For both teams, 16 seconds could decide a play, a title

DALLAS » Sixteen seconds.

The time it takes to send a text. To pour a beer.

Or, maybe, decide a national championship today.

It is also the time in which quarterback Marcus Mariota and the University of Oregon football team can line up and get an offensive play off.

Which is why the three-hour plus inaugural College Football Playoff championship game boils down to a series of 16-second hurry-up challenges for Ohio State.

Forget grand stratagems and convoluted X’s and O’s. "The biggest thing is just getting lined up," Buckeyes All-America defensive tackle Michael Bennett said. "No matter what the situation, you get lined up and you get the call and you put your hand in the ground. With Oregon, whether you are ready or not, you need to focus on the next play and put your hand on the ground," Bennett said.

It took its toll on a wheezing Florida State defensive line in Oregon’s 59-20 Rose Bowl victory.

Ohio State All-America defensive end Joey Bosa said, "It is a big problem — and it has been a problem for every team they faced" in the 13-1 march to this meeting with the Buckeyes.

"(Florida State) was in the game all the way to halftime and in the third quarter they started falling out of it," Bosa said. ‘They were exhausted. The D-line wasn’t really playing hard at all and that showed us that we really need to get in shape for this game and we need to hurry up and get to the ball and line up."

Which is why Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has made "hand in the dirt in 16 seconds" something of a mantra in the 11 days between the Buckeyes’ Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama and this game.

"Tempo offense is really hard, but tempo offense with an average player is not that hard," Meyer said. "He (Mariota) is the one that keeps the chains moving, and that’s when tempo gets you."

It is a calculated difference maker for the Ducks, especially with Mariota and three-time All-Pac-12 center Hroniss Grasu running it. Which is a large part of why Oregon is No. 2 in the country in points per game (47.2) and has outscored opponents 311-158 in the second half.

At Sunday’s press conference Meyer was asked what the Buckeyes have done to prepare for that tempo. Before Meyer could answer, Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, who was sitting next to him, interjected, "Be specific, please."

To which Meyer replied, "Without getting into too much detail … next question."

Nevertheless, Ohio State players said coaches have put a premium on conditioning. Some linemen have been asked to drop weight. A shot clock has been employed in practice. And they suggested that defensive calls have been streamlined. All in an effort to have the Buckeyes ready and alert when Mariota summons the snap.

In addition, Ohio State is expected to put added emphasis on its running game to keep the ball away from Oregon as long as possible.

"We’ve been running a lot more and hurrying in practice, so that’s definitely helped us get in shape … these last four practices we’ve been in hurry-up periods," Bosa said. "It’s definitely tough, but it has been working. We have to do a good job of getting lined up and not showing we’re tired even if we are, just looking like we’re ready to go."

Especially when a national title can slip away in 16 seconds.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.