Brian Robinson Jr. explains how he is still learning from Najee Harris

Brian Robinson Jr. had a career-high day on Friday in the Cotton Bowl. After the game, the senior running back reflected on how watching his former teammate Najee Harris do the same last season has impacted his mindset.

“Just knowing how critical these games are,” Robinson said. “Win or go home. And when it’s all on the line, you gotta go out there and give it your all to make sure you aren’t the team that has to go home. As long as you’re giving everything you can in your power to help this team win, everything else had just fall in place for you. That’s kind of what I saw Najee do. I’m trying to kind of pick up where he left off.”

Robinson finished the win over Cincinnati with 204 rushing yards, a career-high for the athlete from Tuscaloosa. That total was just two yards shy of Najee Harris’s single game record at Alabama of 206 yards. He posted that total last season versus Ole Miss.

Harris went on to have performances of 145 yards and 178 yards in December, leading up to the Crimson Tide’s national title run. Versus Notre Dame in the CFP, the Steelers first-round draft pick ran for 125 yards on just 15 carries. Ohio State limited the star running back at 76 rushing yards in the title game but he contributed an additional 79 yards and a score on seven receptions.

The Crimson Tide will try to keep the train rolling in their second-round bout versus Georgia in the national title game. In round one, Brian Robinson put up 55 yards on 16 carries. The big game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 10.

Robinson Jr. discusses plan for rush in Cotton Bowl

Crimson Tide running back Brian Robinson Jr. knew he’d had a big role in the game, but how big was a surprise even to him.

“I didn’t think I was going to be a spotlight,” Robinson said post-game. “We just game-planned. It was just, whatever they throw at us, we got to adjust to it. If the running game works for us, we got to stay with it. Coach O’Brien trusted me, just put the ball in my hand in critical situations. And just carrying this team means a lot to me.”

Known for their talented defensive backs, Cincinnati’s defense went with a 3-3-5 formation. That approach led to Robinson and Trey Sanders gashing the Bearcats for 6.4 yards per rush. On the first drive alone, Robinson had six carries for 37 yards, which really set the tone early.