THE MODERATOR: Couple minutes early. That's never a bad thing. We'll go ahead and get started. We're joined by offensive coordinator, Kevin Wilson, quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver, Emeka Egbuka. Coach, we'll start with you. If you can just give us an opening statement on getting to Atlanta and the transition into bowl week and how preparations are going so far.

KEVIN WILSON: Thank you. Had an opportunity I think right after our last game to get a couple light practices, kind of keep guys in the swing of things during the championship week. We thought we'd have a chance to maybe be playing in a top level bowl. The guys responded great. A year ago, I think people questioned whether we're going to play. We practiced well. We've had great practices again this year. A lot of respect for our leadership, our top guys. We've had good practices. We got in here Sunday. Yesterday was a late start, kind of now into Tuesday of game week and had some good prep and looking forward to a great challenge on Saturday.

THE MODERATOR: C.J., next for you. Kind of talk about the event last night and getting settled into bowl week and your thoughts on the event.

C.J. STROUD: It's been a blessing to be down here playing four national championships. It's been a goal of mine since I got to school. Last night was fun. Kind of just let things loose and just really enjoyed the time with your brothers and playing against them was fun. It was competitive. At the same time, it was -- it wasn't very competitive like you would think. So we were just having fun, and it was a good time.

THE MODERATOR: Emeka, how about you? You guys dropped the first one, but you came back strong in the second event and were tied at one to one.

EMEKA EGBUKA: Yeah. Last night was definitely fun. Just happy to be down here spending time with my brothers and getting the team camaraderie going. Kind of not forgetting what an accomplishment it is to be here. Obviously we're very focused and tuned in on this game. We're locked in for a good practice today and putting it all on the field on Saturday.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, gentlemen. Okay. We'll open it up for questions.

Q. Coach Wilson, I'm just wondering how much different has your role in the game plan and things like that been or has it been different at all since obviously taking on the new job here in the last month?

KEVIN WILSON: Coach was pretty -- with the calendar, like after the last game, it was a dead recruiting week until Friday. As coaches, we were kind of looking at potentially ahead, looking at what how we'd just played and kind of reviewing the year. Had a couple of light workouts with our guys just to kind of keep them in tune because we felt we could be playing in this game, and we knew that team was practicing that week. So we didn't want to go out after the season and have hard prep, just keep our guys sharp and on the edge. And then we spin through the recruiting cycle. In my situation, I was gone a little bit, but we probably spent more time game planning as we wrapped up the recruiting cycle and everything went on. We had been through our game plan several times. Now we're in game week. I think this is about the third time that we're going through a lot of things, a lot of polishing. Coach Day and Coach Smith with the workouts, but Coach Day was adamant about our preparation, being ahead and not be stressing and the last minute going through things. This is not bowl week. This is playoff week. But we're very much, I think, ahead. As the players would tell you with the game plan, what's going on, playing challenging team with a lot of great athletes and a lot of stress they bring in their structure. But we've worked really hard to be ahead and give our kids a chance to go out and be aggressive and play well Saturday night.

Q. C.J. and Emeka and Kevin, indoor game, weather is not going to be a factor. How much do you think we'll see the ball in the air? Can you give us an idea? Do you see an opportunity there?

C.J. STROUD: Yeah. It's definitely a good feeling knowing that you don't have to deal with weather coming from Columbus or the Big Ten where playing in the Midwest. We are majority of the time on the East Coast where weather is always a factor. So whatever it takes to win, I feel like is what we're going to do. So if that's throwing the ball, if that's running it, if that's having to punt, whatever the case may be, we just want to win the game. So really just focused on that, just execute, execution in those type scenarios. And in the end, it's definitely a good thing to be playing in a really nice stadium. I think the atmosphere will be cool. So just really excited to play there.

Q. Kevin, a lot of talk about Georgia's tight ends, Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington. How unique is that challenge of trying to stop two tight ends of that caliber?

