Alabama Football: Matchups and advantages for Crimson Tide vs. Ohio State
By Cj Dew
Linebacker:
Alabama has improved its defense, including its pass rush and run defense in the later part of the season. At first it seemed as though Pete Golding might be on the hot seat, but that might not be the case any longer.
Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses has shown struggles after coming back from an injury. He recently came out and said he has still been hurting this season. For him to play through the pain this entire season says a lot about his will power and character. Thankfully for the Crimson Tide, they have Christian Harris, Christopher Allen, Jaylen Moody, and freshman All-American Will Anderson to help take on the load.
As far as Ohio State goes, linebackers Pete Werner, Tuf Borland, and Baron Browing will have a say of their own. They want to show they belong in this game and that they can hold their own against arguably the best offense in the country.
When you see the running back group of Alabama you might automatically think, “oh wow”. That’s not what the Buckeyes probably think. One of the best running backs in the country, Travis Etienne, only had 10 carries for 32 yards against Ohio State and a lot of that came from linebackers following their assignment and helping clog the gaps. This is a tough one but I think these groups are pretty even.
Advantage: Even