Trey Sermon's Record Day Lifts Ohio State Over Northwestern in Big Ten Title Game

Trey Sermon put the Buckeyes on his shoulders to lift them to victory over Northwestern in the Big Ten football championship.

Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State running back Trey Sermon put the Buckeyes on his shoulders as he rushed for 331 yards on 29 carries in a 22–10 victory against Northwestern in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday. 

In a game where Ohio State (6–0) was without 22 players due to COVID-19 protocols, the Buckeyes overcame an early 10–3 deficit and off day by QB Justin Fields (two interceptions, 114 passing yards) to secure the win.

Sermon's 331-yard performance broke former Buckeyes legend Eddie George's (314) program record for all-time single-game rushing, which was set in 1995. Sermon also set the Big Ten title-game record and the most rushing yards by a player in any conference championship game in FBS history on Saturday.

Sermon was named the Grange-Griffin MVP of the game. His 260-plus yards in the second half was more than he rushed in the Buckeyes first four games (232) in the 2020 season.

🗣🏈 @treyera on his record-setting day on the ground for the Buckeyes ... pic.twitter.com/5e4WDuVPPy

— Ohio State Buckeyes 🌰 (@OhioStAthletics) December 19, 2020

After the game, Sermon received praise from both George and Buckeyes fan LeBron James on Twitter.

@treyera Congratulations on breaking the single-game rushing record!! Eat, young man, Eat!!!

— Eddie George (@EddieGeorge2727) December 19, 2020

TREY SERMON TAKE A BOW! You earned that!!! #GoBucks🌰 The Best Thing About 6-0...

— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 19, 2020

With the win, the Buckeyes secured their fourth straight Big Ten championship.

No. 4 Ohio State now waits to see where it will be in College Football Playoff committee's final rankings, which will be released at noon ET on Dec. 20.