One catch for three yards on three total targets. Texas is the only team in college football this season to eliminate Ohio State freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith from the game plan, delivering a coveted blueprint for Notre Dame in the national championship game on how to disrupt the Buckeyes’ passing attack.
The Buckeyes ultimately prevailed, 28-14, in the Cotton Bowl thanks to timely defensive play in the fourth quarter, but had to look elsewhere on third down and at the second level while Smith was blanketed by one of the nation’s top secondaries.
Longhorns defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski did not allow the Buckeyes to isolate their best player in single coverage like the opportunities Smith had in the first two rounds against Tennessee and Oregon. Cloud coverages, double-teams and disguised brackets frustrated the most-talented weapon on the field and there was no room on the boundary for Smith and his oft-chain moving receptions.
Smith managed 13 catches for for 290 yards and four touchdowns — including an MVP performance in the Rose Bowl — the first two rounds to become Friday night’s spotlighted player at AT&T Stadium. However, outside of a screen pass in the first half that went for a minimal gain, Texas put the clamps on the former five-star as Ohio State was forced to look in the direction of Carnell Tate and others in the passing game.
“Obviously the first two rounds of the playoffs, I mean, he went off so, you know, we knew that they were going to do something to try and take him away and they were, you know, they clouded him, they doubled him, they were finding different ways to, you know, to get two guys over top of him,” Ohio State quarterback Will Howard said after the game, via Bucknuts. “But, you know, all that means is that, you know, we need to be smart and get the ball to other guys and, you know, I think Carnell stepped up, made some great plays, you know, the running backs did a great job, tight ends had some great catches and, you know, I think Texas, you know, what they do on defense.
Tthey like to keep a shell on things, make you work the game and get the ball down the field methodically, you know, and I think they, you know, credit to them, man, they got a great defense and they got some dudes, you know, but when it came down to it in the fourth quarter, man, we did what we had to do and the defense did a hell of a job.”
Now, Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame defense, headlined by Jack Kiser, Xavier Watts and others, will try and put together a similar plan to corral Smith. Notre Dame ranks ninth nationally in total defense heading into the finale and No. 2 against the pass.
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The only team i the country ranked ahead of the Fighting Irish in both categories is Ohio State.
