COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State went into the Big Ten championship game as an underdog with a third-team quarterback making his first start against a top-ranked defense. No one knew what to expect from the Buckeyes.
The pleasant surprise was the springboard Ohio State needed to catapult TCU into the inaugural College Football Playoff. As the No. 4 seed, the Buckeyes will play Alabama in a rekindling of a coaching rivalry between Nick Saban and Urban Meyer, who won his first Big Ten title.
With Cardale Jones running the offense with the poise of a veteran and the defense playing lights out, Ohio State rolled to a 59-0 victory over the Big Ten West champion Wisconsin in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
When the selection committee made the announcement on Sunday, Ohio State (12-1) was in as the “clear cut” No. 4 seed and paired against top-seeded Alabama (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1.
The winner of that game advances to the CFP championship game on Jan. 12 in Arlington, Texas, to face the team that emerges from the Rose Bowl — either No. 2 seed Oregon or No. 3 seed Florida State.
“We’re honored to be a part of the first College Football Playoff,” Meyer said.
A playoff berth seemed improbable for the Buckeyes before the season when quarterback Braxton Miller, the two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in August.
Then came a bad loss at home in Week 2 to Virginia Tech that rocked Ohio State.
But the Buckeyes turned around their season with redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett emerging at quarterback and playing spectacularly while leading them to the Big Ten East Division title.
Ohio State took another punch to the gut when Barrett broke his right ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan. Also that week, reserve defensive tackle Kosta Karageorge went missing and later was found dead in a dumpster near his apartment from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
That left an offense clicking on all cylinders having to go with the untested Jones under center for the biggest game of the year.
It turned out the Buckeyes didn’t have to worry.
The sophomore stepped in and delivered a stellar performance on the big stage, completing 12 of 17 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in the Buckeyes’ 11th consecutive victory.
With Barrett out until next year, Jones will be the called upon again to lead the Buckeyes against the Crimson Tide and potentially in the championship game.
Meyer recognizes the challenge the Buckeyes face against Alabama. When Meyer was at Florida, he faced off against Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban in two SEC championship games.
“I think we’re a building program and they’re an established program,” Meyer said. “We have to be on point to beat this team. I know exactly what we’re going to see.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
— QB Cardale Jones will be making his second career start in the Sugar Bowl. His first start couldn’t have been much better in the 59-0 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game. The Buckeyes never trailed and Jones made it look easy against the nation’s No. 2 defense.
He connected on 12 of 17 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns and didn’t have a turnover. But the spotlight will be more intense in the Sugar Bowl and Jones is likely to face more pressure from Alabama’s athletic defense.
–RB Ezekiel Elliott ran hard against Wisconsin and found plenty of holes in the Big Ten Championship game. Elliott rushed for 220 yards on 20 carries. One of his two touchdowns was an 81-yard run in the second quarter. The sophomore outperformed Wisconsin standout Melvin Gordon. Elliott has 1,402 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns this year but couldn’t make first- or second-team All-Big Ten because of the talent at running back in the conference.
— DE Joey Bosa had four solo tackles in the Big Ten Championship game and returned a fumble four yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the first half to boost Ohio State’s lead to 31-0 at halftime.
The sophomore was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in tackles for loss (17) and sacks (13.5) and second in forced fumbles (three).
Bosa was part of a shutdown defense that pitched a shutout and held Wisconsin to 258 total yards in the conference championship game.
–WR Devin Smith, Ohio State’s big-play specialist with a 26.6-yards per catch average, caught three touchdown passes from quarterback Cardale Jones in the 59-0 rout in the Big Ten championship game. The senior opened the scoring with a 39-yard reception in the end zone and added a 44-yarder in the second quarter and a 42-yarder in the third quarter. He finished the game with four receptions for 137 yards, boosting his season totals to 30 catches, 799 yards and 11 touchdowns. Smith passed Cris Carter for second in career touchdown catches in Ohio State history with 29.