KEVIN WILSON: You hear Coach Knowles, and we're just all kind of spread offenses as the game has evolved. I think though the last five, eight ten years in college ball, if you don't have good tight end play, your quarterback is either going to have to throw a whole lot or run a whole lot. And I think the tight end position just stays takes a lot of stress. And if you have two of them, you can balance up either side of the formation. You have can add width to one side of the formation and put them in tandem, let alone guys like they have, which we do too. Like the way Cade and Mitch and Gee has played. I think the quarterback is what makes it go. You can do what the line can block. The receivers -- the running backs making the dynamic plays. In our world, the tight end position connects the offense together, and I think both groups will be huge Saturday night as both teams attack each other.

Q. C.J., keep reading about how you were recruited by Georgia and Coach Smart had an in-home visit, et cetera. How did you regard them? How close was it? Were you high on the Bulldogs?

C.J. STROUD: Yeah. I mean, I would agree. Recruitment with Georgia, I went on an official visit, and I did have an in-home visit with him and Coach McGee. I think it was one of the other coaches, too. But, yeah, it was -- they were very respectful. I enjoyed my time up there, met some of the players, and I think some of them still play for them now. So I have respect for them, and I think they have respect for me. I got to see them up at the Heisman with Stetson. Got to talk to Coach Smart a good bit. He's a good dude, definitely a good coach. Come around a full 360 to be playing with them now. So I'm excited to do that. It was close, but I'm glad where I went, and I'll ride with that till I die. So, yeah, they were like second in my recruitment, but I feel I made the right decision coming to Ohio State.

Q. C.J., I'm just curious, a coordinator change made by through the season. How have you and Coach Wilson gone about establishing being on the same page and where would you rank, kind of your conformability?

C.J. STROUD: It's no change because Coach Wilson has been doing the same thing I've been doing since I've been in school. They always find a clean game plan for us. That's for the outside world to think that's confusing. Coach Wilson has been there every time I ask for him or need him. There's no confusion. That's probably for you guys. We've been doing the same things we've been doing. But yeah, he does a great job. And I think he'll do a great job, and I tell him that. He has that aura of a head coach, so I'm excited for him to go up there and do his thing.

Q. C.J., following up on your recruitment by Georgia, what vision did Coach Smart and all them pitch to you for the Georgia offense when they were recruiting you? And when you see their offense now, how different is it maybe than the one you kind of envision yourself playing at some point?

C.J. STROUD: It was so long ago. Well, not that long ago. It was like three, four years ago. But they were more so on the side of passing a little more, being on the -- because I think I am dynamic when it comes to throwing the ball down the field, staying in the pocket, working things like that. And of course they knew getting Darnell who was in my class. And then they've always had great defense with Keeley and dudes they had back then. So they were really excited to have an offensive attack as well as really good defense. So that was kind of the pitch. And then Coach Cooley, who was the quarterback coach at the time loved how kind of my footwork was and how I could still extend plays and make plays on the run and do things like that. So that was kind of their pitch.

Q. Coach Wilson, just wondering how much you knew of Jalen Carter before started turning to prepare for this game and now that you have, what are your impressions?

KEVIN WILSON: Well, one, the impressions are they have a lot of tremendous players. Always have. I think it starts with their coaches, the way they recruit and the emphasis of defense and the passion. A lot of times when you put on tape, you see great players. A lot of times when you put on tape, you see scheme and structure. But sometimes when you put on the great teams, you feel the tape and you feel those guys on tape and you feel them on tape. You feel the plays he makes and the way he can impact and influence games. We have our hands full. Not just them. Everyone. You turn full focus there because there's other dynamic guys one on one. It's going to be a fist fight with every play. We got our hands full. Just a lot of respect for their structure, the culture, the way they play and most importantly, you feel their defense. We're going to have to do our best to make sure they feel us as we play this game because it's not going to be a reactionary game. It's going to be an attack game both ways, two guys going at each other. A lot of respect for those guys.

