NCAA Football Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State Buckeyes Prove They Belong in College Football Playoff

Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY SPORTS

Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY SPORTS

There was a bit of controversy when the Ohio State Buckeyes were selected for the College Football Playoff. In Thursday night’s Sugar Bowl, the Buckeyes proved that they truly are one of the best teams in the country.

Ohio State beat the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide 42-35 in the semifinals of the first College Football Playoff on Saturday night, validating the committee’s decision to move the Buckeyes into the fourth position ahead of the Baylor Bears and the TCU Horned Frogs.

The Buckeyes, who suffered only one loss this season, are now in a position to claim another national championship. Ohio State will face the Oregon Ducks on January 12 in the national championship game. Much like college basketball’s March Madness, this game marked a huge upset in college football’s first playoff.

Ohio State dominated Thursday’s game, outgaining Alabama 537-407 in total yardage. Alabama took advantage of Ohio State’s mistakes in the first half to get a pair of easy touchdowns.

But the Buckeyes cleaned things up in the second half, leading by as many as 14 in the fourth quarter. Third-string quarterback Cardale Jones played well, leading the Ohio State offense to a big game against one of the best defenses in the country.

Head coach Urban Meyer deserves a ton of credit for what he has done this season. He lost starting quarterback Braxton Miller in the preseason, then lost second-string quarterback J.T. Barrett late in the season. Yet his team is now in position to claim a national championship, which is amazing.

Ohio State proved on Thursday that they belong in the playoff. And their matchup with Oregon will be intriguing, to say the least.

Tim Letcher is a contributing writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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