Ohio State Running Back Ezekiel Elliott Achieves Championship Glory

— -- Ezekiel Elliott wasn't settling for another second-place finish.

The Ohio State sophomore tailback compiled 246 yards on 36 carries and scored four touchdowns Monday, helping the Buckeyes to a 42-20 victory over Oregon in the national championship game.

Elliott’s rushing total is a record for a title game, topping the 200 yards gained by Vince Young in 2005.

"This is just a surreal moment. We finally did it," he said. "This is why we all came here, to compete and win national championships. We did it."

The 19-year-old sophomore piled up an incredible 696 yards – averaging almost 9 yards a carry – in his last three games against defenses representing three of the best teams in the land.

“Zeke” seemed to come out of nowhere during Ohio State’s title run, emerging into a sudden college star. But this is the kind of player he has been all along. The Missouri native starred at John Burroughs High School in St. Louis, scoring 100 touchdowns during three seasons.

But despite his personal successes, his high school teams fell short three straight times in the state championship game. During his sophomore year, his team lost 21-20 on a last-second score.

Elliott became a prep star during his junior season in 2011, scoring 42 touchdowns. But again, his team came up on the losing end. Elliott fumbled near the goal line of the Missouri Class 3 championship game and Burroughs lost 21-14.

His senior season ended in another championship loss, 35-22. Elliott did all he could in the game, with more than 400 all-purpose yards, two rushing touchdowns and a kick return for a TD. But it wasn’t enough.

Elliott fought back tears following the loss.

“You put in so many hours with your boys, your brothers, all season for the past four years, and you aren't able to accomplish what you wanted to," Elliott told reporters after the game. "So it hurts a lot. But you have to be strong. I have to be strong for my boys back in the locker room. I can't be moping around. I have to show them that it's not over, it's not over. I believe in them. I believe they can come back next year. They are going to win a state championship."

After his high school career ended it was on to Ohio State. Elliott played in 11 games as a freshman, rushing for 262 yards while backing up starter Carlos Hyde.

Elliott heated up after a slow start in 2014, topping 100 yards rushing in six of his team’s first 12 games. But he reached another gear at the end of the season, with three consecutive 200-yard performances – 220 yards versus Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game, 230 against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and 246 yards Monday.

Elliott stood on the podium Monday next to coach Urban Meyer, a T-shirt over his pads emblazoned with the words “undisputed champs.”

He stuck out his tongue, trying to catch confetti like snowflakes.

When the championship trophy came to Elliott, he kissed it, raising the metal memento and shaking it. A smile formed on his mouth. And then Ohio State’s superstar running back passed the trophy to a teammate, happy to share the championship glory.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.