College Football 24/7's Bryan Fischer and Chase Goodbread are on-site at AT&T Stadium for tonight's first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship Game between Oregon and Ohio State. Follow along here throughout the night for live in-game updates, analyses, photos and more.
Pre-game
A few shots from AT&T Stadium before kickoff, courtesy of CFB 24/7's Bryan Fischer.
The Buckeyes have arrived at AT&T Stadium pic.twitter.com/dsRWKYUoGF
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 12, 2015
The Ducks have arrived pic.twitter.com/NEPgTDxRYh
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 12, 2015
.@ChaseGoodbread and I have the All-22 angle tonight pic.twitter.com/SjgD0MoZgH
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 12, 2015
Howdy pic.twitter.com/16fL40IPFX
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 12, 2015
Ohio State QB Cardale Jones shows off his arm during pregame warm-ups.
Scouts from seven NFL teams will be in attendance at tonight's game. Among the teams -- the Philadelphia Eagles, whose head coach, Chip Kelly, also is on hand with obvious rooting interests.
Chip Kelly is in the house to watch his Ducks pic.twitter.com/6X8j3ozr4h
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Fans of the Ducks and Buckeyes probably don't need help getting up for tonight's national title game, but the two programs produced hype videos just in case.
First quarter
A critical play on Oregon's first possession just 1:44 into the game, when Marcus Mariota appears to fumble the ball. Replay officials rule that Mariota's knee hit the turf before the ball was jarred loose, and the call is overturned. Oregon retains possession.
Ohio State recovered Mariota’s fumble but that should get reviewed.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Oregon strikes first -- and fast.
Touchdown Oregon. Mariota escapes the rush to find Lowe.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Oregon went 75 yards in 2:39, running a play every 14.5 seconds.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
How breezy was Oregon's opening touchdown drive? Never faced a third down. Moved sticks five times on 2nd down.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Update: Oregon 7, Ohio State 0
Scoring play: Keanon Lowe 7-yard pass from Marcus Mariota
Drive info: 11 plays, 75 yards, 2:39
Time left: 12:21
The matchup between Marcus Mariota vs. Ohio State's defensive line so far has gone in Mariota's favor.
Bennett and Bosa are lining up side by side against the right side of the Ducks OL on most downs. Neither has factored much yet.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Ohio State goes 97 yards, keyed by running back Ezekiel Elliott, to tie the score at 7-7.
Ezekiel Elliott… he gone. Maybe a better run than his long one vs. Alabama.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
#Buckeyes Elliott could be on his way to a 600-yard, three-game postseason. Entered w/ 450 vs. Wisconsin and Alabama.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Update: Oregon 7, Ohio State 7
Scoring play: Ezekiel Elliott 33-yard run
Drive info: 10 plays, 97 yards, 3:16
**Time left: **4:36
Ezekiel Elliott keys another big drive for the Buckeyes, who take a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.
Ohio State had to take advantage of Oregon’s mistakes. Big dropped passes lead to two touchdowns. Elliott is a monster.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Zeke Elliott runs like Fred Taylor
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) January 13, 2015
Update: Ohio State 14, Oregon 7
Scoring play: Nick Vannett 1-yard pass from Cardale Jones
Drive info: 4 plays, 46 yards, 1:27
Time left: 1:08
Second quarter
Ohio State enters the second quarter with a 14-7 lead, which bodes well for Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer.
Last time Urban Meyer led 14-7 at the end of the 1st quarter in a national title game, things turned out ok for him.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
The first turnover of the game -- Ohio State's Cardale Jones fumbles, and it's Oregon ball at midfield early in the second quarter.
Bad handoff by Jones and Oregon recovers.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Big fumble there but the penetration was big, too. Without that, Elliott falls on it.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Oregon goes for it on fourth-and-goal at the 3-yard line, but Thomas Tyner gets stuffed. The Buckeyes get the ball back with 11:10 left in the second quarter.
Stopped. Can’t believe Oregon didn’t take the points.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
A 50-yard pass from Cardale Jones to Corey Smith goes good to bad when Smith fumbles. The Ducks recover and take over at their own 9 with 9:30 left in the half.
Ohio State’s turnovers only thing keeping Oregon in this early on.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Buckeyes offense putting a ton of pressure on the defense with these giveaways.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
457 yards of offense so far between these two, each over 6 yds/play. But drops and turnovers = only 21 points.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Two big plays by Cardale Jones -- a 45-yard pass to Devin Smith, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run two plays later -- put Ohio State up two touchdowns.
