First Posted: 12/7/2014
INDIANAPOLIS — This much is clear: Ohio State has the Big Ten’s best head coach, best offensive coordinator, best third-string quarterback, best skill players and — heck — best band.
This much is unclear: Will that be enough to earn a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff?
To say that the Buckeyes dominated Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game is akin to saying that the Bears have hit a rough patch. The final score: 59-0.
Cardale Jones, the third-stringer who entered the game having attempted just 19 passes, was spectacular: He completed 12 of 17 for 257 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers.
Ohio State’sEzekiel Elliott outrushed soon-to-be-Heisman Trophy finalist Melvin Gordon 220-76. Elliott went for 60 on a fourth-quarter jaunt despite the loss of a shoe.
The game effectively ended with the Badgers trying to run out the clock before halftime. Defensive tackle Michael Bennett stripped Gordon, and Joey Bosa scooped up the loose ball for a 4-yard score that made it 38-0.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt we’re one of the top four teams in America,” Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said.
You could almost envision the Wisconsin fans among the 60,229 at Lucas Oil Stadium turning their red shirts inside-out to join a Buckeyes bandwagon chanting: “WE WANT BAMA! WE WANT BAMA!”
Ohio State hopes to convert 12 more people Sunday.
The selection committee will release its final four Sunday on ESPN, and TV ratings in Columbus promise to be somewhere between Everyone and Almost Everyone.
We know Alabama and Oregon locked up spots. That maddening outfit in Tallahassee sneaked past Georgia Tech in the ACC title game, and it seems inconceivable that the committee would snub a 13-0 Florida State. Nor should it.
For all their flaws, the Seminoles are the defending national champs. And, more to the point, they should get credit for scheduling what had the makings of an imposing threesome: Oklahoma State, Notre Dame and Florida.
So the final spot will be decided among TCU, Baylor and Ohio State. All have one loss.
The ugliest belongs to the Buckeyes, who fell at home to Virginia Tech by two touchdowns. But that occurred in Week 2, before J.T. Barrett — subbing for the injured Braxton Miller — blossomed into a star.
But which team has the most quality victories?
The committee determined last week that TCU’s five trumped Baylor’s three. That’s why TCU was No. 3 in the rankings while Baylor was sixth.
Baylor did take down No. 9 Kansas State in very impressive fashion Saturday, with Bryce Petty completing 34 of 40 throws in the 38-27 victory. So that closes the gap. TCU crushed hapless and hopeless Iowa State 55-3. Baylor and TCU are 11-1.
Well, Ohio State is 12-1 after obliterating a No. 13 Wisconsin team that entered with seven straight victories and a defense that led the nation in forced three-and-outs.
The Buckeyes have beaten three ranked teams (Michigan State, Minnesota, Wisconsin) away from home in the last month.
It’s pretty safe to assume that the Buckeyes would get the support of Badgers coach Gary Andersen. But he wasn’t ready to think about that in the immediate aftermath of his team’s demolition.
“This will sting,” he said. “It’s one thing to get beat but another thing to get beat that way.”
The committee can grind over all three impressive resumes — or take the easy way out. And in this case, the easy way out is the smart way.
The Big 12 does not have a conference title game. That’s why both TCU and Baylor have only one loss.
The Big Ten staged a duel Saturday that turned into a first-round knockout.
Reward Ohio State. Dot the ‘i’ on this evening of domination.
