Sugar Bowl 2021: Factors That Will Decide Ohio State vs. Clemson Playoff

The Clemson Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes will meet for the second year in a row in the College Football Playoff semifinals. 

Just like the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, the 2021 Sugar Bowl will be billed as a quarterback showdown between Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, who are both expected to be first-round NFL draft picks. 

Lawrence outplayed Fields in their first head-to-head meeting, and based off their conference championship game performances, the Clemson junior has the advantage entering the Sugar Bowl.

Fields may not have his full supporting cast around him, as Chris Olave missed the Big Ten Championship Game. 

Even if the Buckeyes do not have Olave active on January 1, they could do some damage to the Clemson defense with Nolan Turner suspended for one half after a targeting call in the ACC Championship Game.

Most football games come down to quarterback play.

The Sugar Bowl matchup will put more pressure on both signal-callers to succeed with a berth in the National Championship Game on the line.

Lawrence is expected to play at a high level, and there will be pressure on him to finish his illustrious college career with a title. 

Fields is looking to take Ohio State over the hump and land it in a playoff final for the first time since 2015. Since then, Alabama, Clemson and LSU have ruled the four-team postseason format. 

In their first head-to-head showdown, Lawrence produced 366 total yards and earned a trio of touchdowns, while Fields tossed two interceptions and only had 13 rushing yards on 14 carries. 

Lawrence has been responsible for eight touchdowns in Clemson's last three games, and in the last two, he has been more effective with his legs by scoring three times. 

Fields did not create a scoring play in the Big Ten Championship Game, and he was intercepted twice by the Northwestern Wildcats. 

The Ohio State junior needs to be much more responsible with the ball and effective through the air to even compete with Lawrence. 

If Fields gives the ball up on a few occasions, Ohio State could be eliminated from the playoff at the semifinal stage for the third time in four playoff appearances. 

Ohio State should have its top wide receiver on the field on New Year's Day. 

Olave will reportedly be eligible to play in the Sugar Bowl after he was on the inactive list for the Big Ten Championship Game, per Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch. 

Without Olave in the lineup, Garrett Wilson struggled at times to break free with more attention on him as Fields' top target. Wilson and Julian Fleming both finished with four receptions in a game in which the Buckeyes produced 114 passing yards.

If Olave is available, Ohio State could have an advantage in the first half with Turner sitting out because of his targeting ejection in the ACC Championship Game.

Turner is one of the most experienced players on the Clemson roster. He leads the team with three interceptions and is second to Baylon Spector in tackles. 

If Ohio State exploits the middle of the field with Turner out, it could carve out a halftime lead, or at least be within one score of the lead. 

If Clemson deals with Turner's first-half absence well, it could set the tone for a dominant second half in which its secondary gives up nothing across the middle and puts the ball back in Lawrence's hands in a fast manner.   

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Statistics obtained from ESPN.com