Ohio State football in chase mode at halftime, trailing high-powered Alabama: National Championship halftime thoughts

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Halftime thoughts on the College Football Playoff National Championship game, as Ohio State trails Alabama 35-17.

* If there was a snapshot that you could show to Ohio State fans to explain the first half, it would be Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith scoring Alabama’s fifth touchdown by beating linebacker Tuf Borland down the middle of the field. Borland had no shot on a play like that, and safety Marcus Williamson gave his help elsewhere, and it was over.

* Hearing from people saying that Ohio State has no answer for Alabama and complaining about OSU defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs. The correct answer here is that no team has an answer for Bama. The answer for Ohio State was to score with the Tide, and the Buckeyes haven’t.

Ohio State punted three times in the first half. Alabama on its first six possessions scored five touchdowns and fumbled once on a great blitz, sack, strip and fumble recovery by Baron Browning. The Tide punted for the first time in the final 10 seconds of the half.

* Ohio State’s defense is traditionally pretty static, and it doesn’t feel like the Buckeyes have done much to throw off Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, who is 25-of-30 for 342 yards and four touchdowns. But there’s a risk-reward to everything. Alabama hit Ohio State with a couple nice screens late in the half. Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian used some misdirection motion to get Smith open.

Ohio State did get home on a Browning blitz to force that turnover, which set up an OSU touchdown. But the Tide came back and burned the Buckeyes on another Browning blitz, flipping an easy throw to running back Najee Harris for a 26-yard score.

As we discussed on Buckeye Talk this week, Alabama has the play design and the talent on offense, and Sarkisian has taken the two most dangerous Bama threats and found ways to feed them.

Smith has 12 catches on 14 targets for 215 yards on three touchdowns. Harris has 16 touches for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

* The loss of Trey Sermon on his first carry was enormous. ESPN reported he was taken to the hospital with a collarbone injury. That took away Ohio State’s big play run threat. Master Teague is solid, but Alabama wasn’t worried about him. Teague had 12 carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns, but Alabama is more comfortable focusing on the pass now.

* Fields needed to be great in this game, as he was against Clemson. He’s been OK. Fields was 6-of-15 for 90 yards in the first half. He also ran twice for 29 yards. Fields missed Garrett Wilson on a first-down throw to the end zone when the score was 21-14 Alabama. Instead, Ohio State was held to a field goal on that possession, and Alabama scored two more touchdowns before halftime.

* If you believe field goals aren’t going to win a game like this, you can question Day for kicking on fourth down from the 6. I think the loss of Sermon was felt there. On first down, Fields missed Wilson. On second down, Teague ran for two yards. If you know you’re going on fourth down, you could then run on third down, and with Sermon, you might have. Instead, Fields held the ball and missed Luke Farrell on a throw, and facing what would have had to be a throw on fourth down, Day kicked.

Day loves to be aggressive, and that would have been a chance to show it. But to cut the lead to only 21-17 also was reasonable. Ohio State just hasn’t stopped Alabama at all when it matters. It’s hard to envision how the Buckeyes will.

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