Ohio State RB Trey Sermon's Recent Success Giving Alabama Flashbacks of Ezekiel Elliott

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Last time the University of Alabama and Ohio State met in the College Football Playoff which was in the 2015 Sugar Bowl, the Buckeyes had a running back that was gashing opposing defenses at every turn.

That was future NFL star Ezekiel Elliot who ended up torching the Crimson Tide for 230 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, including an 85-yard run that iced the 42-35 victory. He would later go on to do the same to Oregon in the title game, racking up 246 yards and four scores on 36 touches.

Ahead of the 2021 CFP National Championship between the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes on Jan. 11, Ohio State feels like lightning has struck twice and current tailback Trey Sermon can take a page out of Elliott's playbook.

Sermon is in the midst of similar run like Elliott's for sure.

Over his last three games starting with the regular season finale against Michigan State, he has tallied up 646 yards on the ground and four touchdowns.

His 331 yards and two scores are the primary reason that the Buckeyes were able too escape Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game. Sermon averaged 11.4 yards a carry that day in Indianapolis.

Then in New Orleans versus No. 2 Clemson, it was much of the same — 193 yards and a touchdown on 31 attempts. His ability combined with quarterback Justin Fields' deep-ball accuracy make this the toughest challenge the Crimson Tide has faced yet.

TREY SERMON DOES NOT GO DOWN EASY 😤 pic.twitter.com/DHCX3kwykp
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 2, 2021

"Well, he's playing outstanding football right now," Alabama coach Nick Saban told the media on Monday. "There's no doubt about that. He had a fantastic game against Clemson. I think they have two really good running backs. Both are very capable. Their offensive line does a really good job of blocking your looks up front, getting a hat on a hat, and the runners are very talented.

"So the combination of the explosive ability that they have in the passing game, the good receivers that they have outside, the speed that they have, the way they can stretch the field with the playmakers they have, quarterback that can run or pass and can make all the throws, it's just a good all-around team and they have great balance, and I think that's what makes them very difficult to defend."

TREY SERMON TO THE 🏠 pic.twitter.com/9znvReZAsV
— Buckeye Videos+ (@BuckeyeVideos) January 2, 2021

But Sermon brings a unique perspective into this title bout with No. 1 Alabama.

Before he arrived in Columbus this offseason, he was a member of the Oklahoma Sooners for three years and was a part of the 2018 team that faced the Crimson Tide in the Orange Bowl.

Sermon finished that game with only nine carries for 19 yards and a touchdown after Alabama jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the early stages of the second quarter, eventually winning 45-34 inside Hard Rock Stadium, the same site of this year's title clash.

"I still just remember them being a tough, physical team," Sermon said. "I know at the time, I mean, they were flying around, which is the same that they do now. They fly around all over the defense. Another thing that I can take into this game is that it goes by quick. It's great competition and the games really go by fast. You definitely have to execute, and you just have to make sure that you don't have any mistakes."

For Ohio State to upset the top-ranked Crimson Tide, it will need to ride its workhorse running back just like the Buckeyes did six years ago.

"Yeah, I definitely remember watching it," Sermon said of Elliot's performance against Alabama. "It's just a great feeling. It's been a lot of great running backs that have come through here, and Zeke is one of the best running backs, and just to be in that conversation, it's an honor."