:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45201144/usa-today-8325780.0.jpg)
What: National Championship
Who: Oregon vs. Ohio State
When: 8:30 p.m. Eastern--TONIGHT!!!!!
How to Watch: ESPN, WatchESPN, and the MEGACAST! I'm sure Godzilla will come and these two will destroy Bristol.
How exciting is this? The first national champion to be determined via a playoff, and we have two pretty cool stories associated with each team. Oregon has been a team building up steam as the season has progressed, and they also boast 2014's Heisman winner in The Magnificent Marcus Mariota. The Buckeyes have faced nothing but adversity at the quarterback position, and have not only been able to overcome, but almost thrive.
More from our team sites
More from our team sites
Speaking of adversity, Oregon is facing some of their own as WR Darren Carrington failed a drug test and will not be available for tonight's game. Devon Allen is also out, so the Ducks are a little less deep at wideout tonight.
It's not all about offense for the Ducks, though; they're going to have to come up with a solid defensive effort if they want to win their first national championship.
Now, Oregon is facing Michigan's mortal enemy tonight, but I was very surprised to see that there is a ton of hate for Ohio State in Eugene. Not that any of us really need advice on hating the Buckeyes, but Addicted to Quack's Dom Pruett has a brilliant hate-filled piece for you to enjoy.
--
Land Grant Holy Land's Brett Ludwiczak has a Big Preview of tonight's game, and it's pretty darn good.
Although ESPN's Mark May doesn't believe Ohio State belongs in the championship (seriously, Mr. May, what the hell is wrong with you?), OSU hockey's Anthony Greco is ready for a win...so that means it's going to happen, right? There's apparently a tiger also rooting for Ohio State.
More from our team sites
More from our team sites
Pete Volk takes a look at just how similar OSU and Oregon are because of Urban Meyer's familiarity with the Ducks.
--
So here we are; after nine years, a national championship will be played without an SEC team. I won't go so far as to say the king is dead, but there is definitely a bit of a shift that is good for college football. And regardless of what people may think of the Big Ten, it's one of our programs that made it.
Some people are all about conference pride and will root for the Buckeyes to win, and others are so anti-OSU that they'll root for Oregon. To be honest, neither faction is wrong. An Ohio State win will go a long way to making a statement on behalf of the Big Ten, and an Oregon win will cause some of us to become engorged on schadenfreude pie. Either way, it just needs to be a good game.
Whether you're rooting for or against Ohio State, do what you do best--comment like this is the most important thread ever, mind the guidelines, and always Go Blue!