Sports Then and Now

Oregon and Ohio State will battle in the first championship game in the new playoff format.

After what indeed felt like a tremendously long season, the curtain has been drawn; revealing the final stage in what should be an epic showdown for the ages.

The Oregon Ducks will go head-to-head with the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship, with the event taking place on January 12.

In the drama-filled inaugural season of the new playoff system has officially came to its finale when the two showcase semi-final matchups concluded. This game will be something for the memory banks, as two powerhouses collide in a show unlike what any of our eyes have witnessed thus far. That’s a Guarantee.

Which Team Will Keep Rolling?

The Ducks just did what was thought to be the impossible by putting an untimely beat down upon the defending champions, the Florida State Seminoles. Ending the team’s magical win streak of 29 games, with a bewildering loss which resulted in the 59-20, Oregon victory.

Urban Meyer is easily considered one of the greatest coaches in the game, if not all-time. The Ducks however, have one of the most elite groups the sport has ever seen in the entire nation within the last half-decade or so. The team features one of the most skilled and readily utilized quarterbacks in the Heisman winner Marcus Mariota.

It wasn’t until later on in the evening that the heavily favored Alabama Crimson Tide were swiftly cut down by the Buckeyes, when a rather surprising show of heroics was made by quarterback, Cardale Jones, who just so happened to be a third-stringer. Nick Saban’s band of brothers was blindsided as the final result came to a shocking 45-32 close.

The new playoff system was an undeniably a bold move that was developed for enabling a new direction for the NCAA. The kicker here are the two teams who made it to the pinnacle, there really couldn’t have been any better choice for this novel introduction of a whole new way to play. The Championship will blaze into action at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Both Teams Have an Assortment of Killer Weapons

Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota highlights a field that will be full of weapons.

Oregon is looking awfully potent with its innovative and heady-styled offense, which includes a breezy no-huddle strategy. The Buckeyes have a sure-fired backbone, it’s no doubt with a cast of players that are quite steady at assuming their positions and roles with efficiency, is a rather uncommon virtue in this modern era.

The defense of the Ducks has most certainly been extremely efficient this season as opposed to the previous ones coming into the game. The team’s uncanny ability to force turnovers and build a fortress in the end zone against the Seminoles was mightily impressive but dominant? Must likely not.

Oregon just so happens to be at an unattractive 50th, when guarding the run this season and their pass defense landed at a staggering low of 111th. If Ohio has any shot in the world to pull off a win in this game, they will need the contributing efforts from all around the board to keep the Ducks from spreading the ball. The Buckeyes can add a little versatility in the speed department to throw in the mix and if they do create that possibility, they may have a shot but as it stands, the Ducks look like the aggressors in the duel.