College Football Championship 2015: Top Oregon vs. Ohio State Matchups to Watch

Every football game features a number of smaller matchups that ultimately decide the outcome, and there will be no shortage of those when Oregon and Ohio State clash in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 12.

Both teams are stacked with elite-level talent on both sides of the ball, and all of those players want to be responsible for helping to win a national title. That comes down to execution, but executing is easier said than done when going up against some of the nation's best players.

With the CFP National Championship looming, here is a closer look at some of the most intriguing matchups that will decide which team hoists the trophy.

Devin Smith vs. Troy Hill

The Oregon defense rarely receives much credit due to the offense's elite status, but the Ducks turned in a total effort when they defeated Florida State 59-20 in the Rose Bowl.

Oregon's defense forced five turnovers, and it can be argued that nobody was more impressive than senior cornerback Troy Hill. He has been elevated to No. 1 status in the absence of injured corner Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, and he proved against FSU that the role wasn't too big for him.

Hill was tasked with covering star wide receiver Rashad Greene for most of the Rose Bowl, and he held him to just six receptions for 59 yards. That may have surprised some observers, but Hill expected to play at that level, according to CSNNW:

It is unclear if Hill will shadow an Ohio State receiver in the title game, but one can only assume that he will be matched up with senior wideout Devin Smith quite often.

Smith is averaging nearly 28 yards per catch this season, and he caught a 47-yard touchdown against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Interestingly enough, the Buckeyes are undefeated over the course of Smith's career when he catches a touchdown, per Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch:

With that statistic in mind, Oregon will undoubtedly do everything in its power to keep Smith out of the end zone. That is easier said than done, but Hill showed in the Rose Bowl that he can hang with the very best wide receivers in the nation.

Oregon OL vs. Ohio State DL

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Games are so often won and lost in the trenches, and that may very well be the case when Oregon and Ohio State lock horns.

There is no denying the fact that the Buckeyes have one of the most talented and dominant defensive lines in all of college football. Tackles Michael Bennett and Adolphus Washington generate a constant push up the middle, while ends Joey Bosa and Steve Miller feed off making life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.

Bosa has racked up 13.5 sacks this season as a sophomore, which means Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota will have to be cognizant of him at all times. Entering the Sugar Bowl, Bosa made it clear that the OSU defensive line would be a handful, according to Tony Barnhart of the SEC Network:

His words were prophetic, as the Crimson Tide struggled to block the Ohio State defensive line at times, and it stands to reason that Oregon could have similar difficulties.

With that said, the Oregon offensive line has been much better this season than most have given it credit for. The Ducks rank 18th in passing, 11th in rushing and second in points per game this season, which means that their line can do a little bit of everything.

After it rushed for over 300 yards against Florida State, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit made a major declaration regarding Oregon's offensive line, per SportsCenter:

Most will probably favor the Buckeyes defensive line in this matchup entering the national title game, but Oregon's offensive line has been up to the task each and every time this year.

If the Ducks can get a push similar to the one the line provided in the Rose Bowl, then they will undoubtedly have a major advantage.

Marcus Mariota vs. Ohio State LBs

Mariota is unquestionably a dangerous passer, with over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns through the air this season, but the main thing that sets him apart from other quarterbacks is his ability to make big plays with his legs.

The Heisman Trophy winner has mystified opposing defenses all season long, and he has put up some monster numbers on the ground as well, according to SportsCenter:

Mariota has had more dazzling rushing performances than what he did in the Rose Bowl, but there were multiple occasions that saw him burn the FSU defense with gashing runs right up the middle.

He ended up with 62 yards and a touchdown on eight carries, and many of those runs were right into the teeth of the defense. The Seminoles failed in terms of preventing him from picking up large chunks of yardage, which is something Ohio State can't afford to do.

The Buckeyes must do everything possible to funnel Mariota toward the sidelines when he runs, which is where the linebackers come in. Senior middle linebacker Curtis Grant figures to be used as a spy for much of the game, which means he must always be aware of Mariota's intentions.

Outside linebackers Joshua Perry and Darron Lee must also help in that regard since they'll have to clean things up when Mariota manages to get outside the pocket.

Ohio State isn't naive enough to believe that it will completely shut down Mariota from a rushing perspective, but as long as it can prevent him from making big plays like the ones he manufactured against the Seminoles, the Buckeyes will have a fighting chance.

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