Written by Nic Fraraccio
With bowl season upon us, I figured it would be a perfect time to tell the story of a forgotten hero in college football.
The 2014-15 college football season was a historic time for students and fans across the nation. The inaugural College Football Playoff (CFP) was set to shake up the world of sports.
One team faced an impossible road to the CFP, and they were led by the most unexpected hero.
Our story begins in Columbus, Ohio, as the No. 6 University of Ohio State was hosting the University of Michigan in the biggest rivalry game in college football history. It was the beginning of the fourth quarter, and the Buckeyes led 28-21.
On the first play of the quarter, freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett went down with a gruesome leg injury. It was a brutal moment for Ohio State. Barrett was already taking the place of the injured senior quarterback Braxton Miller.
The Buckeyes were forced to bring in their third-string quarterback, sophomore Cardale Jones. Despite winning the heated matchup by a score of 42-28, the players and fans were heartbroken for Barrett.
However, the Buckeyes still had work to do. They were set to face No. 13 University of Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship game. If Ohio State wanted a chance to play in the CFP, the battle against the Badgers was a must-win.
No one knew how Jones would fare in his first collegiate start. The Cleveland native had the weight of Ohio on his shoulder, and he did not look back. Jones threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns in the 59-0 victory over Wisconsin.
It was mind-blowing — a third-string quarterback making a defense look silly in the air and on the ground. After his third touchdown pass, commentator Gus Johnson gave fans a memorable call: “12-gauge baby!”
Jones’ impressive throwing arm being compared to a gun went viral on social media.
A star was born, but how long would he shine under the intense pressure of a national championship run?
The dominant performance was enough for Ohio State to sneak into the playoff as the fourth seed. The semi-finals were ready, and Ohio State was set to take on the No. 1 seeded University of Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Ohio State entered the matchup as a heavy underdog with many believing the Alabama defense was too much to handle for Jones.
The Buckeyes hung with the Crimson Tide the entire game despite Jones only completing 51 percent of his passes.
Despite the struggles, Jones and sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliott always found a way to pull through in the clutch moments. Both players would give all they had for every first down in their battle against the Crimson Tide.
It did not matter which team was better on paper that day. The Buckeyes wanted it more, and Jones was a big factor in Ohio State’s swagger.
Ohio State defeated Alabama by a final score of 42-35. As the team lifted the Sugar Bowl trophy, the shock of beating the No. 1 team in the nation quickly shifted to pure confidence.
Jones did not look like a third-string quarterback when he led the Buckeyes one step closer to ultimate glory.
One game would decide it all. The Buckeyes would face No. 2 University of Oregon in the College Football National Championship.
Unlike the Sugar Bowl, the Buckeyes were slight favorites heading into the biggest game of Jones’ career.
As a Buckeyes fan, I had no worries as the game kicked off. I knew that Jones and Ezekiel Elliott would run all over the Ducks. And guess what? That is exactly what they did.
The duo combined for 284 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The Buckeyes never looked shaken during their 42-20 victory against the Ducks.
It was done. The Buckeyes were national champions. The players rushed the field in shock.
Jones had the biggest smile on his face as players and coaches surrounded him with pure joy. Every player lifted the CFP championship trophy with applause from the Buckeye faithful.
When Jones lifted the trophy, it was the loudest applause of the night. Jones was on top of the college football world.
His story began with many thinking the season was over for the Buckeyes. For Jones, his story and season were just getting started.
Leaving no questions unturned, Jones beat the odds, becoming a national champion and an unlikely hero. The story of 12-gauge will never be forgotten.
