When it clicks, it clicks. Right now, Ohio State is in a zone. The recruiting, the coaching and all of the rigorous training have led to this moment. The Buckeyes are on the cusp of winning the inaugural College Football Playoff Championship against Oregon in Dallas at AT&T Stadium on January 12 at 8:30 p.m. EST.
Other than Buckeye Nation, few expected the team to make it to the championship, but that is what makes Ohio State’s journey so thrilling.
Pick any obstacle. Losing Braxton Miller to injury in August, the Virginia Tech debacle, losing J.T. Barrett to injury against Michigan and Cardale Jones not being good enough to beat Alabama. This team is overcoming any and all obstacles. That is a testament to the coaching staff and the players. They never stopped grinding or believing they would make it to the title game.
The Buckeyes enter this game as the underdog again, which seems strange considering their accomplishments over the last two months. I guess this gives head coach Urban Meyer one last chance to use the "no one respects us" motivational tactic. The players hardly need it. They have earned the spot and appear ready to claim the hardware.
At this point, the outcome will be determined by fundamentals and execution. No trickery, just plain old vanilla tackling, blocking, protecting the ball and efficiency in the red zone. The team that does these things better will win.
Lost in the discussions of what the Buckeyes must do to win the game are the significances of what a win would do for the program. The road back to supremacy has not been easy, even for a school with a profound brand, tradition and resources. The stakes are high. One more win will bring several accolades. Here are four:
Permanently Bury the Stains of the 2007 and 2008 BCS Championship Losses
Beating the Crimson Tide ended years of frustrating outcomes against teams from the SEC. Winning the College Football Playoff Championship kills any lingering cloud hovering over the program. Meyer delivered the initial blow to Ohio State’s reputation. As fate would have it, he will put the crown back on top.
Best Program Over Last 20 years
Two national titles, two runner-ups, 5-4 record in BCS Bowls, eight conference championships, pipeline of talent into the NFL, consistent top-10 recruiting classes, top-five ranking in revenue generation and generally hated by most people outside of Ohio. That defines excellence.
If the Buckeyes win on Monday, Alabama will still have more titles over the last 20 years, but Ohio State will be considered the king of college football over the last two decades.
Urban Meyer Replaces Jim Tressel as the Second-Best Coach in Ohio State History
Coach Tressel will always have a special place in Ohio State history for restoring the glory and putting the Buckeyes back among the elite programs, but Meyer’s 38-3 record, the win over Alabama and winning the first college football playoff championship will trump Tressel’s remarkable ten-year run.
Among the Elite Teams of All Time
Debating which teams are among the greatest of all time is ridiculously fun. Many will point to the loss against the Hokies as a reason to keep the Buckeyes out of the conversation, but this team deserves consideration if it beats Oregon.
Being the first team to win two games to earn the championship is enough justification to put it in the discussion, but beating the No. 1- and No.2-ranked teams would make their case even more compelling. No one knows for sure, but some of the teams now considered the best of all time may have lost if they had to play another game against a top-ranked opponent.
Winning the championship also means the Buckeyes will have defeated two Heisman finalists in Melvin Gordon and Amari Cooper and the Heisman winner in Marcus Mariota. For all of the heat this defense took a year ago, stopping three of the best offensive players this season in consecutive games is pretty remarkable.
It is too early to tell how this team will stack up against some of the other teams over the last 40 years, but history will be kind if the Buckeyes pull the upset.
Analysis
Meyer has said many times that "the future is bright" at Ohio State. That might be true, but no team plays for next year. There is no being ahead of schedule either. Despite its youth and playing with a third-string quarterback, this team has earned the right to play for the title. Next season will take care of itself.
Ohio State was left for dead after the loss to Virginia Tech, but the team held strong and improved every week. The committee rewarded the Buckeyes for their body of work over the course of a season, not just how they played in September. In return, Ohio State is showing why it is best to judge after the regular season is finished. It has one game left to close out an outstanding season.
Oregon and Ohio State are going to treat us to an exceptional display of football. Both teams are confident and ready to prove they are the best. They have the stage all to themselves. It will be a back and forth contest. In the end, the Buckeyes will make a few more plays than the Ducks to capture their sixth national championship. Ohio State wins 45-39.
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