2015 College Football Playoff National Championship

2015 College Football Playoff National Championship
Oregon Ducks Ohio State Buckeyes (13–1) (13–1) Pac-12 Big Ten 20 42 Head coach:  Mark Helfrich Head coach:  Urban Meyer AP Coaches CFP 3 3 2 AP Coaches CFP 5 4 4
1 2 3 4 Total Oregon 7 3 10 0 20 Ohio State 14 7 7 14 42
Date	January 12, 2015
Season	2014
Stadium	AT&T Stadium
Location	Arlington, Texas
MVP	Offensive: #15 RB Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State Defensive: #23 S Tyvis Powell, Ohio State
Favorite	Oregon by 7[1][2]
National anthem	Lady Antebellum[3]
Referee	Greg Burks (Big XII)
Attendance	85,689
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN[4][5]
Announcers	ESPN: Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Heather Cox (sideline reporter), Tom Rinaldi (sideline reporter) ESPN Deportes: Eduardo Varela (play-by-play), Pablo Viruega (analyst) ESPN Radio: Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline reporter), Joe Schad (sideline reporter)
Nielsen ratings	18.9 (33.4 million viewers)

The 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship was a bowl game that determined the consensus national champion of NCAA Division I FBS college football for the 2014 season, which took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January 12, 2015. It was the culminating game of the 2014–15 bowl season as the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship, replacing the BCS National Championship Game. The national title was contested through a four-team bracket system, the College Football Playoff, which replaced the previous Bowl Championship Series.^[6]

The game was played between the winners of two designated semi-final bowl games played on January 1, 2015: the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes, who upset No. 1 Alabama 42–35 in the 2015 Sugar Bowl, and the No. 2 Oregon Ducks, who defeated previously unbeaten No. 3 Florida State 59–20 in the 2015 Rose Bowl. This was the first championship game since 2006 that did not feature at least one SEC team, and the teams' first meeting since the 2010 Rose Bowl, which the Buckeyes won 26–17.

The Ohio State Buckeyes won the game, 42–20, marking the first national championship awarded under the CFP system. Following the game, the AP Poll and Coaches' Poll also named Ohio State as their top team of the season, marking Ohio State's first national championship since 2002 and their 8th overall.^[7][8]

2015 College Football Playoff

	Semifinals					2015 Championship Game
	January 1 – Sugar Bowl
	1	Alabama	35
	4	Ohio State	42
						January 12 – National Championship
					4	Ohio State	42
					2	Oregon	20
	January 1 – Rose Bowl
	2	Oregon	59
	3	Florida State	20

Before the game

AT&T Stadium (capacity 80,000) was announced as the host site in April 2013.^[9] Arlington and Tampa (Raymond James Stadium) were the only cities to submit hosting bids for the inaugural title game.^[10]

Each team received 20,000 tickets. Premium seat packages for the event cost $1,899 to $3,899 apiece. The packages can include hotel accommodations, game tickets, parking access, pregame hospitality, and an on-field postgame experience.^[11][12]

College Football Playoff announced that 1,000 tickets will be made available for purchase to fans who have signed up for a random drawing by May 1, 2014.^[13] On March 25, 2014, Dr Pepper was announced as the official championship partner and presenting sponsor of the new College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy.^[14]

The cost of a thirty-second commercial during the game broadcast reached upwards of $1 million.^[15]

Teams

The teams playing for the national championship were the winners of semifinal bowl games held on January 1, 2015. The semifinal games were the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The semifinal participants were chosen and ranked 1–4 by the 13-member playoff selection committee, with 1 playing 4 and 2 playing 3.^[16][17]

Ohio State

Ohio State was 20–24 all-time in bowl games. The Buckeyes made their fifth visit to the state of Texas, having won 4 previous games and outscoring four different schools 120–33. Ohio State, all-time, came into the game with an 8–0 record against Oregon.

Oregon

Oregon is 13–15 all-time in bowl games. The Ducks are 6–4 in Texas having won three straight games and played their third game in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex (Dallas, Fort Worth and now Arlington).

