The Oregon Ducks will compete against the Florida State Seminoles on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks are ranked number two and the Seminoles are ranked number three. The winner of this game will face off against the Sugar Bowl’s winner in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 12th.
The Ducks finished their regular season 12-1, only suffering one loss to Arizona back in early October. The Ducks went on to dominate the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac-12 Championship game in the first week of December. Oregon got out to an early start and continued to climb from the second quarter through the game’s completion. The score was 44-7 before the 4th quarter began and Arizona’s quarterback Jerrard Randall managed to score another touchdown, for a final score of 51-13, Oregon.
Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota received the Heisman Trophy last Saturday in New York. Mariota is considered a complete quarterback and versatile enough to fit any playing system. While he is not one of the most vocal players of the game, Mariota is described by sports reporters and other media as polite, humble and sincere.
Not only will the Ducks face off against the Seminoles, but Mariota will compete against FSU quarterback, Jameis Winston, who was the 2013 Heisman winner. Both quarterbacks while drastically different on and off the field, are considered to be the top two quarterback prospects for the 2015 NFL Draft. Neither has yet declared for the draft although it is widely predicted both will after college playoffs conclude.
While Oregon has continued to get off to an early lead and a fast start throughout the season, FSU has shown repeatedly that they’re capable of delivering in high-pressure situations, as they’ve struggled to fend off some of their lesser opponents, yet managed to remain victorious and undefeated all season. This matchup is expected to be fast-paced and high action.
