National championship winners, losers: Who flourished, faltered?

Ohio State beat Oregon 42-20 to win the college football national championship. Here's who stood out both positively and negatively for both teams.

Author:
Zac Ellis
Publish date:
Jan 13, 2015

For further proof of just how useless the College Football Playoff’s weekly rankings are, consider this: Ohio State made only one appearance among the selection committee’s top four teams this season. The Buckeyes climbed into the playoff field for the first time in the final rankings, when they jumped to No. 4 after winning the Big Ten title.

Ohio State made the playoff committee look smart Monday. It won the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship with a 42-20 win over Oregon in Arlington, Texas. The Buckeyes earned the Big Ten’s first title since 2002, when Jim Tressel led Ohio State to a BCS crown.

After a successful first year of the College Football Playoff, SI.com breaks down some of the winners and losers from Monday’s title game.

• GLICKSMAN: Ezekiel Elliott drives Ohio State to first playoff title

urban-meyer-ohio-state-national-championship-oregon.jpg — John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated

Winner: Urban Meyer

Ohio State’s coach entered his matchup with Oregon boasting a 5-0 record as an underdog with the Buckeyes. The coach added another win to that with another big upset. Meyer’s 2014 season might go down as his most remarkable coaching job. This program had to replace two Heisman-caliber quarterbacks to win the national title with its third-string passer, Cardale Jones. Ohio State did it all while breaking in four new starters on the offensive line.

This group of Buckeyes probably isn’t done, either. In three full seasons in Columbus, Meyer has compiled a 38-3 overall record. He now has three national championships to his name after winning two during his tenure at Florida. He might already have a fourth if Ohio State’s unbeaten 2012 team had been eligible for the postseason. Regardless, this is the new norm for Ohio State. Buckeye Nation should be optimistic about the future.

Loser: Oregon’s opportunities

Oregon forced Florida State into five turnovers during the Ducks’ 59-20 win in the Rose Bowl semifinal on Jan. 1. Four Seminoles turnovers in the third quarter spurred a 27-7 stretch that allowed Oregon to break open the game. The message was clear: If you turn the ball over against the Ducks, they makes you pay. However, that wasn’t the case in the national championship.

Oregon forced Ohio State into four turnovers Monday, but the Ducks weren’t able to capitalize like they did in the Rose Bowl, scoring only 10 points off those four turnovers Monday. The Buckeyes’ defense kept Oregon’s normally explosive offense at bay for most of the night, even when it was given short fields. The Ducks’ offense finished more than 100 yards short of its rushing average and managed just 4.0 yards per carry. Oregon punted three times in the first quarter, the first time that has happened since 2009. The offense that hung 59 points on Florida State in the Rose Bowl didn’t show up Monday, and credit Ohio State’s defense for that.

ezekiel-elliott-ohio-state-national-championship-oregon-winners.jpg — Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated

Winner: Ezekiel Elliott

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota might have a Heisman Trophy, but Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott looked like the best player on the field. He finished with a national championship game-record 246 yards on 36 carries (6.8 average) with a whopping four rushing touchdowns. Elliott scored the game’s final three touchdowns and took home Offensive Player of the Game honors. He also became the first Ohio State player with at least 220 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in a game since Raymont Harris did it against BYU in 1993.

Elliott entered the season facing plenty of expectations. The departure of top running back Carlos Hyde was enough of a burden, but Braxton Miller’s season-ending injury added more pressure to Elliott’s role as a rusher. The running back eventually blossomed and played his best in key moments, compiling 696 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in the Big Ten title game, the Sugar Bowl and the national championship. No matter who emerges as Ohio State’s quarterback in 2015, Elliott looks to be a dangerous weapon again in the Buckeyes’ ground game.

Loser: Ohio State’s ball security

We already went over this, but it bears repeating: Ohio State won the national championship despite turning the ball over four times. Yes, you read that correctly. Meanwhile, Oregon turned the ball over only once -- on a last-ditch interception by Mariota as the clock hit zero.

The Buckeyes are extremely lucky to escape with a victory after giving Oregon so many chances to score. Ohio State’s defense managed to pick up the slack and limit the Ducks off of the turnovers, but the Buckeyes’ mistakes could have easily spelled doom for their championship hopes.

marcus-mariota-oregon-ohio-state-national-championship.jpg — Jeff Haynes/Sports Illustrated

Winner: Both quarterbacks

Only one quarterback left Arlington with a national title, but both players put on strong performances on a big stage. Mariota finished 24-of-37 passing for 333 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while adding 39 yards on the ground. His pick was only the fourth of the season, and he managed to keep Oregon’s offense alive despite the absence of receivers Devon Allen and Darren Carrington, who didn’t play due to an injury and NCAA-mandated ineligibility, respectively. The Ducks’ receiver did Mariota no favors, dropping three passes, all on third down.

