When Oregon and Ohio State face off for the national title Monday night, two of the nation's top quarterbacks will be squaring off. Marcus Mariota and Cardale Jones may have taken widely different routes to get to this stage, but they each have the opportunity to record an historic victory for their programs.
3 things to know about Marcus Mariota and Cardale Jones, National Championship QBs
The title game’s two quarterbacks got here in very different ways.
It could be the last opportunity to do so for each: Mariota is widely expected to leave for a high NFL Draft pick after this season, while former third-stringer Jones could have to battle in order to hang onto his starting job.
1. One won the Heisman ...
That would be Oregon’s Mariota, who finally won the award in his third-year running the Ducks’ high-octane offense. It seemed like destiny from early on this season, and Mariota’s numbers (along with his team’s success) proved too much to ignore. He’s passed for 4,121 yards this year, with 40 touchdowns through the air and 15 on the ground against just three interceptions. Mariota became the first Heisman winner in program history as a result -- here are some dumb puns about the win and his speech.
2. ... and the other started the year as a third-stringer
Jones entered the season behind Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett on the quarterback depth chart at Ohio State, and likely didn't expect to play much at all this season.
Miller entered the season as a Heisman favorite before suffering a year-ending injury, while Barrett became a Heisman candidate with his strong play during the season. Barrett ended up with a season-ending injury of his own during the regular season finale against Michigan.
Jones, the big dual-threat with the cannon arm, led the Buckeyes to wins over Wisconsin and Alabama in the Big Ten Championship Game and Sugar Bowl semifinal, respectively. He's also been having quite a bit of fun leading up to the game.
3. They were both three-star recruits
Both players are surrounded by blue-chip talent, but weren’t all that highly rated coming out of high school. Mariota was largely ignored by scouts and major schools alike coming out of Hawai’i, receiving his only other scholarship offer from Memphis. Jones was a three-star recruit out of Glenville (Ohio), and was a three-star recruit again out of Fork Military Prep. He committed to Ohio State on both occasions.
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