Buckeyes Win Title With Big Assist from Unsung Hero

THE Ohio State Buckeyes won the National Championship last night against the Oregon Ducks. Still trying to digest it and all the excitement that goes with it. The Buckeyes win was one that will sit with us for a long time. We will remember that our team was the first Undisputed National Champs from the first College Football Playoffs.

While OSU dominated the game, and the final scoreboard, the game was well within reach all the way into the start of the 4th quarter. A win yesterday was not easy, even with the final score of 42 – 20.

For the Buckeyes there is an unsung hero that we want to shine some light on: Eli Apple. Apple, the redshirt freshman from New Jersey, was a vital part of the Ohio State win. The 6’1″ cornerback was not only good, not perfect, in coverage against the Oregon fast paced attack but he also was his usual self in run support.

Yet it wasn’t his steady play or 7 total tackles that makes him the Buckeyes unsung hero. It isn’t even his game ending interception of Heisman Trophy Winner Marcus Mariota. All of that was great and the INT was a great way to end the game for the Buckeyes defense.

The play that stands out as the most important play came with about 8 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. We will set it up for you. Cardale Jones made his second young player mistake, the fumble on the Zone Read was his first, and fumbled the ball before getting hit. Arik Armstead recovered that fumble at the 23 yard line and the Ducks were looking to score quickly.

At that point the Buckeyes were clinging to a 4 point advantage, 21 – 17, and had lost a ton of momentum as the Ducks had just scored on a 1 play, 70 yard drive to get the game close.

The Ducks moved the ball down to the 6 yard line and were facing 3rd and 4 at the 6. Mariota was able to make a little time and fired a riffle pass to Evan Baylis, his tight end, in the back of the endzone. Baylis caught the ball cleanly, jumping straight up to catch it. It looked like he would come down in bounds and the Ducks would have the lead.

That is where our unsung hero, Eli Apple, came in. Apple then shoved Baylis so hard that he wasn’t able to get either of his feet in bounds, the college rule is just 1 foot in. Instead of the lead and all the momentum, the Ducks were forced to kick a field goal and the Bucks controlled the lead 21 – 20.

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The Buckeyes scored on their next possession and never looked back. Yet what would have happened if Apple didn’t make the play to get Baylis out of bounds. What if he went for the ball instead? What if he gave up as Baylis caught the ball? What if he didn’t put in that extra rep in practice or the weight room that allowed him to make that play?

Anything could have happened. The Ducks would have had all the momentum, scoring 14 points in a quick amount of time. QB Jones would have had a load of pressure on his shoulders to try to lead the team back. The fans would have been quiet.

Thanks to Eli Apple that didn’t. He is the unsung hero of the Buckeyes win.

Who else do you think is an unsung hero from the Buckeyes win and National Title?

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