Seven Storylines to Follow in National Championship Game

How Ohio State, Oregon stack up in BCS title game.

How Ohio State, Oregon Stack Up in National Title Game - The time has finally come. The inaugural College Football Playoff national championship game between No. 2 Oregon and fourth-ranked Ohio State live from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will finally take place Monday night. BET.com breaks down the match up, pointing out crucial story lines to follow. Join our huddle.(Photos from Left: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images, Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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How Ohio State, Oregon Stack Up in National Title Game - The time has finally come. The inaugural College Football Playoff national championship game between No. 2 Oregon and fourth-ranked Ohio State live from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will finally take place Monday night. BET.com breaks down the match up, pointing out crucial story lines to follow. Join our huddle.(Photos from Left: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images, Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Marcus Mariota's Time to Shine - He’s coming off a Heisman Trophy win and 338-passing yard, two-touchdown Rose Bowl performance against Florida State on New Year’s Day. Now, the only thing left for Marcus Mariota to do in his college football career is to lead the Oregon Ducks to victory over Ohio State in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship. It’s truly the junior quarterback’s time to shine and put his stamp all over this game. Doing that would skyrocket his already-high NFL stock. The nation will be watching, Marcus! (Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

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Marcus Mariota's Time to Shine - He’s coming off a Heisman Trophy win and 338-passing yard, two-touchdown Rose Bowl performance against Florida State on New Year’s Day. Now, the only thing left for Marcus Mariota to do in his college football career is to lead the Oregon Ducks to victory over Ohio State in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship. It’s truly the junior quarterback’s time to shine and put his stamp all over this game. Doing that would skyrocket his already-high NFL stock. The nation will be watching, Marcus! (Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Coaching Edge - As good of a coach that Oregon’s Mark Helfrich is, experience is heavily on the side of Ohio State’s Urban Meyer. The veteran head coach has 141 career victories to Helfrich’s 24, having coached the Florida Gators to two BCS National Championship Game wins during the 2006 and 2008 seasons. He has seen it all on the gridiron. Will that experience factor in Monday night?(Photo from left: Brian Bahr/Getty Images, Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Coaching Edge - As good of a coach that Oregon’s Mark Helfrich is, experience is heavily on the side of Ohio State’s Urban Meyer. The veteran head coach has 141 career victories to Helfrich’s 24, having coached the Florida Gators to two BCS National Championship Game wins during the 2006 and 2008 seasons. He has seen it all on the gridiron. Will that experience factor in Monday night?(Photo from left: Brian Bahr/Getty Images, Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Will Absence of Allen and Carrington Hurt Oregon? - If No. 2 Oregon is going to defeat fourth-ranked Ohio State, it’s going to have to do it without Darren Carrington and Devon Allen, their second and third-leading wide receivers, respectively. Allen was injured during the opening kickoff of the Ducks’ Rose Bowl victory on New Year’s Day and Carrington failed a drug test Friday and has been suspended by the NCAA. Marcus Mariota will definitely miss Carrington, who recorded seven receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns at the Rose Bowl. Their absence will hurt the Ducks, but the team is still balanced enough to overcome this lack of firepower.  (Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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Will Absence of Allen and Carrington Hurt Oregon? - If No. 2 Oregon is going to defeat fourth-ranked Ohio State, it’s going to have to do it without Darren Carrington and Devon Allen, their second and third-leading wide receivers, respectively. Allen was injured during the opening kickoff of the Ducks’ Rose Bowl victory on New Year’s Day and Carrington failed a drug test Friday and has been suspended by the NCAA. Marcus Mariota will definitely miss Carrington, who recorded seven receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns at the Rose Bowl. Their absence will hurt the Ducks, but the team is still balanced enough to overcome this lack of firepower.  (Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Can Buckeyes Defense Stifle Mariota? - Ohio State allowed No. 1 Alabama to rack up 35 points, but the Buckeyes defense did pick off Blake Sims three times en route to winning the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. Without two of Oregon's top receiving targets, can Ohio State's defense stifle Marcus Mariota into ill-advised passes? Also keep an eye on the Buckeyes' All-American defensive end, Joey Bosa, to pressure and flush Mariota out of the pocket every chance he gets.  (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

