ARLINGTON, TX (WTVB) – Ohio State won the first-ever college football playoff by running past Oregon 42-20 in the national championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Buckeyes were able to overcome four turnovers and scored 21 unanswered points after the Ducks had closed the game to 21-20 midway through the third quarter.
Ezekiel Elliot led the Ohio State rushing attack with 246 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries. Third-string quarterback Cardale Jones added another TD on the ground plus threw for one with 242 yards passing.
Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota tossed for 333 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Oregon, still searching for its first national title in football, closed the year at 13-2.
Ohio State joins Alabama, Notre Dame, USC and Oklahoma as the only schools with six national titles. Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer now has three titles, adding this year’s championship to the pair he won for Florida. Meyer helped put Ohio State and the Big Ten back on top in his third year in Columbus. The Buckeyes won 13 straight games since losing at home to Virginia Tech back in Week 2 and finish with a 14-1 record.
