Rushing for over 2,000 yards in a single season is an amazing feat and very few college football players have hit the mark. It is a goal of every running back in the FBS and, interestingly enough, the number who make it seems to be increasing every year.
Star Running Backs Who Rushed for 2,000 Yards
College football is filled with star players and among running backs, those who can rush for over 2,000 yards join a special club of elite athletes. As of the end of the 2015 season, only 26 have topped this lofty goal and they are among the best players the FBS has seen.
This distinguished group is led by the spectacular Barry Sanders, who ran for 2,628 yards for Oklahoma State in 1988. Other high-profile backs to pull off the feat include Marcus Allen, LaDainian Tomlinson, Ricky Williams, and Larry Johnson.
With spread offenses, faster-paced games, and longer schedules, more running backs are joining this club than ever before. You will notice that 5 of the 26 players on this list have been added since 2010, that’s almost one-fifth of the club.
School Year Yards Yards per Carry
Barry Sanders* Oklahoma State 1988 2,628 7.64
Melvin Gordon* Wisconsin 2014 2,587 7.54
Kevin Smith* UCF 2007 2,567 5.70
Marcus Allen* USC 1981 2,342 5.81
Derrick Henry* Alabama 2015 2,219 5.62
Troy Davis Iowa State 1996 2,185 5.44
Andre Williams * Boston College 2013 2,177 6.13
Ladainian Tomlinson* TCU 2000 2,158 5.85
Tony Dorsett* Pittsburgh 1976 2,150 5.81
Mike Rozier* Nebraska 1983 2,148 7.81
Matt Forte Tulane 2007 2,127 5.89
Ricky Williams* Texas 1998 2,124 5.88
Ron Dayne* Wisconsin 1996 2,109 6.49
Larry Johnson* Penn State 2002 2,087 7.70
Donald Brown* Connecticut 2008 2,083 5.68
Lorenzo White* Michigan State 1986 2,066 4.93
Byron Hanspard Texas Tech 1996 2,084 6.15
Damien Anderson* Northwestern 2000 2,063 6.63
Rashaan Salaam * Colorado 1994 2,055 6.90
Charles White* Southern California 1979 2,050 6.17
Tevin Coleman Indiana 2014 2,036 7.54
Ron Dayne* Wisconsin 1999 2,034 6.04
Christian McCaffrey* Stanford 2015 2,019 5.99
J.J. Arrington * California 2004 2,018 6.98
Ray Rice* Rutgers 2007 2,012 5.29
Troy Davis Iowa State 1995 2,010 5.83
*Includes bowl game stats.Stats according to Sports-Reference.com.
The Official Stats Are a Little Murky
College football stats have changed many times over the years and some ‘official’ lists do not include all of the players listed above. Also, there was a point in the early 2000s when bowl games began to count toward a player’s official season yards. At times in this transition, the school would count the bowl game while the NCAA did not.
At any rate, it’s important to acknowledge that each of these players did rush for over 2,000 yards in the season. That alone is a great accomplishment, especially when compared to the NFL where, as of 2016, only seven running backs have joined the 2,000-yard club and the last was Adrian Peterson in 2012.
As student athletes, these players deserve the credit.
The Great Dayne: College Football’s All-Time Leading Rusher
College Football’s Oldest Rivalry and Oldest Teams
Randy Moss
Football Glossary
Ohio State’s SEC Struggles
Funny Football Quotes by Players, Coaches, and Announcers
NFL Champions (1920–Present)
Tiger Woods Played College Golf at Stanford
The 10 Greatest Football Movies of All Time
Top Second Basemen of All-Time
The Top 9 MLB Players From Japan
How to Compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field
The 10 Best Soccer Players in the World
The Origin, History, and Invention of Soccer
Biography of Dustin Johnson
The Lowest 18-Hole Golf Score Ever Recorded
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Rushing for over 2,000 yards in a single season is an amazing feat and very few college football players have hit the mark. It is a goal of every running back in the FBS and, interestingly enough, the number who make it seems to be increasing every year.
Star Running Backs Who Rushed for 2,000 Yards
College football is filled with star players and among running backs, those who can rush for over 2,000 yards join a special club of elite athletes. As of the end of the 2015 season, only 26 have topped this lofty goal and they are among the best players the FBS has seen.