Q. Georgia's pass defense gave up a lot of yards to LSU in the SEC title game. You all have a lot of talent. Do you think you can take advantage of that?

EMEKA EGBUKA: I'm very confident in the talent we do have on offense, and I feel like when it comes to us playing any team in the nation, I feel confident with our guys and our ability to sling the rocks. So like C.J. said, we're going to do all it takes to win, whether that's running or passing, but we're definitely aware of the talent that we have and we're going to look to exploit it and make big plays whenever we can.

C.J. STROUD: We got to play Buckeye football. LSU do what LSU did. So I'm pretty sure they're not going to let us drop back and do what we want to do. I'm pretty sure they've been watching film on us and make sure that's something they stop. They probably think -- well, I don't know what they think. That's part of it. LSU got to throw the ball against us really well, and we'll just go out there and do it. I'm pretty sure they'll have a plan for that, and we'll have to be on our game just as much as they are. So that was good for LSU, but we gotta go play Buckeye football and make sure what happens on Saturday for us.

KEVIN WILSON: You look at those stats, but the result of the game was they won the game by 20. So that wasn't necessarily the formula to win the game and make plays in both phases, third down conversions, short yard conversion. You look at the history of championship football games, there's not a lot of 9 and 7, 13-10 ballgames. And we got two great defenses going at each other. There's play makers on the offense. And when you look at the big-time plays, you have to score points. We have to find ways to not only have yards passing and running. We gotta find a way to get the ball to the end zone if we want a chance to win this game.

Q. Do you guys feel like you played a complete game this year or as close to as possible, and if not, what do you think has kept you from that?

KEVIN WILSON: We've played well. I mean, a complete game, I think you're always chasing perfection which you never get. So you're chasing that. You're chasing the heart and the game's not a game of perfect. And playing your best is your ability to just overcome and keep swinging and swinging and swinging. So we've gotten there, but I think our best is in front of us. And the way we've prepped, we're going to have a tremendous challenge. There's going to be some challenging ugly plays Saturday night, but to get the outcome, we're going to go at it. And to me, that'll be we played our best game this far down the stretch. Big games, we can play four quarters as hard as we can. Not trying to be perfect because it's not going to be, and it doesn't have to be, but it has to be all we got. That'll be the challenge Saturday night to say, okay, we played our best. The critic is the one in the arena. I think Saturday night, we can look at the arena when it's over and look at these men and say, hey, was that our best and was that what it takes to win this game? Q. Following up on that with Emeka and perhaps C.J. To hear your confidence to play your best football against Georgia, Emeka, when you think about yourself, and Marvin, your first seasons as starters all the way through, what do you think about when you reflect as playing with Marvin, yourself in the lineup, C.J. throwing you the ball, when you reflect on the season now that you're here, what do you think of first and what do you have left to show?

EMEKA EGBUKA: I think it's all conclusive. We have to play a complete game like you guys were talking about, in terms of not just pass catching, but run blocking. You know, making sure there's little to no mistakes, getting our play calling and just being great leaders. We always felt like zone six has been kind of one of the position groups on the team who has accepted up in big scenarios and made big plays. Not saying that anyone else can't do it, but sometimes we like to be the guys in those scenarios. So just make sure we're able to make those plays and we're all confident and the line being able to hold their blocks and the running backs doing their jobs and C.J. being a field general out there. So what me and Marvin think, we're just continuing to stay locked in and making sure we have everything down pat, and we're going to give it our all on Saturday.

Q. Coach Wilson, Georgia has gone with a community approach at running back this season, and you have had to utilize your depth as well. How much of that has been by design, how much by necessity due to injury and can you talk about Miyan Williams and how -- I understand he's had to deal with a leg injury, how he is for this game?

