Ohio State has a super offensive line and a very balanced attack - an excellent running back in Ezekiel Elliott and very good receivers. Ohio State rushed for 34 touchdowns and threw for 39 other touchdowns. The Buckeyes put up 49 points at Michigan State and 59 against Wisconsin at a neutral site. That's strong stuff.

Yet some doubt the Buckeyes' offense because they are using third-string quarterback Cardale Jones. I'm not one of those. Jones was a top high school recruit, who could have been an immediate starter for a lot of schools not as strong as Ohio State. He did very well against Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game in his debut going 12-for-17 for 273 yards with three touchdown passes. Jones is 6-foot-5, 250 pounds and is a load. The Alabama coaching staff just has film on Jones from the Wisconsin game. Jones will be helped, too, by having had 15 extra practice sessions leading up to the game.

Nick Saban doesn't have his usual dominant defense having lost five studs to the NFL after last season. Auburn scored 44 points and gained 630 yards on the Crimson Tide at Alabama. Five other teams threw well against the Crimson Tide, which ranked 59th in pass defense.

I do like Alabama's offense, though, which has become more wide open under aggressive offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. The Crimson Tide averaged more than 37 points a game and had 32 touchdowns rushing and 30 through the air. Senior quarterback Blake Sims is mobile and passed for a school-record 3,250 yards accounting for 32 touchdowns while throwing just seven interceptions. He was sacked only 13 times.

Sims has outstanding weapons to work with including one of the best running back tandems in the country in T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry. Wide receiver Amari Cooper is expected to be a high NFL draft choice.

So offense - not defense - is the way to go in this matchup especially with a fast track inside a dome.