By Jim Johnson
SouthernPigskin.com

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The Fiesta Bowl matchup between Clemson and Ohio State pits college footballs statistically best offensive line against its best defensive line.

The Fiesta Bowl matchup between Clemson and Ohio State pits college footballs statistically best offensive line against its best defensive line.

Averaging 3.22 line yards per carry, which attempts to separate what a running back does from what his blockers do inasmuch as thats possible (The line gets credit for rushing yardage between 0-3 yards and 50% credit for yards 4-8. Anything over 8 yards is quantified as a highlight opportunity, and the credit goes to the runner. Lost yardage counts for 125%), Clemson ranks #1 in the FBS. The Tigers are also first on both standard downs and passing downs.

Clemsons rushers have also gained at least four yards on 61.5% of their attempts, which again is good for tops in the country. Theyve allowed stops at or behind the line of scrimmage just 11.9% of the time, which ranks second, and their 2.9% allowed sack rate is fourth — 6th on standard downs at 1.5% and 26th on passing downs at 5.3%.

The only meaningful aspect of their blocking this season that isnt in the upper echelon is on short yardage rushing attempts, where on third or fourth down, with two yards or fewer yards to go, their 75% conversion rate ranks 45th.

On the flipside, Ohio States 2.02 line yards per carry allowed is good for fifth in the nation — 166th on standard downs and 4th on passing downs — and theyve allowed only 39.5% of opposing carries to gain at least four yards, which ranks 8th. Theyre also second in percentage of stops at or behind the line of scrimmage, notching a stuff 27.8% of the time, and first in sack rate, getting to opposing passers on 12.8% of dropbacks, 8.8% of the time on standard downs (8th in the FBS) and 16.4% of the time on passing downs (3rd).

And, whereas short yardage has been Clemsons lone relative weak spot, Ohio State has been great in that respect as well, allowing such conversions on 55.6% of attempts, currently sitting at 13th.

Individually, the players that comprise both of these units have been just as dominant as the units themselves.

According to my OAYP advanced metric, the Tigers boast one of the top three players at tackle, guard, and center, in Southern Pigskins entire coverage area.

Jackson Carman, with a marginal OAYP of 4.3, is one of just 20 players out of almost 900 qualifiers, with a score greater than 4.0. According to Pro Football Focus, on nearly 350 pass pro snaps this season, he did not allow a sack and only gave up ten pressures.

Opposite Carman, Tremayne Anchrum joined Carman on OAYPs All-ACC first team, coming in as the second highest rated tackle in the conference, and the 8th highest in our coverage area.

In the interior, guard Gage Cervenka and center Sean Pollard also earned first team all-conference nods from the formula, the former as the #2 OG in the ACC and #3 in our coverage area with a 3.7 marginal score, and the latter as the leagues #1 C, #2 in our coverage area.

So, of the starters, that left only guard John Simpson as a non-first team selection, and he was still comfortably on the second team as the #4 OG in the ACC and a top ten player at the position across the coverage area.

Having said all that, Clemson hasnt seen anything remotely like the group theyre about to face.

Obviously, for the Buckeyes, everything starts with defensive end Chase Young, the single best player at any position in all of college football, full stop.

Despite missing two games, the surefire future first rounder still leads the nation in sacks with 16.5 to his name, a good 2.5 clear of his closest competitors, and sits in the top five in tackles for loss, forced fumbles, and according to PFF, pass-rush win percentage, with a 27.3% rate.

And, granted, though Chase Young is a one-man-wrecking-crew, Ohio States defensive line is far from a one-man-show. On the inside, Jashon Cornell, Robert Landers, and Davon Hamilton, are all among PFFs top 25 highest graded interior defenders in the FBS.

There are, of course, a million reasons to watch this one, even aside from the stakes. Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields are indisputably two of the best quarterbacks in the game right now. Same goes for Travis Etienne and JK Dobbins at running back. And there will be some absolute battles on the perimeter with Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross going head-to-head with the likes of Jeffery Okudah and Shaun Wade.

However, there may not be a more exciting, or more important battle than the one at the line of scrimmage.

With arguably the best the sport has to offer on either side of the ball, the Fiesta Bowl will be a party in the trenches.