Coach Urban Meyer got his third national title on his way to winning the first NCAA College Football Playoff. Meyer guided the Buckeyes to an improbable 42 – 20 win over the Oregon Ducks. Third string QB Cardale Jones was 16-of-23 passing for 242 yards, a passing TD and a rushing TD, as he clearly outplayed Heisman Trophy (and probable #1 overall selection in the 2105 NFL Draft) Marcus Mariota. Jones’ offensive line kept him clean while he did his best Vince Young impersonation, and opened huge holes for MVP tailback Ezekiel Elliott, who’s power running gave him 246 yards on 36 carries and 4 touchdowns.
Ohio State’s defense disrupted and slowed down the vaunted Ducks attack, forcing six punts in the process. The Buckeyes’ defensive line in particular got pressure on Mariota, and was stout against the run. The scary thing to consider about this Ohio State team is that it arrived a year ahead of schedule. It is full of redshirt freshmen (like Jones) and talented sophomores (like Elliott), and should open up as the #1 ranked team in the country next season. Meyer also closed the gap on Nick Saban’s titles, and only trails by one to him. In my opinion he clearly outcoached Saban in the semi-final leading up to this game. He is 142-26 overall and 37-3 at Ohio State, while Saban is 182-59-1 at the major college level.
As an aside, Meyer has clearly brought an SEC mentality to the Big 10, and with Jim Harbaugh’s arrival, the conference is certainly on the rise. Harbaugh has a habit of making things personal (see Pete Carroll), and is sure to instigate something with Meyer. The Buckeyes were physical and fluid, and I expect that Harbaugh will recruit the same type of players. Now the Big 10 has national street cred. Should be fun.
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