TCU and Baylor will watch the Sugar Bowl bowl today thinking they should be there instead of Ohio State.And Oregon and Florida State will watch thinking that maybe they should have Alabama's No. 1 seed.

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But both the Buckeyes and Crimson Tide have a chance to prove they deserve to be where they are in the best way possible: with their play on the field. One will advance to face the winner of the Rose Bowl -- either Oregon or Florida State -- for the national championship.

Ohio State has needed for almost a decade. After back-to-back BCS Championship Game blowout losses against the SEC in the mid-2000s, the Buckeyes haven't gotten the benefit of the doubt in a long time. This year, after sneaking into the College Football Playoff field with a stunning 59-0 blowout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, OSU will get its chance as it takes on No. 1 Alabama.

Here are three keys to watch when No. 1 Alabama (12-1) and No. 4 Ohio State (12-1) meet in New Orleans:

1. Sophomore vs. 5th-year senior: One quarterback is a fifth-year senior who patiently waited his turn. The other started the season as the third-team quarterback, but only had to wait until the season's end to become a starter.

And that's the big question of the game: Will Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, the sophomore playing for the injured J.T. Barrett (who was playing for the injured Braxton Miller), give the Buckeyes the quarterback play they need to beat the No. 1 team in the country?

Certainly, Jones impressed in his only start of the season, OSU's 59-0 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game. But this is Alabama, with its superior defensive talent and with legendary coach Nick Saban having had a month to prepare for young Jones.

On the other side, will senior Blake Sims play like the seasoned veteran he is? He watched as AJ McCarron led Alabama to two national titles and within an Iron Bowl loss of possibly playing for another. In his turn, can he deliver on the big stage