Ezekiel Elliott Pushes OSU to Victory in CFP Final

The Oregon Ducks knew heading into Monday’s title game that their defense would be challenged by Ohio State’s time-controlling ground game. Their hard-hitting defense wasn’t ready, however, for how hard it would be to keep up with Ezekiel Elliott.

Elliott was an absolute star in the Buckeyes’ 42-20 victory over the Ducks at AT&T Stadium, and he shared the stage with a sturdy defense that kept Marcus Mariota — arguably the best player in college football — from moving the ball down the field as stealthily as he normally can. It came down to who controlled the pace of the game, and Ohio State was in full possession of the play clock.

It wasn’t that Oregon couldn’t rise to the occasion in the quest for their first national title. It wasn’t that they were having an “off night.” We have seen throughout the course of the season how that dominant, explosive style of play that made them successful all season. Oregon was good, but Ohio State was better, and it had a lot to do with UO losing steam as the game wore on.

While the Ducks’ defense competed as mightily as ever, they also burned out from the Buckeyes’ long drives–most noticeably on the drive that put OSU up 27-20. Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich ran to the bench to try to pump a bit of adrenaline into his team, because it was the point in which the game was no longer close, and the Ducks were visibly gased. Not because they weren’t as good of a team as Ohio State, they just didn’t have control of the pace of the game.

(Side note: The difference in the coaches’ demeanor was incredible. Helfrich was a fireball, never allowing the sight of his team getting too down on themselves. At the other end, Urban Meyer did his best Urban Meyer impression: cool as a cucumber, with little-to-no visible change in emotion. That guy knew his team was going to win.)

Even with third string quarterback Cardale Jones turning the ball over and giving control back to Oregon, it took the Ducks until the third turnover before they were able to convert. OSU’s defense was just that good at time management.

Not to say that Mariota had an awful night. He went 24/37, threw for 333 yards and had two touchdowns, and never lost his poise after getting knocked around a good deal. And don’t forget, he went into Monday’s battle without his full arsenal of offensive weapons. Once OSU’s defense was hip to Keanon Lowe and Evan Baylis, Mariota’s options became much more limited.

Give OSU’s defense credit for slowly down the fastest, most “explosive” offense in college football, because after the Ducks’ opening drive, the Buckeyes’ D dialed in and controlled the pace for the rest of the evening.

*Section Photo credit to Paul Moseley, Star-Telegram; Featured Photo (above) credit to Getty Images

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