This distinguished group is led by the spectacular Barry Sanders, who ran for 2,628 yards for Oklahoma State in 1988. Other high-profile backs to pull off the feat include Marcus Allen, LaDainian Tomlinson, Ricky Williams, and Larry Johnson.
With spread offenses, faster-paced games, and longer schedules, more running backs are joining this club than ever before. You will notice that 5 of the 26 players on this list have been added since 2010, that’s almost one-fifth of the club.
School Year Yards Yards per Carry
Barry Sanders* Oklahoma State 1988 2,628 7.64
Melvin Gordon* Wisconsin 2014 2,587 7.54
Kevin Smith* UCF 2007 2,567 5.70
Marcus Allen* USC 1981 2,342 5.81
Derrick Henry* Alabama 2015 2,219 5.62
Troy Davis Iowa State 1996 2,185 5.44
Andre Williams * Boston College 2013 2,177 6.13
Ladainian Tomlinson* TCU 2000 2,158 5.85
Tony Dorsett* Pittsburgh 1976 2,150 5.81
Mike Rozier* Nebraska 1983 2,148 7.81
Matt Forte Tulane 2007 2,127 5.89
Ricky Williams* Texas 1998 2,124 5.88
Ron Dayne* Wisconsin 1996 2,109 6.49
Larry Johnson* Penn State 2002 2,087 7.70
Donald Brown* Connecticut 2008 2,083 5.68
Lorenzo White* Michigan State 1986 2,066 4.93
Byron Hanspard Texas Tech 1996 2,084 6.15
Damien Anderson* Northwestern 2000 2,063 6.63
Rashaan Salaam * Colorado 1994 2,055 6.90
Charles White* Southern California 1979 2,050 6.17
Tevin Coleman Indiana 2014 2,036 7.54
Ron Dayne* Wisconsin 1999 2,034 6.04
Christian McCaffrey* Stanford 2015 2,019 5.99
J.J. Arrington * California 2004 2,018 6.98
Ray Rice* Rutgers 2007 2,012 5.29
Troy Davis Iowa State 1995 2,010 5.83
*Includes bowl game stats.Stats according to Sports-Reference.com.
The Official Stats Are a Little Murky
College football stats have changed many times over the years and some ‘official’ lists do not include all of the players listed above. Also, there was a point in the early 2000s when bowl games began to count toward a player’s official season yards. At times in this transition, the school would count the bowl game while the NCAA did not.
At any rate, it’s important to acknowledge that each of these players did rush for over 2,000 yards in the season. That alone is a great accomplishment, especially when compared to the NFL where, as of 2016, only seven running backs have joined the 2,000-yard club and the last was Adrian Peterson in 2012.
As student athletes, these players deserve the credit.
The Great Dayne: College Football’s All-Time Leading Rusher
College Football’s Oldest Rivalry and Oldest Teams
Randy Moss
Football Glossary
Ohio State’s SEC Struggles
Funny Football Quotes by Players, Coaches, and Announcers
NFL Champions (1920–Present)
Tiger Woods Played College Golf at Stanford
The 10 Greatest Football Movies of All Time
Top Second Basemen of All-Time
The Top 9 MLB Players From Japan
How to Compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field
The 10 Best Soccer Players in the World
The Origin, History, and Invention of Soccer
Biography of Dustin Johnson
The Lowest 18-Hole Golf Score Ever Recorded
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
Rushing for over 2,000 yards in a single season is an amazing feat and very few college football players have hit the mark. It is a goal of every running back in the FBS and, interestingly enough, the number who make it seems to be increasing every year.
Star Running Backs Who Rushed for 2,000 Yards
College football is filled with star players and among running backs, those who can rush for over 2,000 yards join a special club of elite athletes. As of the end of the 2015 season, only 26 have topped this lofty goal and they are among the best players the FBS has seen.
This distinguished group is led by the spectacular Barry Sanders, who ran for 2,628 yards for Oklahoma State in 1988. Other high-profile backs to pull off the feat include Marcus Allen, LaDainian Tomlinson, Ricky Williams, and Larry Johnson.
