Rose Bowl 2015: Game Grades, Analysis for Oregon vs. Florida State

The second-ranked Oregon Ducks obliterated the No. 3 Florida State Seminoles 59-20 during the 2015 Rose Bowl, the inaugural game of the College Football Playoff.

Oregon (13-1) exploded for a 27-point third quarter, burying the 'Noles (13-1) and advancing to the national championship.

Positional Unit	1st-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	B-	A-
Run Offense	B+	A
Pass Defense	B	B+
Run Defense	C	C+
Special Teams	A-	A
Coaching	B	A-

Pass Offense: Early on, Marcus Mariota wasn't crisp throwing downfield, doing most of his damage at the line of scrimmage. However, he shredded FSU in the second half, finishing with 338 yards and two touchdowns. Darren Carrington reeled in both scores, and Evan Baylis was consistently powerful after the catch.

Run Offense: Thomas Tyner bullied his way to 124 yards and two touchdowns, while Royce Freeman chipped in 44 yards and two scores. Mariota, the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, added 62 yards and a touchdown.

Pass Defense: Three-man pressure forced Jameis Winston into a panicked decision, and the FSU gunslinger slipped and fumbled, and Tony Washington returned it 58 yards for a score. Erick Dargan snagged a late interception to eliminate any lingering thoughts of a comeback.

Run Defense: Oregon stuffed Karlos Williams and Winston at the goal line in the first quarter, and that stand set the tone for a commanding victory. Derrick Malone chased down Dalvin Cook and ripped the ball away from the freshman, a takeaway that set up an Oregon touchdown. The Ducks defense certainly bent, but they never broke.

Special Teams: Aidan Schneider nailed a 28-yard field goal and six extra points, and Ian Wheeler notched 38.5 yards per punt. The kick-coverage unit limited FSU returners to 18.9 yards per attempt before the Seminoles' fate was sealed.

Coaching: Offensive coordinator Scott Frost set up two of Oregon's third-quarter touchdowns beautifully, capitalizing on the aggressiveness of Florida State's cornerbacks by attacking their tendency to jump a route. Defensive coordinator Don Pellum refused to allow deep passes during the second half, making Winston throw underneath passes—which coincidentally led to turnovers.

Positional Unit	1st-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	B	B-
Run Offense	B+	B
Pass Defense	A-	C+
Run Defense	C+	D
Special Teams	B+	B-
Coaching	B	C

Pass Offense: Winston wasn't the problem, completing 29 of 45 passes for 348 yards and a touchdown in what could've been his final collegiate game. Cook and Bobo Wilson both fumbled after a reception, and Travis Rudolph deflected a pass into Dargan's hands.

Run Offense: Cook and Williams combined to rack up 183 yards and a touchdown, but the former lost a costly fumble that changed the game. Though the 'Noles found plenty of running room, finishing runs with touchdowns—or the ball—undeniably affected the outcome.

Pass Defense: FSU's secondary didn't allow anything deep through 30 minutes, but seeking turnovers and tackles for loss rather than covering a receiver bit the Seminoles during the decisive third quarter. The 338 passing yards allowed was the second-worst mark this season.

Run Defense: Tyner, Mariota, Freeman and the Ducks offensive line simply destroyed the Florida State front seven. The 'Noles surrendered 301 rushing yards and five touchdowns, which was the most against FSU by a non-triple-option offense this year.

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Special Teams: Roberto Aguayo connected on 28- and 26-yard field goals before clanking a 54-yarder off the uprights. Florida State blocked an extra point, but the timing—down 45-20—makes the solid play borderline irrelevant.

Coaching: Jimbo Fisher's play-calling wasn't the issue; instead, the blame for three fumbles and an interception rests squarely on the players. Defensive coordinator Charles Kelly watched his unit allow a season-worst 639 yards and eight touchdowns, and Florida State's 29-game winning streak ended.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.