Tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN the No. 2 Oregon Ducks, led by Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Marcus Mariota, will face off against the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes for the National Championship in a matchup that can be live streamed free by clicking this link. Ducks fans can listen to the game on Sports 750 The Game, while Buckeyes fans can hear their radio broadcast on Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan.
While Ohio State pulled off one of the biggest upsets in college football history by knocking off No. 1 Alabama in the first ever College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes are saying this week has been more businesslike than their nerve-racking intro to an NCAA postseason.
"This is much more of a business trip, this time around," defensive end Joey Bosa said. "Last week we went, we hung out and had some fun. This week it's all about business; no going out, no messing around. We're just preparing."
Alabama may have been the top team in the land entering that matchup, but Oregon's Mariota is the single best player of this season. He has thrown for 4,121 yards, completed 68.6 percent of his pass attempts and thrown 40 touchdowns against only three interceptions. On the ground he has gained 731 yards and found the end zone an additional 15 times.
To no one's surprise, Mariota is the target of Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer's game plan. "Our No. 1 concern is their quarterback," Meyer said. Mariota, in turn, is wary of the Buckeyes versatile defensive front.
"They've got an awesome front seven," Mariota said. "Big, physical guys that really control the line of scrimmage."
The wild card in this equation is Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, who has risen to the occasion under a bright spotlight and is making just his third career start. Jones has tossed six touchdowns and only one interception while winning the Big Ten Championship game and the school's first ever playoff matchup.
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