KEVIN WILSON: Yeah. Most of it's been by originally by design, but then with the injuries that we've had a couple times with those guys, they've all practiced well. Miyan had a really good go yesterday, the most work he's had to date. And as we build through this week, I think we'll see those guys playing and playing well, but I think you need more than one back. You need two, sometimes three to play through the season. You need to play through the big games at receiver. Emeka and Marvin got a lot of targets, a lot of notoriety. We will say we need five and six and every day stepping up and playing championship football. There's not a starting 11 on our football team. We got 17, 18, 19 guys really contributing in all those key stops. The running back is a little bit like Georgia's. Like a lot of good teams, you're playing two or three. This year we've had to evolve due to some guys being in and out due to some minor injuries we've had. But going into this game, we are at full force. And those guys need to take care of the ball and run as hard as they can. We have to make some tough and ugly yards on this game to keep us on schedule. Q. Kevin, for you personally, what's it been like to manage all the responsibilities you have coordinating the offense, the game plan for this game, your new job the last couple weeks? Is that tough to juggle as a coach? I know Jeff Hafley did it in '19, but what's it been like from your perspective?

KEVIN WILSON: I'm not going to talk much about it because really the recruiting days we had with the guys recruiting, I was dealing with the new opportunity. When we weren't recruiting, it was back here -- I've been here since last Thursday. So now I'm pushing about 12 days directly with the team all the time. And really what's different from years ago is when there's a coaching change, you have to recruit your team so everybody doesn't jump on the portal. So that was the issue was like just trying to keep the guys on board. But I'm very compartmentalized. These guys know this. When I'm in practice, it's all practice and it's full throttle. When we're in meetings, it's all meetings. There's probably 70 percent of the time is spent on this bowl game and the extra time has been late at night, last night about 9:30. We started this morning at 7:00 and got rolling. About 9:30 last night, I actually got to a couple things revolving about next year's job. Everything is with these guys. Coach Day's comment is I am in this position because of what these guys have done and the obligation. I said back in preseason, one of our goals was to get in this game and be a part of this. And we want to have success in this game. It's not been hard. It's been a lot of energy. And the total focus when it's been time to work would be so these guys have a chance to play well against a tremendous Georgia defense and we're ready to roll. Q. Emeka, just wondering from last year's experience, what did you take away from the Rose Bowl and now playing a bigger role in this offense, how do you take away from that experience?

EMEKA EGBUKA: It was a little different because there wasn't much on the line I feel. I felt like it was a good game for me to get my feet wet and understand what it's like to play on this scale. But this year is definitely different. I'm feeling more locked in, feeling more focused. And I'm realizing as the days go on, that it's going to take everything that we take like as a team. It's going to be a hard-fought game to the fourth quarter. I'm not -- you know, I don't know what the score is going to be. I can't predict that, but I know that's going to take all three phases for us to be able to execute the way that we need to. So that was kind of something that I carried on in the Rose Bowl. We were down at half. Had to come out at halftime and have a big second half. We were clicking on all cylinders, and there's going to be a moment in the Saturday's game where we're going to face adversity, and it's going to come down to how we handle that.

Q. C.J., Emeka and Marvin both had over a thousand yards receiving this year. What's made them so successful and how do you show them against one of the best passing offenses in the country this year?

C.J. STROUD: I definitely think their work ethic. Whenever I come into the facility, either they're there or they're coming. And they're coming with me or they're there by themselves and that kind of just shows you what type of work it's been. It's been like that since their freshman year. And I think that's what's been paying off is just the work they put in and really just how on you smart they are, like they pick up on offense really well. When they first got in here, it wasn't like a slouch. Chris and Garrett, Emeka and Julian and Marvin with the twos that year, and they were just as good. Or you know what I'm saying? Better at times. I'm not saying they're better than Garrett and Chris, but they were playing really good football to be freshmen. And I think when you come in with that type of attitude, I am not just going to be here to learn. I am going to be here to dominate. That's when you learn and that's when you become a great football player. So it hasn't been overnight. They've been good since their freshman year. They just didn't have the opportunity to really test the field last season. So definitely the work that they put in and how they came in with that type of dog mindset has definitely paid off to have success this year and continue to have success in the future.

