Biggest X-Factors in 2015 National Championship Game
New Year's Day was a true football holiday. The College Football Playoff made its long-awaited debut, and it was glorious.
First, Oregon ended Florida State's 29-game win streak in spectacular fashion in the Rose Bowl, laying a 59-20 whipping on the Seminoles.
Ohio State followed with a stunning 42-35 upset of No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
The best part? Those games were only the appetizer for the main course: the College Football Playoff National Championship.
On Jan. 12, Ohio State and Oregon will meet at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to determine the national champion and give college football a fresh title holder. Oregon has never won the national title, while the Buckeyes haven't won a national crown since 2002's upset of the Miami Hurricanes.
The matchup of high-powered offenses will make for a fascinating evening, with numerous subplots churning that will determine the champion. As George Schroeder of USA Today says, the offenses are very similar to one another.
Here's a look at the biggest X-factors that'll matter for the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Ohio State Defensive End Joey Bosa
1 of 8
Ohio State has a strong tradition of defense, and sophomore defensive end Joey Bosa is the latest and greatest embodiment of defensive success.
A year ago, Bosa was a freshman All-American, and the 6'5", 278-pound star took the next step this season. Named a unanimous first-team All-American, he has 53 tackles with 20 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks, and he led the Big Ten in sacks and tackles for loss.
Bosa is an aggressive, strong pass-rusher who has made a habit of living in opponents' backfields this season. He had, by his standards, a bit of a quiet night in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama, recording just three tackles. But he'll be a key part of Ohio State's defensive game plan against Oregon, without question.
He must be accounted for on every play, and he'll have to get pressure on Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota if the Buckeyes have any hope of slowing down the Ducks offense.
Ohio State Tailback Ezekiel Elliott
2 of 8
Before the 2014 season began, one of the bigger questions surrounding the Ohio State offense involved the running game. With workhorse back Carlos Hyde gone to the NFL, who would emerge as the Buckeyes' every-down back?
Ezekiel Elliott answered that question emphatically. The 6'0", 225-pound sophomore took the lead role in the backfield with glee. He has rushed for 1,632 yards and 14 touchdowns this season and has gotten better as the season has rolled on.
He bashed Wisconsin for 220 yards and two touchdowns in the Big Ten title game and was even better against Alabama, going for 230 yards and two scores on 20 carries. He has eight 100-yard games this season, going over the mark in each of Ohio State's last four games.
With J.T. Barrett sidelined, quarterback Cardale Jones is not as much of a ground presence, so the onus will lie on Elliott to keep the offense humming.
Oregon Left Tackle Jake Fisher
3 of 8
While Mariota garners plenty of headlines (and with good reason), the men protecting him on Oregon's offensive line are equally key to the Ducks’ success. Oregon averages 241.9 rushing yards per game, No. 18 nationally. And despite some struggles with health, the line is as healthy and full as it has been in months.
Senior left tackle Jake Fisher has been a key part of that plan. Fisher missed the Washington State and Arizona games with a sprained knee ligament, and Oregon's offense suffered. Mariota was sacked 12 times, including five in the Ducks' only loss, at home vs. Arizona.
Fisher is a very capable lineman and played well against Florida State's talented line, helping hold star end Mario Edwards Jr. largely in check. He'll have another tall assignment in Ohio State star defensive end Joey Bosa. Mariota has to stay upright to work his magic.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Oregon Tailback Royce Freeman
4 of 8
With a deep backfield that already featured returning standouts Thomas Tyner and Byron Marshall, it speaks to Royce Freeman's abilities that he became Oregon’s No.1 tailback. Freeman emerged as one of the best freshman backs in America, rushing for 1,343 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.
While he gained only 44 yards on 12 carries against Florida State, he did score two touchdowns. He has six 100-yard rushing games this season and is a physical force for opposing tacklers at 6'1", 229 pounds.
Oregon loves to run the ball and has a powerful rushing attack. Freeman is the engine that makes it go.
Ohio State Quarterback Cardale Jones
5 of 8
Cardale Jones began the season as Ohio State's third-string quarterback. He'll end it as a key to the Buckeyes' hopes of bringing home another national title.
Jones was largely irrelevant until late November, when freshman standout J.T. Barrett suffered a season-ending broken ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan. But he has performed very capably in wins over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game and Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, averaging 250 yards passing per game.
He is completing only 58 percent of his passes on the season, but Jones is big (6'5", 250 lbs) and has a strong arm to match. He isn't afraid to chuck it deep either, as he showed against the Crimson Tide. Oregon's secondary allows 265.9 passing yards per game, No. 111 nationally. If Jones can keep his composure and make smart decisions and a few big plays, Ohio State's offense will benefit.
Oregon Quarterback Marcus Mariota
6 of 8It might seem too obvious, but Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota might be the biggest X-factor in the national title game. Mariota was the clear choice for the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,121 yards with 40 touchdowns against three interceptions and adding 731 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
He makes the Ducks offense go and has excellent ability to throw both in the pocket and on the run. That's what makes him so dangerous. Mariota has not made a public decision regarding the NFL draft, but he'd be the clear No. 1 selection if and when he declares.
Against Florida State in the Rose Bowl, Mariota shredded the Seminoles defense, throwing for 338 yards with two touchdowns against one interception and adding 62 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground in the 59-20 rout. If Ohio State doesn't contain him, its hopes of winning will go down dramatically.
Oregon's Secondary
7 of 8
Oregon is a very well-rounded team, but the Ducks do have one major Achilles' heel: pass defense.
Oregon is allowing 265.9 passing yards per game to opponents, and it's now playing without All-American cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during Rose Bowl preparation.
While we'll remember Jameis Winston's bizarre fumble that clinched the Rose Bowl, he did throw for 348 with one touchdown and one interception. Redshirt freshman Chris Seisay largely played well in Ekpre-Olomu's place.
"Coming into the game, I don't think anybody believed in me," he told Tyson Alger of The Oregonian. "They thought I was going to come out and get torched or something. I was just trying to come out here and make a statement."
Ohio State's athletic, fast group of receivers will be another major challenge. The Ducks must hold Cardale Jones in check and prevent big plays, much as they did against the Seminoles.
Ohio State Receiver Devin Smith
8 of 8
Ohio State's version of the spread offense is designed so the run can set up the pass. It works extremely well: The Buckeyes average 45.0 points per game, No. 5 nationally. One of the biggest benefactors? Senior receiver Devin Smith. Smith has just 32 catches on the season, but he has made them count.
Smith has 886 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he averages an eye-popping 27.7 yards per reception. Against Alabama, he had two catches for 87 yards, and his 47-yard touchdown early in the third quarter gave Ohio State the lead for good at 27-21.
Oregon's secondary has some issues without Ekpre-Olomu, and if quarterback Cardale Jones can hook up with Smith multiple times, it bodes well for the Buckeyes' hopes.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