BOWL HISTORY: Ohio State has a 20-24 record in bowl games and 0-3 all time against Alabama. The Buckeyes’ last visit to the Sugar Bowl came at the end of the 2010 season when they defeated Arkansas 31-26, but the win was vacated as part of the Tattoogate scandal. Ohio State, led by coach Woody Hayes, lost to Bear Bryant-coahced Alabama 35-6 in the Sugar Bowl after the 1977 season. The last meeting was in the 1995 Citrus Bowl, a 24-17 Crimson Tide win. Coach Urban Meyer is 2-1 in head-to-head meetings with Alabama coach Nick Saban.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “This team, the way it’s playing right now, is one of the top teams in America.” — Coach Urban Meyer
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
BOWL BREAKDOWN
Scouting the running game: RB Ezekiel Elliott had a monster game against Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game with 220 yards rushing on 20 carries and an 81-yard touchdown run. The sophomore outplayed Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon, the nation’s leading rusher who was held to 76 yards on 26 carries. Elliott now has 1,402 yards in his first year as a starter. Freshman RB Curtis Samuel added two touchdowns in the second half against Wisconsin. In the Sugar Bowl against Alabama, the Buckeyes will be running into the No. 2 defense in FBS against the run. The Crimson Tide allow only 88.7 rushing yards per game.
Scouting the passing game: All the questions about first-time starter Cardale Jones were emphatically answered in the Big Ten championship game rout of Wisconsin. Jones was poised and displayed a strong, accurate arm. The sophomore completed 17 of 17 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. He connected on three long balls with WR Devin Smith for scores in an impressive performance as injured J.T. Barrett’s replacement. The Buckeyes might find it easier to pass than run against Alabama, which is 58th nationally in pass defense at 223.7 yards per game allowed.
Scouting the run defense: Ohio State shut down Wisconsin’s primary weapon, RB Melvin Gordon, holding the Heisman Trophy candidate below 100 yards for only the second time this season. The Buckeyes’ defensive front and linebackers couldn’t have played much better against Wisconsin’s massive offensive line and the nation’s No. 3 rushing attack. Considering the opponent’s ability to run the ball, it was easily the best effort of the year for the rush defense, whose next challenge is Alabama. Statistically, the Crimson Tide’s rush offense isn’t as formidable as Wisconsin’s. Alabama ranks 34th nationally with 209.5 yards per game on the ground
Scouting the pass defense: Run-first Wisconsin wasn’t much of a passing team and Ohio State made sure the Badgers didn’t hurt through the air. Badgers quarterback Joel Stave completed only 17 of 42 passes and was intercepted three times. CB Doran Grant picked off two Stave passes. Alabama figures to present more of a test in the Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide offense has opened up under new coordinator Lane Kiffin and has a talented passing combination of QB Blake Sims and WR Amari Cooper.
Scouting the special teams: P Cameron Johnston showed why he’s such a weapon. His 73-yard punt in the first half pinned Wisconsin at its 2-yard line and tilted field position in Ohio State’s favor. He averaged 53 yards on four punts. Kicker Sean Nuernberger made one of two field goal attempts in the Big Ten title game and leads the Big Ten in kick scoring with 112 points. Alabama is second in the nation in net punting (43.38 yards).
ROSTER REPORT:
–Injured QBs Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett were both with the team for the 59-0 victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis. Miller is continuing his rehab from shoulder surgery and plans to be back next year. Barrett, who broke his right ankle in the win over Michigan on Nov. 29, is in a cast and hoping to return on a limited basis in the spring.
–H-back Dontre Wilson remained out for the Big Ten championship game after foot surgery.
–DE Noah Spence’s Ohio State career is over after the Big Ten denied his appeal to be reinstated after a drug-related suspension. Coach Urban Meyer said last week that he didn’t agree with the decision but that the school remains supportive of Spence and he’s continuing to make progress.