Why is this news?: NCAA lets Ohio State practice more than Oregon

"There are very few for-sures in recruiting, but Joey is one of those kids that has been born and bred to do this."

- Luke Fickell on Joey Bosa, via Brian Hamilton, Sports Illustrated

Ohio State sophomore defensive end Joey Bosa will have a story about him run in the Jan. 12 edition of Sports Illustrated. The story details a short part of how Bosa grew up as a football player and how he first received an offer from Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Bosa was on the verge of committing on the spot but decided to wait it out and would later commit to Ohio State after becoming one of the nation's top recruits.

Bosa's play, beginning in his freshman year, has wowed opponents and fans alike. Even some of his fellow players and guys on the coaching staff have been impressed with Bosa's ability and work ethic. Fickell praised Bosa even more in the article (which is a pretty good read, I might add):

"He has an innate gift of contact balance that you don't find in a lot of young defensive linemen. He's got the greatest core strength of anybody I've seen at a young age. He can do unbelievable things because he's under control."

"Ohio State is an underdog to Oregon in Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship, but the Buckeyes do have one advantage: They can practice longer."

- Brett McMurphy, ESPN

Some good news for Ohio State came to light on Wednesday, concerning the Buckeyes' practice schedule and their preparations for Oregon in the national championship. According to the NCAA rule book, Ohio State are not required to follow the NCAA's 20-hour rule limit, which usually only allows the school's athletes to participate in team athletic activities for about four hours each day per week.

Since the Buckeyes are on break, the rule doesn't apply to them and they could essentially practice as much as they wanted to. While Ohio State had Wednesday off to rest their bodies and heal up, it will be up to the coaching staff to decide what they want to do from here. Oregon, meanwhile, is not on break and will have to follow the NCAA rule regarding the hour limit each day and week. Practices, weightlifting and any film sessions or meetings required by coaches count toward the 20-hour limit. The game also counts as three hours, no matter how long it lasts.

"Running backs - Ezekiel Elliott, Linebackers - Darron Lee, Tackles - Taylor Decker"

- Steve Megargee, Associated Press

The Associated Press has already released their All-Bowl team, consisting of the nation's best players during the college football postseason. Because all of the bowl games other than the national championship are finished, the AP decided to go ahead and release their team, which included three Ohio State players.

Ezekiel Elliott, Darron Lee, and Taylor Decker all made the cut for the All-Bowl team, representing the Buckeyes alongside some of the top players in college football. Elliott is joined by Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon and Toledo running back Kareem Hunt. Lee is placed with Air Force linebacker Jordan Pierce and Arkansas linebacker Martrell Spaight. Decker is paired with fellow offensive tackle and Tennessee lineman Jacob Gilliam.

"If we can say we won the National Championship and to do that we had to shut down the three Heisman Trophy finalists? That's a pretty big thing. I think that is a special story."

- Michael Bennett, via Bill Landis, Northeast Ohio Media Group

There's no question that Ohio State has had to go through quite a bit of adversity this season to get to the national championship game in the College Football Playoff. Not only did they fight through multiple injuries to some of their most important players, but the Buckeyes also had to go head-to-head with several Heisman candidates up close and personal. First came Melvin Gordon in the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State was able to contain Gordon to just 76 yards for the night thanks to an early lead that grew to a barn burner for the scarlet and gray in a 59-0 win.

In the College Football Playoff semifinal game against Alabama, the Buckeyes' secondary was matched up with the country's best wide receiver in Amari Cooper. While they weren't able to shut him down completely, Ohio State managed to at least contain him for much of the game, but Cooper was still able to catch nine passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns. Now the Buckeyes are facing off against the actual Heisman winner in quarterback Marcus Mariota. If they can have the same sort of success they did against the previous Heisman candidates, Ohio State could make their lives much easier.

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