Having offensive playmakers against four quality defenses is key, and the Buckeyes have the top one
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Defenses are winning out as the College Football Playoff moves on to the semifinals. Ohio State, Notre Dame and Texas have top-five national pass defenses. The exception, Penn State, has perhaps the best individual defensive player in the field, Abdul Carter, and ranks top 10 in scoring and total defense.
Since none of the remaining teams rank higher than No. 17 in total offense, having true offensive playmakers is a massive advantage. Ironically, the top two players in our pre-quarterfinal rankings — Ashton Jeanty and Cam Skattebo — exit despite a 100-yard day by the former and an MVP performance by the latter.
Having individual pieces is nice, but to win a national championship, depth of talent is top of mind. Among this year’s 10 remaining impact players entering the CFP semifinals is a trio of defensive backs from those highly ranked pass defenses, but there is an overall even split between offensive and defensive stars who figure to play critical roles in the semifinal results this week.
CFP Impact Players – Semifinals
