Ohio State football: Buckeyes focused on achieving their ‘final goal’ vs. Alabama

“I think it’s been helpful to the players and the opportunity that they have to compete and play, create value for themselves, as well as a lot of fans who have great interest in college football.”

Ohio State coach Ryan Day agreed.

“Our guys are elated to be part of this,” Day said before calling facing the top-ranked Crimson Tide a great challenge. “Coach Saban and his staff do an unbelievable job. It goes without saying (he is) one of the best football coaches in the history of college football, and then their players (are) really good players.”

Here are five things to know about the game:

1. Justin Fields apparently is good to go.

The Ohio State quarterback’s status was a question after he gutted out a win over Clemson in the CFP semifinals Jan. 1, but Day said Fields had a good week of practice despite still feeling the effects of a helmet to the side from Tigers linebacker James Skalski.

“He’s done a really good job preparing, and I think that’s the thing that he felt like he did a good job going into last game, was just preparing at a high level, and he’s continued to do that this week,” Day said.

2. Jaylen Waddle is a game-time decision.

Before DeVonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy, Waddle was widely considered Alabama’s best receiver, but Waddle went down in October with an ankle injury and has not played since.

Saban previously confirmed he has returned to practice but has been noncommittal about whether or not he suits up for the Crimson Tide again.

“I think the biggest challenge is can he sustain in the game, and it’ll be a game-time decision as to whether he thinks he can play and go out there and do his job well enough to contribute to the team, and we won’t know that until we get out there after pregame warmup,” Saban said.

Defensive end LaBryan Ray also will be a game-time decision for the Crimson Tide while defensive back Malachi Moore is unlikely to play.

3. There will be fans.

The coronavirus pandemic put the season in jeopardy and threw up numerous obstacles even after the Big Ten reversed a decision to postpone the fall campaign, but the Buckeyes have overcome them all so far.

Their reward will be facing the No. 1 team in the country in front of an expected crowd of about 16,000 in Hard Rock Stadium.

“When you talk about surreal, it’s going to be that to the 100th degree,” said Julie Myers, mother of Ohio State center Josh. “Because the stadium’s not going to be packed so it’s going to be a not quite the build-up that you would imagine with a national championship, but it’s going to be the biggest crowd they’ve played played in front of all seasons so far.

“So I think that will help them get up, but you dream about these kinds of things. The odds that you’ll get to experience them are so, so low that you just are so grateful and blessed to even be able to be a part of it.”

4. The Ohio State defensive line could be key.

The first line of defense was key to both of the Buckeyes’ national championships this century.

Will Smith, Darrion Scott, et al dominated the Miami Hurricanes offensive line in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl for the 2002 BCS title, and Centerville grad Michael Bennett and others stepped up their game six years ago to make the defensive overall more formidable in wins over Alabama and Oregon in the first College Football Playoff.

This time around, COVID-19 presents an added twist as there is always some question about who will be available prior to a particular contest.

Various players have been in and out of the lineup for the past three games, and it stands to reason that will again be the case Monday night.

That means the depth coach Larry Johnson has recruited and developed could again be tested, but senior end Jonathon Cooper said they will be ready.

“I feel like across the board we have great guys, great players, from first, second to third string,” Cooper said.

“Going against an offensive line like Alabama’s, I feel like that’s key. They’re big, strong, physical guys, and throughout the game you’re going to have to keep rotating and getting guys in and play faster at the end of the game.”

Whoever is out there likely needs to rise to the occasion for Ohio State to pull off another upset.

5. Ohio State is not just happy to be there.

The Buckeyes always expect to contend for the national title, but reaching the final gained greater significance after a heart-breaking loss to Clemson in the semifinals last year.

Regaining a chance to win it all also added extra fuel to the efforts to get the season reinstated after the Big Ten announced in August there would be no games in the fall, but Day insisted there has been no mental letup since his team got revenge on the Tigers last week.

“No one ever talks about getting to the national championship — they talk about winning the national championship,” Day said. “Along the way there are certain goals that you have to reach to get to this point, but the ultimate goal is to win this game. When you have your goals of beating your rival, of winning the conference, of winning the semifinal and then finally this game, you have to check off those boxes, but ultimately this is the final goal. That’s what all the focus is on right now.”

TODAY’S GAME

Ohio State vs. Alabama, 8 p.m., ESPN, 1410