Everyone remembers the confetti, but nobody expected it. If you were watching college football in September 2014, you probably thought the 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was dead in the water. They were. Or they should have been. Urban Meyer’s squad had just lost to a mediocre Virginia Tech team at home, and their star quarterback was a redshirt freshman who looked, frankly, overwhelmed.
That season didn't just defy the odds. It broke the math.
We’re talking about a team that lost its Heisman-contender quarterback, Braxton Miller, before the first snap of the season. Then they lost his replacement, J.T. Barrett, right before the postseason. By the time they hit the first-ever College Football Playoff, they were starting a guy named Cardale Jones who hadn't started a game in years. It was absurd. It’s the kind of story that, if you wrote it as a movie script, a producer would tell you to tone it down because it feels too fake.
The Night the Season Almost Died
The Virginia Tech game is the anchor for this entire story. On September 6, 2014, the Hokies walked into Ohio Stadium and played a "Bear" cover-0 defense that completely stifled J.T. Barrett. Ohio State lost 35-21. Fans were calling for changes. The national media dropped them out of the conversation. Most people figured Michigan State would cruise to the Big Ten title and the Buckeyes would spend the winter at some second-tier bowl game in Florida.
But something weird happened in the locker room. Urban Meyer later noted that this loss forced the young offensive line—the "Slobs," as they called themselves—to grow up instantly. Taylor Decker, Pat Elflein, and Billy Price weren't stars yet. They were just kids getting pushed around. That loss was the catalyst.
They started winning. A lot. They put up 50 on Cincinnati, 56 on Rutgers, and then the turning point: a double-overtime gut check at Penn State. If they lose that game in Happy Valley, the 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes football team is just a footnote. Instead, Joey Bosa ended the game by literally pushing a running back into the quarterback for a walk-off sack.
The Cardale Jones Factor and the 59-0 Miracle
You can't talk about this team without talking about the tragedy that struck during Michigan week. The disappearance and subsequent death of walk-on Kosta Karageorge cast a massive shadow over the program. It was a heavy, emotional time for a group of 20-year-olds. On top of that, J.T. Barrett broke his ankle against the Wolverines.
Enter Cardale Jones.
"12 Gauge" had a massive arm and zero starts. Most experts thought Wisconsin would steamroll Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship. The Buckeyes were 4-point underdogs.
They won 59-0.
It was a demolition. Ezekiel Elliott started a three-game run that might be the greatest stretch by a running back in the history of the sport. Devin Smith was catching deep balls like he was playing against a high school JV squad. That win forced the Playoff Committee's hand. They jumped TCU and Baylor to grab the #4 spot. People were furious. They said Ohio State didn't belong.
Shattering the SEC Myth in New Orleans
The Sugar Bowl against Alabama was the "real" National Championship for many. Nick Saban vs. Urban Meyer. The SEC behemoth vs. the Big Ten "weaklings."
Alabama took an early 21-6 lead. It looked like the blowout everyone predicted. But then, the Buckeyes started chipping away. One of the most iconic plays in school history happened right before the half: a trick play where wide receiver Evan Spencer threw a touchdown pass to Michael Thomas, who managed to get a toe down in the end zone.
The momentum shifted.
Ezekiel Elliott’s 85-yard run through the heart of the South is burned into the memory of every Buckeye fan. He finished that game with 230 yards. Alabama’s defense, filled with NFL talent, looked tired. They looked human. Ohio State won 42-35, and suddenly, the "Cardale Jones can't win the big one" narrative was incinerated.
The National Championship and the Legacy of the 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Team
By the time they reached Arlington to play Oregon, the Buckeyes felt inevitable. Oregon had the Heisman winner in Marcus Mariota. They had the "Blur" offense. None of it mattered.
The 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes football team turned the ball over four times in that game. Under normal circumstances, you lose that game by 30 points. But the defense, led by Vonn Bell, Darron Lee, and Joshua Perry, held firm. And Ezekiel Elliott? He ran for 246 yards and four touchdowns.
They won 42-20.
It was the school’s eighth national title, but it felt different. It was the first one of the Playoff era. It was a team that used three different starting quarterbacks to win 14 games.
Why This Team Still Matters Today
When you look back at the roster, it's actually insane how much NFL talent was on that field. You had Joey Bosa, Michael Thomas, Ezekiel Elliott, Marshon Lattimore (who was a freshman), and Eli Apple. This wasn't just a "lucky" team. It was an elite collection of talent that finally figured out how to play together after an early-season disaster.
They proved that the Big Ten could compete at the highest level again. Before 2014, the conference was the laughingstock of the BCS era. This team changed the perception of Midwest football.
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Key Stats from the Championship Run
- Ezekiel Elliott: 696 rushing yards over the final three games (Wisconsin, Alabama, Oregon).
- Cardale Jones: 3-0 as a starter, winning a conference title, a Sugar Bowl, and a National Title.
- The Defense: Forced 33 turnovers throughout the season.
People often forget that J.T. Barrett was actually a Heisman finalist before he got hurt. He accounted for 45 touchdowns that year. The fact that the team didn't miss a beat when he went down speaks to the coaching job done by Meyer and offensive coordinator Tom Herman. It was a perfect storm of preparation and raw athleticism.
Honestly, we might never see a run like that again. The 12-team playoff format starting in the 2020s makes it easier to get in, but the gauntlet of beating three straight top-ranked teams with a third-string quarterback is a feat that stays in the "once in a lifetime" category.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Historians and Fans
If you want to truly understand the modern era of Ohio State football, you have to study the 2014 season. It set the standard for recruiting and developmental success in Columbus.
- Watch the "85 Yards Through the Heart of the South" film. It’s a masterclass in zone blocking by the offensive line.
- Analyze the 2014 Big Ten Championship game. It remains the most complete performance by an underdog in a high-stakes game.
- Look at the 2016 NFL Draft. See how many players from this 2014 squad were taken in the first two rounds. It explains why they were able to overcome so many injuries.
- Study Urban Meyer’s "Power of the Unit" philosophy. This season was the ultimate case study in that leadership style.
The 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes football team didn't just win a trophy; they validated an entire region's brand of football. They showed that a loss in September isn't a death sentence if you have the depth to survive and the will to evolve.