It's Game Week: Clemson-Ohio State quick look, Sugar Bowl week schedule

Nolan Turner celebrates the interception that sealed the win over Ohio State last season. (Photo: Joe Camporeale / USATODAY)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Dec 28 08:01:03 GMT-04:00 2020

Clemson and Ohio State kick off the College Football Playoff’s Sugar Bowl in just a little over four days, but as with everything else that has happened during the 2020 season, things are far different than they have been in the past.

For the second time in as many years, the Tigers and Buckeyes will meet with a national championship game appearance on the line. In 2019, Clemson beat Ohio State 29-23 on Trevor Lawrence's late passing touchdown and a game-clinching interception from Nolan Turner. The rematch is a game the Buckeyes have wanted and been waiting on since walking off the field in Glendale, Arizona, a year ago.

The Tigers enter this year's College Football Playoff ranked tied for the most CFP appearances (six), CFP wins (six), CFP title game berths (four) and CFP national championships (two) since the inception of the current postseason format in 2014.

The Sugar Bowl will be Clemson's fourth bowl game against Ohio State since 2013 and its third against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff since 2016. The contest will be Clemson's fifth bowl game against Ohio State all-time, passing Alabama and LSU (four each) as Clemson's most common bowl opponent. Clemson holds a 4-0 record all-time against the Buckeyes.

The opportunity for significant parallels to the 2015-16 postseasons exists for Clemson. After losing a national championship game in Glendale to end 2015, Clemson returned to Arizona for the 2016 Fiesta Bowl and defeated Ohio State, 31-0, before winning the national title in the state of Florida. This year, Clemson faces Ohio State in New Orleans' Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the same venue in which Clemson's 2019 national championship hopes ended with a loss to LSU. With a win, Clemson would advance to play for another national title in the state of Florida, as this year's College Football Playoff National Championship will take place in Miami Gardens, Florida on Jan. 11.

Yes, it’s the postseason, but things are far from normal. In a normal year, the Tigers would have made their way to New Orleans at some point over last weekend. Instead, Clemson won’t leave for The Big Easy until sometime midafternoon on Wednesday, which means they won’t get into Louisiana until about 48 hours before kickoff. That means they will do a walkthrough at some point on Thursday but won’t hold a real practice onsite – that will be held Wednesday before they leave for the game.

So what’s the schedule for this week?

We will have head coach Dabo Swinney in a virtual press conference at 10 am Monday morning. After Swinney, we get defensive coordinator Brent Venables and selected defensive players from noon until 1:15 or so. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day will hold a press conference at 3:30 pm, followed by offensive Kevin Wilson and selected offensive players from 3:50 pm until 5 pm.

On Tuesday, we get offensive coordinator Tony Elliott and selected offensive players will talk from noon until 1:15 pm, and they will be followed by Buckeye defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs and selected defensive players from 4:30 until 5:40 pm.

Wednesday is Clemson’s arrival in New Orleans, and we will have a video and a few quotes from the arrival.

Thursday is the final pregame press conference with Swinney and Day starting at 9:30 am. Ohio State’s team will arrive later in the day.

And Friday a national title spot is on the line in a late kickoff (8:45 p.m. Eastern/7:45 p.m. Central on ESPN).