Though most view the 2015 Rose Bowl as a battle between potential top NFL picks, Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston represent only a fraction of what will determine the College Football Playoff semifinal's outcome.
The quarterbacks may be the most important players, but both Florida State and Oregon boast deep rosters that can win even when the signal-callers aren't at their best.
Indeed, based on Football Outsiders' Fremeau Efficiency Index (FEI), both teams possess top-six offenses buttressed by top-20 defenses.
The 13-0 Seminoles and 12-1 Ducks underperformed at times for varying reasons—the former because of complacency, the latter due to injuries—but with one loss between them, both squads can make legitimate claims as the national championship favorite.
Diving deeper into the talent beyond Mariota and Winston, let's take a look at three matchups that could determine this game's outcome, while also predicting which team holds the upper hand.
Rashad Greene (WR, FSU) vs. Troy Hill (CB, Oregon)
Mariota may be the Ducks' most prominent and important player, but potential first-round cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu wasn't far behind. With Ekpre-Olomu out due to a debilitating knee injury, senior Troy Hill now steps up as the leader of the Ducks' secondary.
With many opponents avoiding Oregon's top corner, Hill has established himself as a worthy complement opposite Ekpre-Olomu with a team-high 16 pass breakups this season.
Now, he'll take on the role of shadowing Florida State's top target, Rashad Greene, a challenge unlike any he has faced this season:
Greene led the 'Noles with 93 catches, 1,306 receiving yards and seven touchdowns en route to a first-team All-ACC selection. Though the 6'1", 180-pound receiver is not quite like Winston's last top target, the mammoth Kelvin Benjamin, Greene actually outproduced Benjamin's 2013 numbers in receptions and yards.
Moreover, Greene has been Winston's favorite target in crunch-time situations, having caught crucial fourth-quarter touchdowns against Oklahoma State and Clemson, as well as a pair of scores in the ACC Championship Game against Georgia Tech.
According to Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel, Winston himself has acknowledged that the underachieving Seminoles would likely not be in the CFP if not for Greene:
Hill has matured this season and seems ready for the shadow duties that come with being a true No. 1 corner. However, given Greene's route-running polish and the quick passing concepts Florida State utilizes to get the ball in his hands, look for the Seminoles' top target to still carry his fair share of the offense.
Edge: Florida State
Terrance Smith and Reggie Northrup (LBs, FSU) vs. Royce Freeman (RB, Oregon)
Smith and Northrup form the core of Florida State's linebacking unit, as the two juniors are the elder statesmen on a unit without a senior.
Northrup and Smith led the Seminoles with 113 and 84 tackles, respectively, with the two combining for 8.5 tackles for loss. The former landed on the All-ACC second team, while the latter was a third-teamer.
However, Oregon's offensive pace coupled with Freeman's burst presents a challenge unlike anything the Seminoles have encountered. The true freshman seized control of the Ducks' backfield this season after Thomas Tyner went down with injuries.
Indeed, while Oregon has typically featured an egalitarian backfield in recent years, Freeman dominated the touches in 2014. He carried the ball 230 times this year, while no other back had more than 88 carries.
Moreover, the 229-pound Freeman is an extremely balanced runner, with both the size to bowl over smaller collegiate linebackers as well as the speed and vision necessary to find holes in Oregon's spread sets.
Since taking over primary backfield duties, Freeman has notched at least 98 rushing yards in eight consecutive games, averaging 119.1 yards per game during that stretch.
Florida State had its share of issues against Georgia Tech in the conference championship game, conceding 331 rushing yards on 5.6 yards per carry to the Yellow Jackets. Plenty of teams have had problems with that triple-option attack, but the Seminoles did struggle against other premier backs like Duke Johnson and Michael Dyer during the season.
Moreover, Safid Deen of the Tallahassee Democrat reports Smith is still nursing a knee injury that hampered him against Georgia Tech:
As such, it seems difficult to expect the Seminoles to contain Freeman. Florida State can still win defensively if their athletic secondary limits Mariota downfield, but that might mean giving up plenty of small victories on the ground.
Edge: Oregon
Mario Edwards, Jr. (DE, FSU) vs. Jake Fisher (LT, Oregon)
Junior defensive end Edwards is the most heralded player on the Florida State front seven, with a team-high 11 tackles for loss and three sacks this season.
At the Rose Bowl on January 1, Edwards will face off against Oregon's most reliable lineman, senior left tackle Jake Fisher.
Despite his lack of high sack totals, Edwards is arguably the defense's most versatile and disruptive player, with the ability to drop into coverage as a "Jack" linebacker while also setting the edge in run support. Edwards was Florida State's best defender in the national championship game last season, when he notched three tackles for loss and a sack.
ESPN's Marty Smith notes that, as the leader of the front seven, Edwards has been vocal about the disrespect Florida State has received this season:
Meanwhile, Fisher has shifted across from right to left tackle as injuries have taken their toll on the Ducks' offensive line. The senior himself missed two games, during which Oregon conceded an eye-opening 12 sacks.
Indeed, Jason Quick of The Oregonian (h/t Ken Goe of The Oregonian) believes that Fisher deserves consideration as the Ducks' MVP, despite Mariota's Heisman Trophy-winning season:
While many fans don't focus on line play, this is arguably the game's best individual matchup. Keep an eye on Mariota's blind side because Edwards' ability to penetrate the backfield and Fisher's ability to hold up against an athletically superior opponent may determine this game's outcome.
Slight Edge: Florida State