Q. You guys are underdogs in this game. Have you embraced the underdog role and do you understand the history of being an underdog for Ohio State in games like this, 2002, 2014?

KEVIN WILSON: I don't know if we've talked as much about that. It's just the opportunity in front of us, Dom and responding and practicing and prepping. We just had a question about Marvin and Emeka and C.J. Those are hands down maybe two of the best practice players on our team. And the guys practice and prep. And so to me, I have a lot of respect for this. It's a prideful, prideful group, prideful program. No matter what the underdog or spreads or all that stuff is, I guess, Dom, but I think our guys just take a lot of pride in chasing greatness. And I think the way we prepped and prepared, I just enjoy walking on the field with those guys and the way they go about their business to give ourselves guys a chance to have success. It's a great group to practice with.

C.J. STROUD: It's football. So you gotta go play football. I don't really think -- I haven't put no thought to it. I feel like we're still Ohio State. We're still the Buckeyes. Georgia is Georgia for a reason. So I mean, I definitely think -- I mean, even talking to some of other guys on our team, it's been respect. I don't want to say that I feel like the underdog. I don't feel like -- I do feel like they are counting us out. That's fine. We've been counted out plenty of times. I'm sure people have counted Emeka out in his life. People have counted out Coach Wilson. People have counted me out. This isn't new. I think this is the path that God wanted us on. And I'm just rocking with that. That means we're the underdog, I'm cool with it, and it's time to mask up and go play football.

EMEKA EGBUKA: You can look at the rankings and see that we're No. 4 and look in the past and see what the past No. 4 Ohio State team did. But at the end of the day, Georgia is a phenomenal team. They're 12 and 0. It's hard to go undefeated on a season. And they're the number one ranked team right now, but I can't speak for everyone, but for me personally, I don't feel like underdogs. There's never been a time where I stepped on the field that I felt a severe disadvantage to a player across from me. So I haven't played Georgia yet, but I feel like with the confidence that we have as a team and our ability, like C.J. said, we've been counted out before. So it's not nothing new to us. So we're going to go out there and play football on Saturday like we know how to play football.

THE MODERATOR: We're going to continue now. We're joined by wide receiver, Marvin Harrison, Junior. Offensive tackle, Paris Johnson, Junior, and Chip Trayanum. Gentlemen, just a quick opening comment from you guys. Just talk about how your bowl week experience is going so far and the whole experience of being here in Atlanta.

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: It's been going go. Safe travels in here. First of all coming out of Columbus, weather was kind of pretty bad the past couple of days, but got here safely and thankful for this opportunity to be in a national championship and go out there and play on a stage such as this.

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: Yeah. This is really cool to be down here in Atlanta. My family had moved down here recently, so it's really cool to see them too, and just be able to go out on a big stage here and compete for a national championship.

CHIP TRAYANUM: I would say it's definitely been great since we've been here. It was good to go home for a little bit to see the family, but it is even better to be back with my teammates. Good to hit the reset button and go be with the whole team.

Q. Kevin Wilson and C.J. Stroud and Emeka Egbuka were all talking about how Ohio State and your offense will have to play its best football and compete against Georgia. And I asked Emeka the same thing, when you think back on your first season as a starter all the way through, what do you think of, what comes to mind and what do you still have to show as a wide receiver against Georgia on Saturday?

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: Yeah. I think we had a lot of fun this year. Just going out there and playing with each these guys. We've had a lot of fun. Obviously we didn't complete any of our goals this year yet so far. Just a lot of work to be done, just go out there and have fun and compete.

Q. Paris, what stands out to you about Georgia's defense line and just the challenge going up against those guys on Saturday?