Jones has rare size/arm strength and above average touch and mobility. That's a pretty impressive base to build on.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) January 13, 2015
Seemed like Cardale Jones was a lot looser in pre-game warmups than Mariota. He’s certainly playing like a veteran.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Duck luck: Two national title appearances since 2010, and both times, had to face a 6-5, 250-pound QB who could truck a linebacker.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Jones had the first down if he'd tucked, but kept his eyes downfield.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Update: Ohio State 21, Oregon 7
Scoring play: Cardale Jones 1-yard run
Drive info: 6 plays, 49 yards, 2:16
Time left: 4:49
A 12-play drive for Oregon results in three points with less than a minute to go in the half.
Oregon FG is good and it’s 21-10 with 48 seconds left in the half. OSU gets the ball back too.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Update: Ohio State 21, Oregon 10
Scoring play: Aidan Schneider 26-yard field goal
Drive info: 12 plays, 66 yards, 4:01
Time left: 0:48
Quarterback comparison at the half
Marcus Mariota: 18-of-23, 193 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 8 carries, 24 yards, 0 TD
Cardale Jones: 10-of-15, 171 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 12 carries, 48 yards, 1 TD
603 yards of offense on 88 plays in the first half. 21-10 score is same score as last year though.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Third quarter
Buckeyes WR Jalin Marshall bobbles a pass, leading to an interception by Oregon's Danny Mattingly. Ohio State has three turnovers.
Oregon gets a third quarter turnover in freaky fashion… just like the Rose Bowl.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Oregon gets the game-changing play it needs, with Marcus Mariota and Byron Marshall connecting on a 70-yard touchdown. The score was inches away from being a boneheaded mistake by Marshall.
OMG, Oregon just Kaelin Clay’d themselves.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Refs confirm the call, touchdown stands… barely.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Sooner or later one of those Buckeyes turnovers was going to show teeth.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Update: Ohio State 21, Oregon 17
Scoring play: Byron Marshall 70-yard pass from Marcus Mariota
Drive info: 1 play, 70 yards, 0:10
Time left: 11:23
Make it four turnovers by Ohio State, this time a fumble by Cardale Jones. The Ducks recover at the Buckeyes 23-yard line and convert the turnover into a field goal.
There's the Cardale Jones error Oregon has been waiting on.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Update: Ohio State 21, Oregon 20
Scoring play: Aidan Schneider 23-yard field goal
Drive info: 6 plays, 17 yards, 1:42
Time left: 6:39
The Buckeyes head into the fourth quarter with some momentum thanks to Ezekiel Elliott, who barrels into the end zone on the final play of the third.
Elliott: 24 carries, two scores and 203 yards.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Ohio State has two men in the backfield who look like they’re playing against boys.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Update: Ohio State 28, Oregon 20
Scoring play: Ezekiel Elliott 9-yard run
Drive info: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:39
Time left: 0:00
Fourth quarter
Ezekiel Elliott's monster game continues. He scores his third touchdown and has 223 rushing yards, a new record in a national title game. Ohio State has control with 9:44 left.
Against anyone else, that TD is a dagger. Against Oregon, it's more like a leg sweep.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
That might just be it.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Oregon has gone away from the blitz and gotten killed, even on standard passing downs.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 13, 2015
Cardale Jones has had all day to throw at times - another example there.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Update: Ohio State 35, Oregon 20
Scoring play: Ezekiel Elliott 2-yard run
Drive info: 9 plays, 76 yards, 4:13
Time left: 9:44
Oregon punts the ball away on 4th-and-7 at its own 26, trailing 35-20 with 7:47 left. The question now: Can the Ducks' defense stop Ezekiel Elliott?
I would not punt it here. Understand field position, but OSU's last 2 drives wouldn't make me confident about another takeaway.Good call ...
— Charles Davis (@CFD22) January 13, 2015
Elliott slayed Alabama with one second-half run in the Sugar Bowl. He's putting Oregon to a slower death late in this one.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
A fourth rushing touchdown for Ezekiel Elliott seals it for Ohio State with 28 seconds left in the game.
Buckeyes fans will be chanting "Zeke" a lot more next year.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) January 13, 2015
Update: Ohio State 42, Oregon 20
Scoring play: Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run
Drive info: 5 plays, 14 yards, 2:17
Time left: 2:17
Marcus Mariota is intercepted on the final play of the game. Ohio State defeats Oregon to win the CFB Playoff national championship.
Ohio State Buckeyes = NATIONAL CHAMPS! #OREvsOSU pic.twitter.com/2NkpUFeB9e
— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) January 13, 2015
