catching 37 passes for 449 yards – the second-most receiving yards of any FBS operating again – and one other landing. At 6-foot-1 and 210 kilos, McIntosh reveals wonderful acceleration out of the backfield and pure receiving skill on each quick passes and deep throws whereas additionally displaying the power and agility to each make defenders miss and energy via tackles.
In every of Ohio State’s three losses over the previous two years, the Buckeyes have allowed an opposing operating again (Michigan’s Donovan Edwards this 12 months and Michigan’s Hassan Haskins and Oregon’s CJ Verdell in 2021) to hurry for at the very least 160 yards and rating at the very least two touchdowns. The Buckeyes can’t permit any of Georgia’s operating backs to have a day like that, and so they’ll must be significantly conscious of the injury McIntosh can do as each a runner and receiver.
TE Darnell Washington
It’s not fairly often that two tight ends are featured in an article like this, however Washington isn’t any atypical No. 2 tight finish. At 6-foot-7 and 270 kilos, Washington combines offensive lineman-like dimension with receiver-esque athleticism, and he makes use of his spectacular bodily attributes to be each a playmaker within the passing recreation and a significant asset to the Bulldogs as a run blocker.
Washington isn’t used as often as a receiver as Bowers is, however he’s nonetheless caught 26 passes for 417 yards and two touchdowns this 12 months. If the Bulldogs determine to focus on him extra usually in opposition to Ohio State, he’s greater than able to having an enormous recreation. He’s a participant the Buckeyes might want to particularly account for as his top makes him a tricky matchup in protection whereas his mass makes him a load to sort out within the open subject (and he’s even proven the flexibility to hurdle defenders in house).
Georgia makes use of a two-tight finish formation as its main offense with each Bowers and Washington as starters, and Jim Knowles must decide how the Buckeyes can finest account for that, whether or not which means utilizing extra three-linebacker packages with Cody Simon, elevating an even bigger security like Josh Proctor or Sonny Kinds into an elevated position or counting on beginning safeties Ronnie Hickman, Lathan Ransom and Tanner McCalister to deal with these matchups.
Protection
DT Jalen Carter
On the newest large board launched by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. final week, Carter is ranked because the No. 1 total prospect within the 2023 NFL draft, which may be all it is advisable to hear to know Carter is the No. 1 defensive participant the Buckeyes have to circle on their Peach Bowl scouting report.
With uncommon quickness for a 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive sort out, Carter is a game-wrecker on Georgia’s defensive position who will give Ohio State’s inside offensive line the hardest check it’s confronted all season. His field rating statistics of 29 whole tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks don’t leap off the web page, however he missed a number of video games with accidents and has been at his finest within the Bulldogs’ largest video games, recording two tackles for loss and two compelled fumbles in opposition to Tennessee and two TFLs with a go breakup within the SEC Championship Sport.
Professional Soccer Focus has graded Carter because the second-best inside defensive lineman in school soccer this 12 months, and the movie reveals his disruption goes properly past the performs that present up on the stat sheet. Double-teaming anybody on Georgia’s playmaker-laden protection can unlock different Bulldog defenders to make large performs, however Ohio State may not have a selection if it needs to restrict Carter’s influence on the sport.
S Christopher Smith
The star of Georgia’s defensive again seven is Smith, who joined Carter in incomes first-team All-American honors from the Walter Camp Soccer Basis and Soccer Writers Affiliation of America final week. A bodily hitter and a talented cowl security who can also be one in every of Georgia’s prime veteran leaders, Smith has been an important cog in Georgia’s elite defensive play over the previous two seasons.
With 50 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 5 go breakups, three interceptions and a fumble restoration, Smith has been Georgia’s most constant defensive playmaker. And like Carter, he’s proven a penchant for stepping up and making large performs in large video games – significantly in Georgia’s most up-to-date recreation, as he had an interception, a go breakup that was intercepted by a teammate and a 96-yard blocked subject aim return for a landing within the Bulldogs’ SEC Championship Sport win over LSU.
C.J. Stroud and the Buckeyes may be capable to exploit some holes in Georgia’s go protection after LSU threw for 502 yards in opposition to the Bulldogs, however opponents haven’t finished a lot throwing in Smith’s path this 12 months, as he’s allowed solely 18 catches for 191 yards in 13 video games, per PFF. And with six interceptions over the previous two years, Stroud must be cautious to not pressure passes Smith’s means, as that might put the Buckeyes liable to a turnover.
CB Kelee Ringo
The opposite star of Georgia’s secondary is Ringo, one other identify Ohio State followers may keep in mind from the Buckeyes’ efforts to recruit him because the No. 1 cornerback within the 2020 class. Ringo selected the Bulldogs as a substitute and has lived as much as the hype in Athens, turning into Georgia’s No. 1 cornerback over the previous two seasons.
Ringo, who stepped up in an enormous means on the largest stage final 12 months when he made a game-sealing 79-yard pick-six in Georgia’s nationwide championship recreation win over Alabama, hasn’t been fairly as dominant on a play-to-play foundation this 12 months as he was final 12 months – giving up 35 catches for 478 yards, per PFF – however has not allowed a landing all season. He’s continued to place his ball abilities on show with two interceptions and 6 go breakups, making him a harmful participant to throw 50/50 balls in opposition to.
Georgia typically places Ringo on an island in opposition to the opponent’s finest receiver, which seemingly means Ringo will spend many of the Peach Bowl matching up with Marvin Harrison Jr. If Harrison can get the perfect of that matchup and pressure Georgia to provide Ringo extra assist, that might go a good distance towards releasing up Ohio State’s different weapons to make performs. However with 5 weeks to arrange for this recreation, Ohio State also needs to be drawing up artistic methods to make the most of Harrison to mitigate any efforts by Georgia to take him out of the sport.