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: Yeah. They have a strong defensive line, and I believe that's probably one of the strongest units on the defense, of course. And I think it's like a match up game upfront. I think, of course, they have the Stackhouse and Carter. They have 13, 33 and 90 on the outside that rotate a lot, along with 32. And I think that's a solid group, and they rotate a lot, and I would say their twos are almost as good as their ones. So I think it's a respectable match up. There's definitely not anybody on their line that you overlook in terms of doing your preparations for.

Q. Marvin, you carry the name Marvin Harrison. Your dad played in a lot of big football games, but this is your first opportunity to show not just the college football world, but the entire world who you are. What do you want the world to know about Marvin Harrison, Junior, not just Marvin Harrison?

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: I'm my own player first and foremost. My dad did great things, but now I'm trying to be myself and go out there and make a name for myself and be the best receiver I can be.

Q. You rattled off all those defensive linemen. How do you go about studying six, seven, eight different guys? Are you taking the best move and see where the weaknesses are? How do you go about evaluating each individual opponent?

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: Yeah. Usually during the regular season, I only have about four days to do so like a lot of guys will look at. So for me, I like to look at maybe the last five games or what I would think their best five opponents or if there's a tackle that I respect or another school they've played, then those will be the big games that I study a lot. But in terms of bowl time, with all the days off that we had, I feel like I was able to take a look at all their games a lot while still having the focus on the tackles that I thought were probably the best matchups. I think that gave me the best looks at how they played.

Q. Marvin, when you look at this Georgia defense, what are the biggest things that stand out to you, particularly what stood out to you on film about the Georgia's secondary?

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: Yeah. They play very fast, play physical. They have a lot of confidence in themselves to make plays. That's what great players have, confidence in themselves, and can trust their instincts, trust their abilities. They make plays and they've made plays all year. We just have to match their energy. Run game, pass game. Receiver go out there and play with some heat. Q. Marvin, just your feeling about playing indoors. The weather is not going to be a factor. It's going to be a fast track. Does that give you guys a little bit of an advantage with the weaponry you have on offense?

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: I wouldn't say it's an advantage because they can play indoors, too. If anything, they've played in this stadium more than we have. So I think the advantage is to them, but it's definitely nice to play indoors and the weather is not going to be a factor. And in the pass game, you can kind of do what you want to do.

Q. Anybody can answer, but Georgia, their last half that they played was against LSU where LSU put up a lot of yards and a lot of points. Is there anything in that that can be a blueprint for you guys as you get ready for Saturday?

CHIP TRAYANUM: I think the whole game was just a good game overall. Georgia is here for a reason. We're here for a reason, too, but their defense is very stout. So we believe we have to have our best game on offense. And I think we're on pace to do that with the practices we've been having. Overall just from watching that game, LSU did some good things against them. So there's definitely a chance. Coach Day always preached there's always a chance -- no matter how hard you work, there's always going to be a chance when you show up on game day.

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: I agree with Chip that watching the game there were a lot of things, like the blueprint that they used to gain yards, but, also, I feel like the main thing that I look at is to do exactly what some teams -- to do like the opposite of what the teams did. Right. There was a lot of clips I watched where there was a breakdown in the run game immediately that resulted in the negative runs and maybe there was a lack of protection from one of the guards really early on. So I think looking at those, for me as a lineman, I like to look at the negatives as a lesson to learn before it happens. So I think those things that I saw from that game in particular were great lessons, not just for myself, but for the entire offensive linemen for this game.

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: I think we just have to go out there and play our own ball. Obviously LSU did what they did and they came in to battle and play their game. We just have to go out there and play our game. We have confidence in ourselves and how we're going to make things work and go out there and compete. We're not going to take too much from other teams. Obviously have to watch the film to see what other teams did, but just worry about ourselves and see what we can do.

