3 reasons why Ohio State will win the College Football Playoff

The Ohio State Buckeyes have defied common sense all season.

After all, it was the youngest team in the FBS, returning only six starters from last year. The Buckeyes faced enormous road tests against Wisconsin and Oklahoma and they played in what became college football's best division.

And yet, Ohio State found a way back into the college football playoffs.

It's a tremendous testament to Urban Meyer, his staff, and the leadership of this team. The Buckeyes played four top 10 caliber teams, beating three of them. They had the best resume for a non-conference champion this season. Now, the young Bucks head to the Fiesta Bowl to do battle with Clemson.

Here are three reasons why Ohio State can replicate its 2014 success.

The Buckeyes are battle tested

The Buckeyes had a demanding schedule, facing the likes of Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Penn State, Nebraska - who seemed to face-plant as the season progressed - and Michigan. Ohio State had to grow up on the big stage in hostile environments. Due to this, playing in high-pressure environments is becoming the norm for this young squad.

What's more, winning tight games against the Badgers and the Wolverines are confidence-builders, sharpening the psyche of the Buckeyes. Because they have played and beaten some of the nation's best teams, they know what it takes to finish games. They developed that heart, maturity, and unity needed to thrive in difficult situations.

The Silver Bullets are opportunistic

Championship teams need an unrelenting defense that not only wreaks havoc on opponents, but forces mistakes and capitalizes on them. The Silver Bullets are masters of that. Against Michigan, they forced three turnovers, which was a season high for the Wolverines. Those turnovers proved to be the deciding factor in that contest and could play a huge role in the games to come.

Ohio State is fourth nationally in passes intercepted with 19 for the season; it is fifth in red-zone defense with a .722 percentage and it is 10th nationally in third-down defense with opponents converting just 30 percent of their attempts. The Silver Bullets have come up with big plays time and time again this season. Their reliability is a huge strength as the Buckeyes head into the playoffs.

Urban Meyer motivation

There's a reason why Meyer is one of college football's best coaches. He recruits well, he develops them, but most important, he develops a championship culture his players commit to. The results have been incredible: Meyer has only lost one postseason game since 2007 and that was to Clemson, according to ESPN's Brian Bennett.

Meyer is well-aware of what his team can accomplish, after all, it was here two years ago. He can motivate them to play with that chip on their shoulders, knowing there are many who don't think the Buckeyes deserved the selection since they didn't even play in the Big Ten championship game.

Meyer is the master motivator; he's the ultimate big-game coach, and he will have Ohio State ready for the tremendous challenge it will face in Arizona against Clemson, who is by far one of the nation's best teams.

What the Buckeyes have achieved so far this season is extraordinary when considering how much inexperience they possessed and the high caliber opponents they faced. Yet, they managed to find a way back to the college football playoffs. Now they can prove to the nation that they belong. And it is that motivation when Ohio State is at its most dangerous.