With spread offenses, faster-paced games, and longer schedules, more running backs are joining this club than ever before. You will notice that 5 of the 26 players on this list have been added since 2010, that’s almost one-fifth of the club.
School Year Yards Yards per Carry
Barry Sanders* Oklahoma State 1988 2,628 7.64
Melvin Gordon* Wisconsin 2014 2,587 7.54
Kevin Smith* UCF 2007 2,567 5.70
Marcus Allen* USC 1981 2,342 5.81
Derrick Henry* Alabama 2015 2,219 5.62
Troy Davis Iowa State 1996 2,185 5.44
Andre Williams * Boston College 2013 2,177 6.13
Ladainian Tomlinson* TCU 2000 2,158 5.85
Tony Dorsett* Pittsburgh 1976 2,150 5.81
Mike Rozier* Nebraska 1983 2,148 7.81
Matt Forte Tulane 2007 2,127 5.89
Ricky Williams* Texas 1998 2,124 5.88
Ron Dayne* Wisconsin 1996 2,109 6.49
Larry Johnson* Penn State 2002 2,087 7.70
Donald Brown* Connecticut 2008 2,083 5.68
Lorenzo White* Michigan State 1986 2,066 4.93
Byron Hanspard Texas Tech 1996 2,084 6.15
Damien Anderson* Northwestern 2000 2,063 6.63
Rashaan Salaam * Colorado 1994 2,055 6.90
Charles White* Southern California 1979 2,050 6.17
Tevin Coleman Indiana 2014 2,036 7.54
Ron Dayne* Wisconsin 1999 2,034 6.04
Christian McCaffrey* Stanford 2015 2,019 5.99
J.J. Arrington * California 2004 2,018 6.98
Ray Rice* Rutgers 2007 2,012 5.29
Troy Davis Iowa State 1995 2,010 5.83
*Includes bowl game stats.Stats according to Sports-Reference.com.
The Official Stats Are a Little Murky
College football stats have changed many times over the years and some ‘official’ lists do not include all of the players listed above. Also, there was a point in the early 2000s when bowl games began to count toward a player’s official season yards. At times in this transition, the school would count the bowl game while the NCAA did not.
At any rate, it’s important to acknowledge that each of these players did rush for over 2,000 yards in the season. That alone is a great accomplishment, especially when compared to the NFL where, as of 2016, only seven running backs have joined the 2,000-yard club and the last was Adrian Peterson in 2012.
As student athletes, these players deserve the credit.
Rushing for over 2,000 yards in a single season is an amazing feat and very few college football players have hit the mark. It is a goal of every running back in the FBS and, interestingly enough, the number who make it seems to be increasing every year.
Star Running Backs Who Rushed for 2,000 Yards
College football is filled with star players and among running backs, those who can rush for over 2,000 yards join a special club of elite athletes. As of the end of the 2015 season, only 26 have topped this lofty goal and they are among the best players the FBS has seen.
This distinguished group is led by the spectacular Barry Sanders, who ran for 2,628 yards for Oklahoma State in 1988. Other high-profile backs to pull off the feat include Marcus Allen, LaDainian Tomlinson, Ricky Williams, and Larry Johnson.
With spread offenses, faster-paced games, and longer schedules, more running backs are joining this club than ever before. You will notice that 5 of the 26 players on this list have been added since 2010, that’s almost one-fifth of the club.