Q. I'm not sure if you guys are aware, but you are underdogs in this game. It is a home game pretty much for Georgia. We are in Atlanta. Do you feel like it's you guys against the world in this game? How big of an advantage is that for Georgia?

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: I always thought it was Ohio against the world, even before this game. So nothing really changes. Me personally I'm glad we can play them in Atlanta, in their kind of home arena. Kind of always like being the villain and underdog going into the game, really excited to be able to do that.

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: Yeah, I agree with Marvin on that. This is how you want to play Georgia here, at their how much pretty much. So and, yeah, since I've been here, it's pretty much been Ohio against the world. So I think this game exemplifies that as well with the circumstances.

CHIP TRAYANUM: I think overall, the team likes it a lot. At this point we have nothing to lose. So we're just here for a reason. I think everybody counts us out, but at the same time, it's what you take on the Buckeye name for. So we're all here to put our best foot forward and go win the whole thing.

Q. Chip, do you feel like a different running back now that you have switched and played linebacker full time? And like what did you take away from that experience? Do you see defenses differently? How did that influence you?

CHIP TRAYANUM: I feel like it definitely helps. Everything happens for a reason. I didn't come here for that but there was an offer on the table for me at the time. But I definitely feel like it helps every play. Definitely grateful for Coach Knowles for the time I did spend in that room, but I'm also grateful to these guys I have on offense. Ever since I've been back on offense, just been getting nothing but praise and confidence from our teammates, and that ultimately helps me. And I've just been grateful to be back in this position and ultimately doing whatever I can for the team.

Q. Big Ten versus SEC, the word physicality gets brought up a lot in these types of matchups. Have you guys been doing anything to, quote, unquote, ramp up the physicality in the month leading up to this or is that something you can instill within a month or is that something you've worked on all year?

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: I think it's how the game of football is played, gotta play in a physical way. I don't think we've done anything different than we've been doing all year. Kind of emphasized physicality throughout the whole season, starting in the weight room, and just kind of the practices and did overtime kind of prepared us for this moment. So I am going to say we didn't do anything different. Obviously gotta go out there and play physical, but gotta have a lot of technique and skill to win games as well.

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: Yeah, physicality is the most important thing, is the biggest factor in this game by far. And I think as an offensive lineman, like that is the best thing to hear knowing that the only factor and the best way to compete for Chip and for Marvin to do their job is for me to just out the physical guy across from me. You know what I mean? Like I feel like during this bowl prep we've put in a lot of time trying to work our skill and our technique and our discipline. So when it's time for us to be out there, it's second nature. And then all we have to do is to rely on just being able to go out after the guy in front of you. You know what I mean? Because that's what it's going to take to beat them.

CHIP TRAYANUM: I feel like when you're a Buckeye, this is all you ask for. Our schedule or our practice plans haven't differed. The main thing in our program is toughness and fight. So I feel like when it comes down to the nitty-gritty and you telling us that's all we gotta do, that's what we are confident in because that's when we go back to the basics and the building blocks. That's all the mat drills. That's all the workouts and everything we put forward to get here at this very moment. So I feel like giving us that advantage, we're definitely comfortable with that.

Q. Do you guys feel like bragging rights is on the line, SEC versus the Big Ten? And you know, you got two Big Ten teams in the playoff. Do you feel like there's something to be proven here?

CHIP TRAYANUM: Me personally, I don't think we're worried about bragging rights. At the end of the day, I think all the bragging rights just go into who holding up the national championship trophy at the end of all of this when it's all said and done. So I think the main goal is get to that final game.

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: Yeah, I haven't thought about that once since we heard about this matchup at all. I think the only thing that's been on our minds is Georgia, and I think for anything else, Big Ten or SEC is not necessary.

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: Yeah. I'm just going to echo what they said really. This is like comparable football here. No matter who, Big Ten, SEC, ACC, PAC-12, Big 12, whoever is playing, it's just going to be Ohio State versus Georgia.

