3 reasons Ohio State wins the CFP Championship over Alabama

The Ohio State Buckeyes look to stay undefeated this season and undefeated in College Football Playoff Championship appearances.

The Buckeyes have earned their way into the College Football Playoff Championship for the second time since winning the inaugural CFP Championship in the 2014 season. The Urban Meyer led Buckeyes of 2014 looked to have set the tone for annual College Football Playoff glory after beating the odds in that championship run. However, things took a turn in the following season after they suffered a devastating loss too close to the end of the season which tanked their hopes of a repeat.

That first championship run for the Buckeyes significant not only because of what their team had to overcome, but the teams they had surpass in order to win the title. The Buckeyes were not even supposed to be in the playoff as they had suffered a bad home loss to Virginia Tech early on which all but sealed their fate. The team would go on to win every remaining game on their schedule but yet another obstacle awaited in the final week of the regular season.

Upstart backup quarterback J.T. Barrett had suffered a broken ankle in the fourth quarter of the final game. Barrett had led the Buckeyes to a 10-1 record and was a Heisman Trophy candidate in place of star quarterback Braxton Miller who was injured in the offseason. With hopes already dwindling of potential postseason glory, this certainly looked to end it all. The Buckeyes would then turn to third string quarterback Cardale Jones.

Jones had little experience on the field for the Buckeyes and expectations were modest at best. The Buckeyes were now faced with entering the Big Ten Championship against a solid Wisconsin team with a third string quarterback. Wisconsin was no pushover as they boasted the nation’s rushing leader by far with Melvin Gordon III accruing over 2,500 yards.

The Buckeyes put together their best game all season as they demolished Wisconsin 59-0 in a statement victory. Not only did Jones fill the vacancy, he was rather impressive and proved he was capable of more than just being a replacement. This act of pure dominance was just enough to erase the playoff committee’s doubts about the Buckeyes from the early loss and loss of quarterback. At this point, the Buckeyes were playing with house money which only fueled them even more.

What came next can only be labeled as the most legendary run in College Football Playoff history which may never be surpassed. The Buckeyes were the clear underdog as the lowest seed below three dominant college football powers including Florida State, Oregon, and Alabama. It took no time at all for the Buckeyes to knockout perennial power Alabama Crimson Tide and Nick Saban in a runaway victory and move to the championship.

The Buckeyes had surprised the nation in such a way that it was only right they were the underdog once again in the championship against Oregon. A dominant performance from start to finish was served to Heisman quarterback Marcus Mariota and Oregon as the Buckeyes took the lead in the first quarter and never looked back. This season, the Buckeyes embark on a new chapter with similar intentions.

Ryan Day and Justin Fields are now at the lead. This entire Buckeye season has been motivated by doubt and revenge. From the moment the Buckeyes left the field following their heartbreaking loss in the CFP semi-final last time around, it was clear this season was going to have that vengeful energy.

In many ways, last season could not have ended better for the Buckeyes because it has been everything they’ve needed to make a championship run. Now the Buckeyes have entered the playoff as an underdog once more and are bringing that same energy to the championship. The final chapter to the Buckeyes’ return to greatness saga approaches with the Alabama Crimson Tide standing in their way.