The Ohio State Buckeyes are your reigning 2015 College Football Champions! What a run by the Buckeyes after being counted out before the season started when quarterback Braxton Miller went down. They were done again when backup quarterback J.T. Barrett got hurt. Surely, third string quarterback Cardale Jones could not bring this team to any sort of relevancy.
Instead, Jones threw for 860 yards and seven touchdowns while also rushing for 296 yards and one touchdown. Under Jones and the hard running of Ezekiel Elliot, the team never lost and were headed to the big game against heavy favorite Oregon. It was Elliott who led the team to the big upset, rushing for 246 yards and FOUR touchdowns! When asked about the roller coaster season, Elliott explained, “With all the stuff we went through to get here, it’s just crazy. It doesn’t feel real.”
Jones ended with 242 yards and one touchdown and one rushing touchdown. Marcus Mariota finished the game with 333 yards and two touchdowns. The Ohio State defensive front was able to contain the Ducks’ running game, making their offense a little less electric than we had seen all season. The final score of the game was 42-20.
The Buckeyes hoped to repeat as champions, however, a stunning loss to Michigan State ended those dreams. Elliott expressed his frustration after the game and declared that he would be leaving the school after this season to enter the NFL Draft. Jones, demoted to backup quarterback behind Barrett, also declared that this would be his last season. The national championship game was the last of Mariota’s college career as he was drafted number two overall by the Tennessee Titans.
