Ranking every year of the CFP four-team era
By Josh Yourish
490. . 2015. 7. 2015. Rose Bowl. Sugar Bowl. 2015. player.
- National Championship: Ohio State 42 Oregon 20
- Rose Bowl: No. 2 Oregon 59 No. 3 Florida State 20
- Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Ohio State 42 No. 1 Alabama 35
The first College Football Playoff was certainly a success, but it didn’t produce any all-time classic games. The best was Ohio State’s Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. The Buckeyes went into the game with Cardale Jones, their third-stringer, at quarterback.
Jones went 18/35 for 243 yards and a touchdown with one pick, but Ezekiel Elliot stole the show. The sophomore running back went for 230 yards and two scores on 20 carries.
Ohio State led 21-20 after Michael Thomas caught a touchdown pass with 13 seconds remaining before the half. The Buckeyes struck for two more touchdowns to open the third quarter including a pix-six by Steve Miller to extend their lead to 34-21 and it proved to be insurmountable for Blake Sims and Alabama.