For now, it appears Alabama’s two-headed rushing attack will have both pieces for is College Football Playoff semifinal.
While not definitively ruling him in, Nick Saban did seem, for him at least, decidedly optimistic that T.J. Yeldon will be healthy enough to play in the New Year’s Day Sugar Bowl tilt with Ohio State. The running back has been hampered by ankle and hamstring issues this season, although he did practice the last two times the Tide took the field prior to leaving Tuscaloosa for New Orleans.
Prior to that, Saban had been resting the veteran back to help facilitate recovery. Thus far, that tack seems to be working.
“Hopefully he’ll continue to progress,” Saban said as Alabama arrived in New Orleans on Saturday afternoon. “He had a significant amount of time off but he seems to be making progress now and I’m hopeful that he’ll be able to make a contribution in the game.”
Yeldon, a junior, leads the Tide in rushing with 932 yards, just ahead of sophomore Derrick Henry‘s 895. Both Yeldon and Henry are tied for the team lead with 10 rushing touchdowns apiece.
