ARLINGTON, Texas – Zeke, “12 Gauge” and the rest of the Buckeyes wrote their page in sports history last night, beating Oregon to become the first team to win a college football national championship as a result of a playoff system.
EXTRA: Photo gallery/EXTRA: Best of social media
Ezekiel “Zeke” Elliott rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns and Cardale “12 Gauge” Jones threw for one touchdown and ran for another as Ohio State (14-1) won the first national title in college football’s playoff era, running over Oregon (13-2) 42-20 in Arlington, Texas, Monday night.
RELATED: Tear gas used at campus celebrations
Elliott scored three straight times in the second half for the Buckeyes, seeded fourth in the four-team bracket, after the Ducks pulled within a point in the third quarter. And the “slobs” — the offensive linemen’s both affectionate and accurate name for themselves — dominated up front as the Buckeyes ran over Oregon.
“We just had to punch them in the mouth and the ‘O line,’ they played their butts off and they paved the way for me,” Elliot said. He piled up an incredible 696 yards in his last three games against defenses representing three of the best teams in the land.
“Zeke” moved into second place on Ohio State’s all-time single-season rushing list with 1,878 yards, passing Archie Griffin and Keith Byars. The 246 yards also ties him for third on Ohio State’s single-game list and sets a championship game record for the BCS and Playoff eras so far.
With four of five new starters at the outset of the season the “slobs” created big holes for Elliott and bought time for quarterback Cardale Jones to find receivers.
Cardale Jones, known as “12 Gauge” because he wears the number 12, started the season as Ohio State’s third-string quarterback. Last night, he accounted for two scores, running for one touchdown and passing for another.
“We weren’t supposed to be here. I mean, all the odds were stacked against us through the whole season and for us to be sitting right here, national champs, it not only means a lot to me but our community, Buckeye Nation, and our home towns,” Jones said.
RELATED: Is “12 Gauge” headed to the NFL?
“This is a great team. We finished the year a great team. Had four turnovers and still, to beat a team like that 42-20, incredible experience,” said head coach Urban Meyer.
The Buckeyes gave Meyer his first title in his third season at Ohio State after he won two championships at Florida under the old BCS system.
It was the eighth national championship for the Ohio State program:
Ohio State National Championships
2014 – 14-1 (Urban Meyer)
2002 – 14-0 (Jim Tressel)
1970 – 9-1 (Woody Hayes)
1968 – 10-0 (Woody Hayes)
1961 – 8-0-1 (Woody Hayes)
1957 – 9-1 (Woody Hayes)
1954 – 10-0 (Woody Hayes)
1942 – 9-1 (Paul Brown)
With the win, Ohio State extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 13 games. The 14 wins ties a school and NCAA record for the most victories in a season.
Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass on the opening drive, but couldn’t lead the second-seeded Ducks to their first national title and the Buckeye defense held Oregon to nearly 100 yards below its season average.
Going into Monday night’s game, Oregon’s quarterback said he would trade the Heisman Trophy he won this season for a national championship because the team honor was more important to him that any individual award.
But the fourth-seeded Buckeyes overpowered Mariota and the Ducks in what wast is likely that it was Mariota’s final game at Oregon. He has until Thursday to decide if he’ll skip his senior season and declare his eligibility for the NFL draft where is expected to be a top pick.