Alabama at Georgia: Three Key Matchups to Watch

Sep 26, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Kenyan Drake (17) pushes away Louisiana Monroe Warhawks linebacker Cody Robinson (5) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Sony Michel vs. Kenyan Drake vs. Reggie Bush

Georgia and Alabama have two of the best running backs in the nation in Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, respectively. But each team also features an electric playmaker that compliments their star tailback – a player that can line up in the backfield or as a receiver in order to create mismatches and scoring opportunities, not unlike former USC Trojan running back Reggie Bush, who won the 2005 Heisman Trophy: Georgia’s Sony Michel and Alabama’s Kenyan Drake.

The comparison to Bush – who ran for 3,169 yards, caught 95 passes for 1,301 yards and scored 42 total touchdowns from 2003-05 – isn’t much of a stretch for either player. As a sophomore in 2004, the year USC won the BCS National Championship (with Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin calling the plays), Bush averaged 179.2 all-purpose yards per game. However, Bush handled the bulk of both kick and punt returns that season. On offense, Bush averaged 69.9 rushing yards and 39.2 receiving yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

Drake, who suffered a broken leg that cost him the last nine games of last season, has rebounded to lead the Crimson Tide with 131 all-purpose yards per game this year. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior has 215 rushing yards (53.8 per game), 139 receiving yards (34.8) and 170 yards on kickoff returns. He has scored two touchdowns, one on the ground and one on the receiving end of a Jake Coker pass.

Michel doesn’t factor in on special teams as a return man, so he’s been limited to 92.8 total yards per game – 55.8 rushing yards and 37 receiving yards. However, the 5-foot-11, 208-pound sophomore has already scored seven times: four TD runs, and three TD receptions. It’s also worth noting that nearly every major recruiting service actually ranked Michel as a better running back than Chubb coming out of high school (the 247Sports Composite ranked Michel No. 19 overall in the 2014 recruiting class, and Chubb was No. 33).

Chubb and Henry get the headlines, but expect either Michel or Drake to come up with a big play that is instrumental to his team’s success Saturday.

Next: Georgia Rushing Offense vs. Alabama Run Defense