Starting lineups

^{[18] [19]}

Selected in an NFL Draft   (number corresponds to draft round)  

† = 2014 All-American

Ohio State	Position		Oregon
Offense
Devin Smith 2	WR		Byron Marshall
Taylor Decker 1	LT		†Jake Fisher 2
Billy Price	LG		Hamani Stevens
Jacoby Boren	C		†Hroniss Grasu 3
Pat Elflein	RG		Cameron Hunt
Darryl Baldwin	RT		Tyrell Crosby
Jeff Heuerman 3	TE		Evan Baylis
Evan Spencer 6	WR		Dwayne Stanford
Cardale Jones 4	QB		†Marcus Mariota 1
Ezekiel Elliott 1	RB		Royce Freeman
Defense
†Joey Bosa 1	LDE	DE	Arik Armstead 1
Michael Bennett 6	DT	NG	Alex Balducci
Adolphus Washington 3	DT	DE	DeForest Buckner 1
Steve Miller	RDE	OLB	Tony Washington
Darron Lee 1	SLB	ILB	Rodney Hardrick
Curtis Grant	MLB	ILB	Joe Walker
Joshua Perry 4	WLB	OLB	Tyson Coleman
Doran Grant 4	CB		Chris Seisay
Eli Apple 1	CB		Troy Hill
Vonn Bell 2	S		Erick Dargan
Tyvis Powell	S		Reggie Daniels

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP ORE OSU 1 12:21 11 75 2:39 ORE Keanon Lowe 7-yard touchdown reception from Marcus Mariota, Aidan Schneider kick good 7 0 1 4:36 10 97 3:16 OSU Ezekiel Elliott 33-yard touchdown run, Sean Nuernberger kick good 7 7 1 1:08 4 46 1:27 OSU Nick Vannett 1-yard touchdown reception from Cardale Jones, Sean Nuernberger kick good 7 14 2 4:49 6 49 2:16 OSU Cardale Jones 1-yard touchdown run, Sean Nuernberger kick good 7 21 2 0:48 12 66 4:01 ORE 26-yard field goal by Aidan Schneider 10 21 3 11:23 1 70 0:10 ORE Byron Marshall 70-yard touchdown reception from Marcus Mariota, Aidan Schneider kick good 17 21 3 6:39 6 17 1:42 ORE 23-yard field goal by Aidan Schneider 20 21 3 0:00 12 75 6:39 OSU Ezekiel Elliott 9-yard touchdown run, Sean Nuernberger kick good 20 28 4 9:44 9 76 4:13 OSU Ezekiel Elliott 2-yard touchdown run, Sean Nuernberger kick good 20 35 4 0:28 5 14 2:17 OSU Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard touchdown run, Sean Nuernberger kick good 20 42 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 20 42

Statistics

Statistics	ORE	OSU
First downs	20	28
Plays–yards	71–465	84–538
Rushes–yards	33–132	61–296
Passing yards	333	242
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	24–38–1	16–23–1
Time of possession	22:31	37:29

Individual statistics

Oregon passing
	C/ATT^1	Yds	TD	INT
Marcus Mariota	24/37	333	2	1
Oregon rushing
	Car^2	Yds	TD	LG^3
Thomas Tyner	12	62	0	12
Marcus Mariota	10	39	0	8
Royce Freeman	10	22	0	8
Byron Marshall	1	9	0	9
Oregon receiving
	Rec^4	Yds	TD	LG^3
Byron Marshall	8	169	1	70
Dwayne Stanford	4	61	0	28
Keanon Lowe	3	55	1	28
Evan Baylis	5	25	0	9
Charles Nelson	2	21	0	14
Fozzy Whittaker	1	14	0	8
Thomas Tyner	2	2	0	3

Ohio State passing
	C/ATT^1	Yds	TD	INT
Cardale Jones	16/23	242	1	1
Ohio State rushing
	Car^2	Yds	TD	LG^3
Ezekiel Elliott	36	246	4	33
Cardale Jones	21	38	1	17
Curtis Samuel	1	6	0	6
Corey Smith	1	3	0	3
Jalin Marshall	2	3	0	5
Ohio State receiving
	Rec^4	Yds	TD	LG^3
Corey Smith	2	76	0	50
Michael Thomas	4	53	0	23
Jalin Marshall	5	52	0	26
Devin Smith	1	45	0	45
Nick Vannett	2	9	1	8
Curtis Samuel	1	8	0	8
Ezekiel Elliott	1	-1	0	-1

