Breaking news: Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott delivered one of the most iconic plays in college football history on January 1, 2015, during the Allstate Sugar Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Breaking news: Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott delivered one of the most iconic plays in college football history on January 1, 2015, during the Allstate Sugar Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

With just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Elliott took a handoff and exploded through the line of scrimmage, sprinting 85 yards for a touchdown that sealed Ohio State’s 42-35 victory at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

 

Elliott’s run was the defining moment of the game, showcasing his speed, power, and vision as he outran Alabama defenders to the end zone. The Buckeyes, led by third-string quarterback Cardale Jones, had already shocked many by keeping pace with the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide. Elliott’s touchdown extended Ohio State’s lead and ended Alabama’s hopes of a comeback, sending the Buckeyes to the national championship game.

 

This performance was part of a dominant stretch for Elliott, who finished the game with 230 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He carried that momentum into the College Football Playoff National Championship against Oregon, where he rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns, leading Ohio State to a 42-20 victory and their first national title since 2002.

 

Elliott’s 85-yard touchdown run became a symbol of Ohio State’s resilience and dominance in the 2014 season. The play is still remembered as one of the greatest in Sugar Bowl history, cementing Elliott’s legacy as one of the program’s all-time great running backs. His performance in the playoff catapulted him into national stardom and set the stage for his eventual success in the

NFL.