Heisman winner Marcus Mariota (left) was snuffed out on Monday night, as Ohio State rolled to its first national championship since 2002 with a 42-20 win. — image credit: Instagram: @UODucks and @TheOhioStateFootball The Ohio State Buckeyes are the first champions of college football’s new playoff era, after an emphatic, eventually dominant 42-20 win over the Oregon Ducks and Heisman-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota. Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott had 36 carries for a championship game record 246 yards, with four touchdowns. And third-stringer quarterback Cardale Jones – starting just the third game of his college football career, after wins over Alabama and Wisconsin – threw for 242 yards and a score. “The chase is complete,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer told ESPN after the game. “It’s done. It’s over. They accepted their final mission, their final assignment and their final directive, and they did it. That was our whole mantra this last couple of weeks. A job well done, and we’re very grateful.” Mariota led the game in passing, with 333 yards and two touchdowns, and Oregon started hot with a touchdown just 2:39 into the game. …
Continue Reading: Ohio State wallops Oregon 42-20 to win college football’s first playoff championship
