The game unfortunately went the way I thought it would go. Coaches are huge in these games. Meyer just knows how to prepare for the big games. And again...there is doubt that the Oregon "system" can win the big game. If Mariota can't get them a win...who can?
I will say that the new championship format was a huge success. If there wasn't a final four, OSU wouldn't have had a chance to prove they are the best. Other than TCU....no one can complain about the winner. I do think that 8 is the right number to be in the playoffs.
I mean, Oregon DID beat FSU in the semifinals. I think that was sort of a big game.
I think OSU was just more talented. Bigger lines. Ezekiel Elliott was totally unstoppable. Even Cardale Jones escaped sack after sack after sack, and the OSU WR's didn't drop the big passes like Oregon did. I don't think it was much more complicated than that.
If you look at the recruiting rankings, OSU has far outdone pretty much anybody but Alabama, so it's not shocking that bigger, better athletes win games. I promise you Oregon doesn't have a 3rd sring QB like Cardale Jones on their roster.