¹Completions/attempts
²Carries
³Long gain
⁴Receptions

Broadcasting

The game was televised by ESPN with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit as English commentators, and Heather Cox and Tom Rinaldi as English sideline reporters and on ESPN Deportes with Eduardo Varela and Pablo Viruega as Spanish commentators. ESPN revived the Megacast coverage it had employed during the 2014 BCS National Championship Game: other ESPN networks (including ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPNU, and ESPN3) supplemented coverage with analysis and additional perspectives of the game.^[20]

Approximately 33.4 million watched the game.^[21] The game set a cable television record for ratings, receiving an 18.5 Nielsen rating.^[22]

The game was broadcast on nationwide radio by ESPN Radio with Mike Tirico and Todd Blackledge on the call, with Holly Rowe and Joe Schad on the sidelines. Locally, the game was broadcast on radio by the Oregon IMG Sports Network flagshiped by KUGN (NewsTalk 590) in Eugene, Oregon with Jerry Allen (play-by-play) and Mike Jorgensen (color commentator), and by the Ohio State IMG Sports Network flagshiped by WBNS-AM (1460 ESPN Columbus) and WBNS-FM (97.1 The Fan) in Columbus, Ohio with Paul Keels (play-by-play), Jim Lachey (color commentator) and Marty Bannister on the sidelines.

Aftermath

Following the game, fans took to the streets of Columbus, Ohio, to celebrate. Fans tore down a temporary goalpost at Ohio Stadium.^[23] 89 fires were reported, and members of the Columbus Police Department used tear gas to disperse crowds.^[24][25]

See also

• College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS

References

1. "SportsCenter on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
2. "College Football Las Vegas Sportsbook Odds, NCAA Football Sports Betting Lines and Point Spreads at VegasInsider.com.". VegasInsider.com. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
3. Smith, Troy L. (January 12, 2015). "Lady Antebellum to sing national anthem at tonight's college football championship game". cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
4. Keri Potts (December 29, 2014). "New Year’s Six Bowls and College Football Playoff on ESPN Networks: A Recap". ESPN MediaZone. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
5. Gabriela Nunez (December 22, 2014). "ESPN Deportes Airs Inaugural College Football Playoff Semifinals and National Championship". ESPN MediaZone. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
6. McMurphy, Brett (October 4, 2013). "Arlington to host title game". ESPN. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
7. "Final 2014 Associated Press poll has Alabama in top five as Ohio State claims title". AL.com. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
8. "Final 2014 football coaches poll includes another top-5 finish for Alabama". AL.com. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
9. "Cowboys Stadium site of 2015 national championship game". April 24, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
10. "Arlington to host title game". ESPN. January 7, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
11. College Football Playoff unveils Playoff Premium packages, College Football Playoff, January 29, 2014
12. Rovell, Darren (January 20, 2014). "Premium seats to come at a price". ESPN. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
13. College Football Playoff Announces Random Ticket Drawing for 2015 National Championship Game, College Football Playoff, January 13, 2014
14. Ana Livia Coelho, ESPN Announces Dr Pepper as the First-Ever Presenting Sponsor of the New College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy, ESPN MediaZone, March 25, 2014
15. Frank Pallotta (January 12, 2015). "ESPN's $7.3 billion bet on college football playoff pays off". CNNMoney. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
16. College Playoff Factsheet, College Football Playoff, January 2014
17. Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, College Football Playoff, January 21, 2014
18. http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/m-footbl/2014-two-deep.pdf
19. http://www.goducks.com/pdf9/3083651.pdf
20. Everything you need to know about ESPN’s CFP Megacast - Awful Announcing, Matt Yoder, January 9, 2015
21. Chicago Tribune (January 13, 2015). "New college football playoff draws larger TV audience for title game". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
22. "College Football Playoff championship between Ohio State and Oregon delivers highest-ever cable TV rating - Columbus - Columbus Business First". Columbus Business First. January 13, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
23. "Ohio State Football Revelers Set Fires, Tear Down Goal Post « CBS Detroit". Retrieved January 13, 2015.
24. "Ohio State Football Revelers Set Fires, Tear Down Goal Post « CBS Detroit". Retrieved January 13, 2015.
25. Josh Jarman. "Tear gas disperses revelers around campus after Ohio State win". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 13, 2015.