All eyes are on the first ever College Football Playoff National Championship.
Nobody predicted that the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks would be in here, especially when Alabama and Florida State were the favorites. But that’s why they instituted the playoffs to begin with.
Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and the Ducks were the heavy favorites going into the game, against Cardale Jones in only his third start as a Buckeye. Questions always surrounded him, considering he was inexperienced, but judging on how he was thrown into the spotlight for the Big 12 Championship and their upset over Alabama, he had Buckeye nation confident.
This game started at the hands of Oregon, with Mariota and company driving down the field and putting them on the scoreboard right away.
Ohio State wasn’t backing down. Thanks to Ezekiel Elliott, the Buckeyes got their ground game going and there was nothing stopping him on his way to the touchdown.
The Ducks had a few miscues on 3rd down in the first half that could have gone for big yardage and they didn’t convert on a 4th and goal from the 3 yard line that could have tied the game. Oregon also forced a few turnovers that kept them in the game in the first half.
At halftime, the score was 21-10 in favor or Ohio State.
In the second half, Oregon was still out forcing turnovers, as evident on the first drive of the half.Danny Mattingly intercepted a throw by Cardale Jones, which was bobbled by the Buckeyes and fell right into Mattingly’s hands. On the very next play from scrimmage, Mariota threw a bomb to Byron Marshall, who took it 70 yards to the house.
Then Ohio State continued committing turnovers. On what looked like a sack, Jones fumbled the ball, recovered by Oregon, giving them great field position. Unfortunately, the Ducks did not convert and had to settle for a field goal to bring them within one point.
The Buckeyes kept pounding the ball and got themselves a touchdown thanks to Zeke Elliott again, who ran for a 9-yarder at the end of the third quarter. He ran another one from close range in the 4th, giving him three for the game and putting Ohio State with a comfortable 35-20 lead.
The Oregon Ducks could not convert on any drive and ultimately, the win went to the Buckeyes, who scored with less than a minute left, and Ezekiel Elliott snagged his fourth touchdown of the night. It was an amazing effort by the underdogs, who did the unthinkable.
The win gives Urban Meyer the third championship of his coaching career.
FINAL: OSU 42 | ORE 20
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