Rose Bowl 2015: Players to Watch in Florida State vs. Oregon

You couldn't ask for a better Rose Bowl matchup than Oregon and Florida State facing off. There are Heisman winners, dynamic freshmen and huge positional matchups to satisfy college football fans looking for the juiciest storylines. 

Below, you'll find a breakdown of the most important players to watch in this matchup. Some of them go without saying; some might surprise you. All will have a huge impact when it comes to deciding which team reaches the championship game.

Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

You know the stats and awards. Last year's Heisman Trophy winner. Undefeated as a starting quarterback. Threw for 3,559 yards, 24 touchdowns and a disappointing 17 interceptions while rushing for three more touchdowns. 

You know he has the clutch gene, too. He's never lost a game in college, after all. 

But this season, Winston has struggled early in games and, not surprisingly, Florida State has followed suit. He has a 59.8 completion percentage in the first quarters of games. He's thrown 14 touchdowns but a whopping 13 picks in the first halves of games as well. He has not been at his best early in games.

That could be a major problem against Oregon, who have an explosive enough offense to sprint right on by the Seminoles if they struggle early. Winston needs to be on his game for all four quarters against Oregon. If he isn't, Florida State may finally meet an opponent they can't come back against.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

This year's Heisman winner has been the best player in college football, no questions asked, and nobody has been more important to their team. His 4,478 yards from scrimmage and 53 total touchdowns with just two interceptions is absurd. His continued evolution as a leader has been vital. 

Mariota will face a tough task against a talented front four of Florida State, and the pressure to live up to the Heisman Trophy he won this year on the national stage might play through his mind. But Mariota seems centered if nothing else, and he'll trust in Oregon's scheme, his teammates and his own ability to get the job done.

If he's great, it's hard to see Oregon losing. If he's off his game, however, beating Florida State will be a tall order.

Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State

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Freshman Dalvin Cook became Florida State's starting running back after injuries to Karlos Williams and Mario Pender opened the door for him to get more touches. Boy, has he responded in a big way.

Cook has rushed for 905 yards and eight touchdowns on just 155 carries, an impressive 5.8 yards per carry, while adding 19 receptions for 179 yards. And you can bet he'll be a huge part of the game plan against Oregon.

One of the ways to beat the explosive Ducks is to control the line of scrimmage and put together long, time-consuming drives on offense. The easiest way to do that is with an effective running game, which means Cook will likely be fed the ball early and often. 

With 55 carries for 321 yards and a touchdown in his last two games, Cook has proved he's up to the task.

Oregon's Offensive Line

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Oregon's offensive line was a major weakness to start the year, as inexperience and injuries left Mariota often scrambling for dear life behind the patchwork line. 

But over the course of the season, Oregon's O-line has improved and will be further bolstered by the expected return of center Hroniss Grasu. You probably wouldn't describe the line as one of the team's strengths, but they're no longer a huge weakness, either.

They'll be severely tested against Florida State's excellent defensive line of Mario Edwards Jr., DeMarcus Walker, Eddie Goldman and Desmond Hollin, however. If Florida State can consistently get a rush with just four down linemen, which they generally do, they might just be able to take Mariota and the Oregon offense out of its rhythm. 

If the O-line plays well, however, it's hard to see Florida State slowing down the Ducks.