Ohio State’s quarterback gets the hardware after completing 16-of-23 passes for 242 yards, one touchdown and one pick in just his third career start. Jones reeled off 38 yards and a touchdown on the ground and scrambled for a number of drive-saving runs. He helped the offense finish 8-of-15 on third downs, average 6.4 yards per play and dominate time of possession (37:29 to 22:31 minutes). No one knows what’ll happen with Ohio State’s quarterback situation next year, as Miller, Barrett and Jones are all set to return. But Jones has the most successful record (3-0) of the bunch and led the Buckeyes to their three biggest wins.

Loser: Oregon’s discipline

Oregon entered Monday averaging 8.1 penalties and 72.8 penalty yards per game, both 119th nationally. The Ducks’ lack of discipline showed up again in several moments against Ohio State as they were flagged 10 times for 76 yards Monday. That only added to the frustrations of an offense that converted on 2-of-12 of its third downs.

Winner: The Big Ten

Coming into the season, the SEC had played in or won a national championship every year since 2005. Ohio State’s win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl squashed that streak. Now the Big Ten holds college football’s biggest prize, and it’s possible the best days for the conference are still to come.

The Big Ten engineered plenty of postseason success this winter even before Ohio State’s win over Oregon. Michigan State topped Big 12 co-champion Baylor, 42-41, in the Cotton Bowl. Wisconsin pulled past Auburn, 34-31, in the Outback Bowl. And Michigan, which didn’t reach a bowl game, made the biggest coaching hire of the offseason in Jim Harbaugh. The Big Ten is enjoying a lot of momentum heading into the offseason, and Ohio State’s national championship is just the icing on the cake.

Loser: Oregon’s national title window

For all of Oregon’s success during the past few seasons, two things had eluded the program: a Heisman Trophy and a national championship. Mariota managed to knock one of those things off the program’s to-do list when he won the Heisman in December. But the Ducks’ search for a national championship continues.

Now that Mariota is expected to leave school early and enter the NFL draft, is Oregon’s window for a title closing? Mariota is a once-in-a-generation player who won 35 games as a starter over the last three years. Replacing him won’t be easy, and neither will maintaining that success. Second-year coach Mark Helfrich has managed to hold steady the machine built by his predecessor, Chip Kelly, but the road may be tougher ahead.

SI's Best Photos From Ohio State-Oregon

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones celebrates with the Buckeyes' mascot after his team's 42-20 win over Oregon in the National Championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Jan. 12, 2015.

Ohio State wide receiver Kato Mitchell celebrates with his teammates after the Buckeyes' 42-20 win over Oregon.

Ohio State's Jeff Heuerman (5), Nick Vannett (81) and Marcus Baugh (85) whoop it up at the national title game.

Oregon Ducks players and coaches walk off the field as the confetti falls in the wake of their 42-20 defeat at the hands of Ohio State.

Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer fist pumps during his team's 42-20 win over the Oregon Ducks.

An Ohio State receiver catches the ball behind the back of an Oregon Ducks cornerback at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott runs over two Oregon Ducks for one of his four touchdowns.

Ezekiel Elliott celebrates with teammate Corey Smith after one of his four touchdowns.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota tries to stiff arm Ohio State linebacker Michael Bennett (53).

Ohio State receiver Jalin Marshall evades an Oregon defender along the sideline.

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones drops back to throw. Jones finished with 242 yards against the Oregon Ducks in the Buckeyes' 42-20 win.

Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith attempts a catch over Oregon cornerback Reggie Daniels.

Oregon was called for pass interference on this play in the end zone.

Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett goes to the ground after his touchdown catch in the first half.

Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell stops Oregon running back Thomas Tyner short of the goal line in the Buckeyes' 42-20 win.

Oregon wide receiver Charles Nelson rises for a catch between two Ohio State defenders.

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones stumbles in his own end zone as the Oregon defense pursues him. Jones avoided a safety on the play.

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones spun out of a tackle and bulled his way in for a touchdown on this play.

Replay officials took a close look to see if Byron Marshall let the ball go before he crossed the goal line on this play.

Byron Marshall could have cost his team a touchdown had he celebrated by dropping the ball too early.

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones prepares to throw in the face of three Oregon defensive linemen. Jones completed 16 of his 23 passes during the Buckeyes' 42-20 win.

Ohio State lines up for a quarterback sneak at the one-yard line against the Oregon defense.

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones leaps over two Oregon defenders. Jones ran for 38 yards on 21 carries in the Buckeyes' 42-20 win.

Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott ran for over 200 yards in all three games that Cardale Jones started at QB for the Buckeyes.

Ezekiel Elliott evades an Oregon defender -- something he did all night.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota tries to evade Ohio State defensive lineman Adolphus Washington. Mariota threw for 333 yards in the Ducks' loss.

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones throws from his own end zone during the Buckeyes' 42-20 win.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota drops back to pass. Mariota combined for 372 yards in the air and on the ground.

Oregon wide receiver Keanon Lowe catches a touchdown pass for the first score in the National Championship game.

Keanon Lowe's touchdown gave the Ducks false hopes that this would be their night. Despite getting four Ohio State turnovers, Oregon scored only 20 points.