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Can Buckeyes Defense Stifle Mariota? - Ohio State allowed No. 1 Alabama to rack up 35 points, but the Buckeyes defense did pick off Blake Sims three times en route to winning the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. Without two of Oregon's top receiving targets, can Ohio State's defense stifle Marcus Mariota into ill-advised passes? Also keep an eye on the Buckeyes' All-American defensive end, Joey Bosa, to pressure and flush Mariota out of the pocket every chance he gets.  (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

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Can Ezekiel Elliott Run Wild Again? - Ezekiel Elliott had a performance for the ages on January 1, rushing for a Sugar Bowl-record 230 yards with two touchdowns in Ohio State's 42-35 upset of No. 1 Alabama. What will the sophomore running back's encore playoff performance be Monday night? One would figure that even if Elliott has half of that production against Oregon, the Buckeyes would still be in good shape. The Ducks allowed 183 rushing yards and a touchdown on a combined 27 carries between two Florida State University running backs on January 1, so on paper, Elliott has himself an opportunity.(Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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Can Ezekiel Elliott Run Wild Again? - Ezekiel Elliott had a performance for the ages on January 1, rushing for a Sugar Bowl-record 230 yards with two touchdowns in Ohio State's 42-35 upset of No. 1 Alabama. What will the sophomore running back's encore playoff performance be Monday night? One would figure that even if Elliott has half of that production against Oregon, the Buckeyes would still be in good shape. The Ducks allowed 183 rushing yards and a touchdown on a combined 27 carries between two Florida State University running backs on January 1, so on paper, Elliott has himself an opportunity.(Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

How Will Cardale Jones Fare? - All eyes will certainly be on Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota on Monday night. But the other team's quarterback is no slouch, either. With Ohio State starting QB J.T. Barrett having suffered a broken ankle against Michigan on November 29, backup Cardale Jones was thrust into the spotlight. And the Buckeyes new starting quarterback has produced big time, leading them to a 59-0 massacre of Wisconsin and a Big Ten title in his first career start on December 6 and then following that up with a 243-yard passing, one touchdown game in the Sugar Bowl upset of Alabama. Doesn't seem like the national spotlight will affect Jones. We think he should fare pretty well.   (Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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How Will Cardale Jones Fare? - All eyes will certainly be on Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota on Monday night. But the other team's quarterback is no slouch, either. With Ohio State starting QB J.T. Barrett having suffered a broken ankle against Michigan on November 29, backup Cardale Jones was thrust into the spotlight. And the Buckeyes new starting quarterback has produced big time, leading them to a 59-0 massacre of Wisconsin and a Big Ten title in his first career start on December 6 and then following that up with a 243-yard passing, one touchdown game in the Sugar Bowl upset of Alabama. Doesn't seem like the national spotlight will affect Jones. We think he should fare pretty well.   (Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Keep an Eye on Ducks Tight End Evan Baylis - Don't be surprised if Oregon tight end Evan Baylis is a favorite target of Marcus Mariota on Monday night. During the Ducks' Rose Bowl victory, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound sophomore hauled in six receptions for 73 yards and that was with Darren Carrington in the game. Without Carrington nor Devon Allen suiting up for the Ducks, we expect Baylis's numbers to go up with the national title at stake. We could especially see Ohio State doubling up on the Ducks' leading receiver, Byron Marshall, which should only give Baylis more looks and opportunities.

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Keep an Eye on Ducks Tight End Evan Baylis - Don't be surprised if Oregon tight end Evan Baylis is a favorite target of Marcus Mariota on Monday night. During the Ducks' Rose Bowl victory, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound sophomore hauled in six receptions for 73 yards and that was with Darren Carrington in the game. Without Carrington nor Devon Allen suiting up for the Ducks, we expect Baylis's numbers to go up with the national title at stake. We could especially see Ohio State doubling up on the Ducks' leading receiver, Byron Marshall, which should only give Baylis more looks and opportunities.