College Football Playoff live updates: Ohio State 21, Oregon 17 (third quarter)

Ohio State 21, Oregon 20 (6:30 left in third quarter)Oregon again settles for an Aiden Schneider field goal, this one from 23 yards, after recovering a fumble.But the Ducks could have had more. On third and two at the Buckeyes’ four-yard line, Ohio State’s Eli Apple saved a touchdown. He pushes Evan Baylis out of bounds in back of the end zone as he leaps to make a catch.Oregon has converted only two for nine third-down plays.::Oops.Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones does his imitation of Florida State’s Jameis Winston. He drops the football while scrambling without being hit.Oregon recovers the ball on the Ohio State 23-yard line.::Oregon seems to have figured out one thing.Hit Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones low. You know, like a lumberjack chopping down a tree.Ohio State 21, Oregon 17 (11:23 third quarter)Marcus Mariota doesn’t waste any time. The Ducks quarterback tosses a 70-yard touchdown pass to Byron Marshall on the first play after Oregon intercepted an Ohio State.Marshall showed that he didn’t learn anything from Utah’s Kaelin Clay. Marshall nearly let the ball go before the goal line in nonchalant arrogance. Clay did that against Ducks, with Oregon returning the fumble for a touchdown this season.::Oregon’s defense does what it does best: take the ball away.Ohio State’s Jalin Marshall has a pass bounce off his hands. Oregon’s Danny Mattingly is there to grab it and end a promising Ohio State drive.His cousin, Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly, could use some saves like that this season.::To put it in Oregon terms, when Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones gets moving, he’s like a loaded logging truck going down hill … without brakes.The Buckeyes open the second half receiving the kickoff and immediately begin picking up first downs on the lgs of Jones and running back Ezekiel Elliott.::Ohio State 21, Oregon 10 (halftime)In 1939, Oregon led Ohio State, 21-16, in the first NCAA basketball championship game.Ohio State leads Oregon, 21-10, at halftime of the first College Football Playoff championship game.If you took the under, you’re in good shape. The over/under line is 79 points.::Offense dominated the talk heading into the College Football Playoff national championship game. Oregon played fast and loose. Ohio State had bulk and speed.Yet, through the first half Monday, it was the Buckeyes’ defense that made the difference. Ohio State disrupted the Ducks’ lickety-split offense and leads, 21-10, at halftime.Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota passed for 189 yards in the first half. The Ducks had 99 yards rushing. …

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