THE MODERATOR: If you guys win this game, you're going to be the first team to win all six New Year's Six bowl games. Is that a point of pride for the program? What thoughts go through your mind being the only team to have that opportunity?

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: I didn't even know that stat, first of all, so thank you for letting me know that. That would be very nice. Credit to all the teams in the past, and hopefully we'll have another bowl game to try to do our part. I did know this is our first time in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. So like I said, thank you for the opportunity and go get a chance to make history.

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: Yeah. Like what Marvin said about being in the what if, I think the first question we all ask -- I don't know about anybody, but for me. We don't have any years on a Peach Bowl sign in our facility. So I think just being able to have a chance to be the first team on the list, you know, for all the rest of the teams to come in the future will be like a really cool thing to have, especially the first one in the country to have all six. That would be special.

THE MODERATOR: All right. We'll make sure we get one of those to you.

CHIP TRAYANUM: I think it's definitely grateful for us to be down here at the Peach Bowl. I think Atlanta is a beautiful city. But at the end of the day, I just know the whole Buckeye fanbase and the whole Buckeye world, there is only one trophy that matters at the end of the day.

THE MODERATOR: Fair enough. We got a couple more minutes with these guys.

Q. Chip, following more up on that, to play for Ohio State in your first season since transferring since you're an Ohio native and whatnot, what has that meant to you and now to wear the Scarlet and Gray, what has that meant to you all season?

CHIP TRAYANUM: All season it's just been grateful. Me being back in the state of Ohio really just playing ball, so crazy, I really don't even get nervous anymore just because I'm so prideful to even be back here putting on the Scarlet and Gray and putting on a Buckeye helmet. But at the end of the day, it's definitely good just to be along with guys like Paris and other guys who are from Ohio. You definitely get that culture and you get that sense of pride on the team. And that's what we carry with us, and that's what you come here to Ohio State for.

Q. Marvin, what have you seen in Kyle McCord in bowl practice in the year, obviously he could be the guy next year, what have you seen from him late this year?

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: Yeah. Getting better every day. He practices really hard. His game reps pretty much throughout the whole year in practice. Probably something you have in C.J., him or Devin go in there with confidence, both coaches and players. They can go in there and make plays. We're not really worried about next year. We'll get to that when that time comes, but him and Kyle both go in there and make plays and practice really hard all week.

Q. Kevin Wilson talked a lot about having to balance preparing to be the next head coach at Tulsa while also being the offensive coordinator for your offense. Can you run from all three of your perspectives, what have you seen the last couple of weeks since he's taken the new job and what has he meant to you guys throughout this season and your career at Ohio State?

CHIP TRAYANUM: I've actually had a chance to know Coach Wilson ever since my sophomore year of high school. So I think Coach Wilson is a great guy. I think we're all definitely happy for him to get a head coaching job at Tulsa. That's every coach's dream to get a head coaching job. But every coach we have on staff is definitely putting their best foot forward for this game and putting everything into the bag.

PARIS JOHNSON, JR.: Yeah. Coach Wilson has been a friend of the family since before I was born. He coached my dad at Miami Ohio. So I think for him -- at least for me, you know, some people can say, how could you leave Ohio State. But for me, I have the perspective of also just wanting to see people win. And I want people to be happy and be able to continue to do what wakes them up in the morning. And I think that's a great opportunity for him and excited for him with that. And I think definitely when he took the job down there and he came back to practice, you could just see the smile and the juice that he had to really just leave it all out there because this is his final run with Ohio State. So just to leave it all out there, and I think it's been great energy.

MARVIN HARRISON, JR.: Yeah. Definitely proud of Coach Wilson to go out there in his coaching career and be a head coach. I kind of see him every day with his coffee cup, and he's always speaking to me and have great conversations. Very grateful for a coach like that that helped me in the running game and blocking and definitely really proud of him to go on and do great things at Tulsa.