College Football Championship 2015: Unheralded Players Who Will Decide Title
Whether or not you predicted it (probably not), Oregon and Ohio State will now compete for a national championship.
The Ducks were led by yet another great performance from Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who threw for 338 yards in a 59-20 win over Florida State. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes came through with a 42-35 upset win over Alabama behind 230 rushing yards from Ezekiel Elliott.
When these two teams battle in the final game of the college football season, fans should expect more big efforts from star players. However, this matchup will also come down to the performances of a few competitors who might not be household names.
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These players have not always been in the spotlight, but they will be vital for each team's chances of victory.
Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State
Ohio State's biggest strength is clearly the defensive line behind Joey Bosa, Michael Bennett and others. Opposing teams have to focus on keeping those players out of the backfield in both runs and passes.
However, teams that use double- and triple-teams to stop those players will be forced to give up a free lane to sophomore Darron Lee. The linebacker played a big role in the Sugar Bowl, finishing with seven tackles, three for loss with two sacks.
Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated noticed the play of the talented youngster:
While Bosa led Ohio State in both sacks and tackles for loss, Lee was right behind him to rank second on the team in each category. He gives the defense yet another weapon that can penetrate past the line and disrupt the offensive game plan.
If he can help pressure Mariota and stop him from running wild, the Buckeyes will have a much better chance of winning.
Dontre Wilson, RB/KR, Ohio State
Everyone knows at this point that Ohio State has struggled with injuries to quarterbacks Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett. However, another major injury was that of running back Dontre Wilson.
The versatile sophomore has 400 yards from scrimmage this season, averaging more than 10 yards per touch in nine games. He also makes a big impact on special teams, where he averages 9.7 yards per punt return and 24 yards per kickoff return.
Only Elliott averages more total yards per game than Wilson's 118.2.
However, the speedster has been out since Nov. 8 with a foot injury. He had a chance to compete against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl but apparently wasn't 100 percent.
The good news is he should be ready to compete against Oregon. When asked about the chances he will play in the upcoming game, Wilson responded, "100 out of 100. I'm back. I'm back," via Ari Wasserman of the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
On a team full of big-play threats, such as Devin Smith and Michael Thomas, Wilson will give the team yet another weapon.
Erick Dargan, S, Oregon
The Oregon secondary suffered a huge blow when Ifo Ekpre-Olomu suffered a knee injury that knocked him out of the national semifinals. However, Erick Dargan has picked up the slack.
Dargan helped seal the win over Florida State with an interception in the fourth quarter, continuing a run of big plays in big moments:
Only two players in the nation have more interceptions than Dargan's seven. He also ranks second on the team behind Troy Hill with 13 passes defended on the season.
While Dargan has been getting it done all season long, he will be even more important against Ohio State. The Buckeyes love to throw the ball down the field, especially to Smith, who has five catches of 39 yards or more in the last two games.
If Oregon is going to slow down the Ohio State offense, Dargan will have to be all over the field and make sure no one gets behind him. If the safety can force some turnovers in the meantime, it will be even better.
Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
Like Wilson, Hroniss Grasu has missed much of the season due to injury. The difference is that he was able to play in the national semifinals against Florida State.
After so much time lost, he felt good getting back into the action in the Rose Bowl, via Ryan Thorburn of The Register-Guard:
This is big for Oregon, as the senior center is a leader on the offensive line. He keeps things together on pass plays and can clear space for Royce Freeman and Mariota to boost the rushing attack.
Of course, things will not be easy against the Ohio State defensive line. Bosa, Bennett and Adolphus Washington are all likely future NFL stars and will not be pushed around easily in this game.
Grasu needs to come through with his best effort to help the Oregon offense move as well as usual.
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.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