School Year Yards Yards per Carry
Barry Sanders* Oklahoma State 1988 2,628 7.64
Melvin Gordon* Wisconsin 2014 2,587 7.54
Kevin Smith* UCF 2007 2,567 5.70
Marcus Allen* USC 1981 2,342 5.81
Derrick Henry* Alabama 2015 2,219 5.62
Troy Davis Iowa State 1996 2,185 5.44
Andre Williams * Boston College 2013 2,177 6.13
Ladainian Tomlinson* TCU 2000 2,158 5.85
Tony Dorsett* Pittsburgh 1976 2,150 5.81
Mike Rozier* Nebraska 1983 2,148 7.81
Matt Forte Tulane 2007 2,127 5.89
Ricky Williams* Texas 1998 2,124 5.88
Ron Dayne* Wisconsin 1996 2,109 6.49
Larry Johnson* Penn State 2002 2,087 7.70
Donald Brown* Connecticut 2008 2,083 5.68
Lorenzo White* Michigan State 1986 2,066 4.93
Byron Hanspard Texas Tech 1996 2,084 6.15
Damien Anderson* Northwestern 2000 2,063 6.63
Rashaan Salaam * Colorado 1994 2,055 6.90
Charles White* Southern California 1979 2,050 6.17
Tevin Coleman Indiana 2014 2,036 7.54
Ron Dayne* Wisconsin 1999 2,034 6.04
Christian McCaffrey* Stanford 2015 2,019 5.99
J.J. Arrington * California 2004 2,018 6.98
Ray Rice* Rutgers 2007 2,012 5.29
Troy Davis Iowa State 1995 2,010 5.83
*Includes bowl game stats.Stats according to Sports-Reference.com.
The Official Stats Are a Little Murky
College football stats have changed many times over the years and some ‘official’ lists do not include all of the players listed above. Also, there was a point in the early 2000s when bowl games began to count toward a player’s official season yards. At times in this transition, the school would count the bowl game while the NCAA did not.
At any rate, it’s important to acknowledge that each of these players did rush for over 2,000 yards in the season. That alone is a great accomplishment, especially when compared to the NFL where, as of 2016, only seven running backs have joined the 2,000-yard club and the last was Adrian Peterson in 2012.
As student athletes, these players deserve the credit.
*Includes bowl game stats.Stats according to Sports-Reference.com.
The Official Stats Are a Little Murky
College football stats have changed many times over the years and some ‘official’ lists do not include all of the players listed above. Also, there was a point in the early 2000s when bowl games began to count toward a player’s official season yards. At times in this transition, the school would count the bowl game while the NCAA did not.
At any rate, it’s important to acknowledge that each of these players did rush for over 2,000 yards in the season. That alone is a great accomplishment, especially when compared to the NFL where, as of 2016, only seven running backs have joined the 2,000-yard club and the last was Adrian Peterson in 2012.
As student athletes, these players deserve the credit.
The Great Dayne: College Football’s All-Time Leading Rusher
College Football’s Oldest Rivalry and Oldest Teams
Randy Moss
Football Glossary
Ohio State’s SEC Struggles
Funny Football Quotes by Players, Coaches, and Announcers
NFL Champions (1920–Present)
Tiger Woods Played College Golf at Stanford
The 10 Greatest Football Movies of All Time
Top Second Basemen of All-Time
The Top 9 MLB Players From Japan
How to Compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field
The 10 Best Soccer Players in the World
The Origin, History, and Invention of Soccer
Biography of Dustin Johnson
The Lowest 18-Hole Golf Score Ever Recorded
The Great Dayne: College Football’s All-Time Leading Rusher
The Great Dayne: College Football’s All-Time Leading Rusher
College Football’s Oldest Rivalry and Oldest Teams
College Football’s Oldest Rivalry and Oldest Teams
Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Football Glossary
Football Glossary
Ohio State’s SEC Struggles
Ohio State’s SEC Struggles
Funny Football Quotes by Players, Coaches, and Announcers
Funny Football Quotes by Players, Coaches, and Announcers
NFL Champions (1920–Present)
NFL Champions (1920–Present)
Tiger Woods Played College Golf at Stanford
Tiger Woods Played College Golf at Stanford
The 10 Greatest Football Movies of All Time
The 10 Greatest Football Movies of All Time
Top Second Basemen of All-Time
Top Second Basemen of All-Time
The Top 9 MLB Players From Japan
The Top 9 MLB Players From Japan
How to Compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field
How to Compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field
The 10 Best Soccer Players in the World
The 10 Best Soccer Players in the World
The Origin, History, and Invention of Soccer
The Origin, History, and Invention of Soccer
Biography of Dustin Johnson
Biography of Dustin Johnson
The Lowest 18-Hole Golf Score Ever Recorded
The Lowest 18-Hole Golf Score Ever Recorded
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
Home
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
About Us
Advertise
Careers
Privacy Policy
Editorial Guidelines
Contact
Terms of Use
EU Privacy
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
