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As No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State prepare to meet in the Sugar Bowl on Friday night, with a spot in the national championship game on the line, activities for the week are starting up.
The matchup sounds familiar, as last season when the second-ranked Buckeyes and the third-ranked Tigers met in the Playoff semifinal with each team hopeful of playing for a national title, Clemson got the better of Ohio State on the day.
Clemson left the Fiesta Bowl with a 29-23 win in one of the best college football games of the season.
This season has been a challenge for Ohio State, dealing with numerous cancellations due to COVID-19 issues.
Kicking off Sugar Bowl week, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and several offensive players spoke to the media over a Zoom conference.
Ryan Day has now joined the Zoom call: "The guys have overcome a lot this year and now we have to finish the race."
— Bill Rabinowitz 🗞 (@brdispatch) December 28, 2020
Day on Justin Fields and his thumb: Said he has no concerns. "I think he'll be fine."
— Bill Rabinowitz 🗞 (@brdispatch) December 28, 2020
Ryan Day on dealing with COVID-19 this season, after Ohio State had more than 20 unavailable players for each of its last two games: “The people who missed practice in the last month alone here is staggering.” Said that puts more stress on the players who haven't missed practice.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 28, 2020
Ryan Day said this trip to the Sugar Bowl will be more like a regular game than a traditional bowl trip because of COVID-19 protocol. Ohio State won't be traveling down to New Orleans until the day before the game.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 28, 2020
Ryan Day on Justin Fields getting a second chance against Clemson: “I think he left that field wanting another shot, and now he gets that shot. He wasn't the only one who felt that way.”
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 28, 2020
Ryan Day said Ohio State has gotten “a bunch” of players back to practice this week who will hopefully be able to play on Friday.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 28, 2020
Ryan Day: “I really would love for these guys to have something, a big ring, to show for everything they've done.”
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 28, 2020
Ryan Day said the most important thing for the Buckeyes is to just win, no matter how that happens. “One thing that happens a little bit at Ohio State is sometimes people want you to win a certain way here, and I think that's a little dangerous.”
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 28, 2020
Scott Schultz covers Michigan State Football, along with Breaking News for B1G Football & Basketball for Saturday Tradition. He also serves as an Automotive News Editor & Writer, and Softball Writer elsewhere on the web. Follow him on Twitter @SRSchultz.