Ohio State sophomore quarterback Justin Fields (1) puts his hands on his helmet after his pass was intercepted in the end zone in the second half of the Fiesta Bowl against Clemson on Dec. 28, 2019. Ohio State lost 29-23. Credit: Lantern File Photo
Ohio State did not play its rival for the first time since World War I.
“The Game” was canceled earlier this month due to COVID-19 issues within the Michigan program. This season marked the first time since 1917 that the traditional season-ending rivalry game between the Buckeyes and Wolverines was not played.
Players and coaches at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center were, of course, disappointed. They didn’t have the opportunity to play in a true rivalry game this season, nor a chance to win another set of gold pants.
Friday’s Sugar Bowl semifinal against Clemson is the next-best thing to The Game for Ohio State.
Sure, Penn State may check more boxes on the rivalry checklist: the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions are geographically close and play annually in the Big Ten East. The history between the two programs is longer and the series has provided some thrillers over recent years.
But Penn State started 0-5 this season for the first time in program history and has beaten Ohio State just once in the last nine meetings.
Clemson is a different kind of rival. One that Ohio State has yet to beat.
Friday’s game between the Buckeyes and Tigers will be the fourth meeting between the two teams since the 2014 Orange Bowl. Ohio State is 0-4 all-time in the series.
The Buckeyes have reason to feel the same kind of resentment toward Clemson that Michigan has toward Ohio State — one thriving on bitterness due to the inability to beat the other program.
Furthermore, games between the Buckeyes and Tigers have come exclusively in the postseason and usually have national title implications. It’s not a rivalry like Ohio State versus Michigan or Texas versus Oklahoma — rather, think of Alabama versus Clemson, Ohio State versus USC or Miami versus Nebraska.
Clemson’s 40-35 win in the 2014 Orange Bowl was Urban Meyer’s first bowl game as Ohio State head coach; it also broke the Buckeyes’ 280-game undefeated streak when scoring at least 35 points.
Although no team wants to lose a bowl game, dropping the Orange Bowl was not particularly noteworthy or damaging to the Ohio State program.
But then came the 2016 Fiesta Bowl semifinal. Ohio State did not play in the Big Ten Championship leading up to the College Football Playoff but had defeated a handful of top-10 opponents. By all means, it was expected to be a competitive playoff game.
The Tigers blanked the Buckeyes 31-0 — the first time Ohio State had been shut out since 1993.
Clemson’s fan base, and its marching band, relished that game for years; and rightfully so. It was one of the most impressive wins in school history and the precursor to the Tigers’ first national championship since 1981.
Last year’s Fiesta Bowl semifinal is where the pot boiled over in Columbus. Ohio State jumped out to an early 16-0 lead before everything went downhill.
The Buckeyes struggled mightily in the red zone — settling for a field goal on three first-half trips inside the Clemson 20-yard-line. Then a targeting ejection on then-redshirt sophomore cornerback Shaun Wade flipped the momentum; Wade sacked Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence on 3rd-and-5 but the penalty gave the Tigers a first down en route to their first touchdown of the game.
Late in the third quarter, Ohio State then-junior cornerback Jeff Okudah forced a fumble on a reception by Clemson then-junior wide receiver Justyn Ross which was returned for a touchdown by then-senior safety Jordan Fuller; the touchdown was reversed following a controversial video review.
Still, the Buckeyes had a chance to win the game at the end. With 37 seconds left, miscommunication between then-sophomore quarterback Justin Fields and then-sophomore wide receiver Chris Olave led to the game-sealing interception by Clemson then-redshirt junior safety Nolan Turner.
That game has been etched into the minds of every Buckeye player, coach and fan for 370 days.
The final score of last year’s semifinal was posted in the weight room at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. All-American guard Wyatt Davis said Monday the Buckeyes had an entire offseason program dedicated to this game.
Coaches often preach concentrating on the present — all focus is supposed to be on the next game. But with Clemson, Ohio State can’t help but look backward.
But maybe that’s not a bad thing.
The Buckeyes are certainly motivated. Past games against the Tigers were a common talking point during Sugar Bowl media availabilities.
When asked to characterize the series with Clemson, Wade said, “I characterize it as we’ve never beat Clemson.”
Fields said playing Clemson again was the team’s “whole motivation” in the offseason. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day echoed that sentiment, saying Fields and others walked off the field at the Fiesta Bowl wanting another shot at the Tigers.
Now, they’ve got that shot, and it hasn’t been without fanfare.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney ranked Ohio State No. 11 in his final coaches poll ballot, citing the Buckeyes’ lack of games played. Day hinted at Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables’ ability to steal opponents’ signals.
Swinney said preparing for Ohio State is “easier” because of the Buckeyes’ shortened schedule. Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson responded, tweeting that he was “burning the midnight oil” studying game tape of the Tigers’ game versus FCS The Citadel.
The hatred and animosity toward Clemson in Columbus is real — and Ohio State will get the chance to exorcise those Tiger demons Friday in the bayou.
