2015 College Football Playoff

The 2015 Sugar Bowl, played on January 1, 2015, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, served as a College Football Playoff semifinal and delivered one of the defining games of the playoff era, as the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes stunned No. 1 Alabama 42-35. In a physical, high-stakes clash between two storied programs, Ohio State overcame an early deficit and a wave of skepticism to hand Alabama a rare postseason defeat and secure its place in the inaugural CFP National Championship.

The 2015 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 2015, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, was the first-ever College Football Playoff semifinal and saw the No. 2 Oregon Ducks overpower the No. 3 Florida State Seminoles 59-20 in a second-half explosion that brought an end to Florida State’s 29-game winning streak and marked a changing of the guard in college football. Led by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, Oregon advanced to the first CFP National Championship Game with a performance that blended speed, efficiency, and opportunism

The 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship, played on January 12, 2015, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, marked the conclusion of the inaugural College Football Playoff era—and delivered a championship performance for the ages. The No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes, behind third-string quarterback Cardale Jones, a relentless offensive line, and a legendary effort from running back Ezekiel Elliott, defeated the No. 2 Oregon Ducks 42-20 to win their first national title since 2002 and the first under head coach Urban Meyer.