In the days leading up to the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship, the Emerald will take a unit-by-unit look at Oregon and Ohio State, determining which team has the edge going into the showdown on Jan. 12 in Dallas. Today, we’ll look at each team’s running backs.

Oregon

If it weren’t for Heisman winner Marcus Mariota, the Oregon running backs would be the stars of the show. While the Ducks continue to maintain their team-oriented mantra — not putting too much emphasis on one particular player — Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner have made themselves impossible to ignore. Freeman, who enters the title game with six 100-yard performances under his belt, is the rushing leader with 1,343 yards and 18 touchdowns (team-high), while Tyner, who has missed some games due to shoulder and ankle injuries, has rushed for 511 yards and five touchdowns. Combined, the two form arguably the best 1-2 punch in the backfield, regardless of who they play.

Ohio State

When Ezekiel Elliott takes the field opposite of the Oregon defenders, he will be their main focus. With 1,632 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, Elliott enters the inaugural College Football Playoff championship game as one of the most explosive players for the Buckeyes. In addition, Elliott will be heading a meeting with the Ducks having eclipsed the century mark seven times. He’s also coming off of back-to-back 200-yard performances against Wisconsin (220) and Alabama (230). Needless to say, the Ducks are going to have their hands full.

Advantage – Oregon

It’s hard to give the advantage to the Ducks with Elliott lining up on the other side, but it’s the rare combination of Freeman and Tyner that makes the difference. Again, Freeman and Tyner may not have as many yards and 200-yard performances to show for like Elliott, but together, they pose a threat every down, keeping any defense they face on alert. In a win-win situation for both teams, there may not be a significant edge either way, but the Ducks will be posing a duo that arguably hasn’t been seen since

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