The Oregon Ducks smoked former national champions, the Florida State Seminoles, winning 59-20 in the Rose Bowl. The game remained competitive through the first half, however Oregon pulled away in the 3rd quarter, scoring 27 points. The Seminoles had 5 turnovers in 6 possessions and did not score in the 4th quarter. Heisman trophy winning Ducks quarterback, Marcus Mariota, threw for 338 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for another TD. The Ducks had been hyped as a powerhouse team for speed this season and they did not disappoint in the Rose Bowl, living up to all the hype.
The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated first-ranked Alabama 42-35, in the Sugar Bowl. The Buckeyes overcame a 21-6 deficit to defeat the Crimson Tide. This was Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones’ second career start. He has proven himself valuable and worthy to the Buckeyes after first and second string QBs, Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett suffered season-ending injuries earlier this year.
CBS Sports has reported the CFP National Championship Game tickets have a face value of $450 but are selling for an average ticket price of just over $1175 each. The game is sold out and the stadium’s capacity for this game is approximately 75,000 seats. With 2 teams who have played hard and fought on the field all season, it’d be hard to argue against either deserving their place in the big game.
The game is likely to be determined by Oregon’s offense vs. Ohio State’s defense. While the Buckeyes have proven themselves offensively, a key to victory for them will be stopping Mariota and the Ducks’ offense. In addition to both QBs, other players to watch include Ducks RB Royce Freeman, Buckeyes WR Devin Smith and Buckeyes RB Ezekiel Elliott who has an aggressive running style. With a national title on the line and a hunger for more victory, this matchup is sure to be a good one.
