Power Ranking the 10 Most Dominant RBs in College Football

The debate over who's the most dominant running back in college football is not likely to end anytime soon.

The 2013 season brings us a host of worthy candidates with a variety of running styles, from the power backs who are guaranteed to get you four or five yards per carry to the lightning bolts who are liable to hit paydirt every time they touch the ball.

But the very best of the bunch combine every style and are mainstays on Saturday night highlight shows.

What defines a dominant running back, and how do you decide on just 10?

There are two things the backs can be judged on at this point. The first is their current stats from this season. Bonus points are added for players who've put up numbers against solid competition, but as some guys have yet to face great teams, this won't be a deciding factor.

The second factor in determining whether a player belongs in the top 10 is has he displayed his talent on a consistent basis? New faces will not be excluded from this list, because when you see talent you know it, whether it's a guy's third game or his last. But it will help to have a proven record.

With the fine print out of the way, here are the top 10 most dominant running backs in college football. Agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Just missed: Paul James—Rutgers, Alex Collins/Jonathan Williams—Arkansas, Ameer Abdullah—Nebraska

All statistics in this piece via cfbstats.com

10) Jeff Scott, Ole Miss

While the top six or seven guys on this list were relatively easy to choose, the final few spots could have gone to any number of great players.

Ole Miss running back Jeff Scott makes his way into the top 10 due to a combination of speed, statistics and proven ability over the past few seasons. And while non-SEC fans will get tired of hearing this, it doesn't hurt that Scott plays in a conference with so many great defenses.

A four-year contributor to the Rebels' backfield, Scott has begun his 2013 campaign with a bang.

The senior running back opened the season by carrying the ball 12 times for 138 yards and a touchdown in a win at Vanderbilt. His lone score was a 75-yard touchdown run that put the Rebels on top with just over a minute remaining.

Scott carried the ball just four times in a win over Southeast Missouri State, but rushed for 164 yards and a score on 19 carries in a win at Texas this past Saturday.

It's hard to believe that the speedy back can maintain his nearly 10 yards-per-carry average, but after three solid seasons, it's clear that Scott has taken the next step in elevating his game. He just squeaks on to the list of top 10 backs.

9) Mike Davis, South Carolina

What Mike Davis may be lacking in statistics he certainly makes up for in proven ability against quality competition.

While other running backs have put up monster games against directional schools, Davis is averaging over 7.5 yards per carry in the Gamecocks' first three games, which came against North Carolina, Georgia and Vanderbilt.

The sophomore back made his way onto the scene last season as part of the relief-duty crew when Marcus Lattimore went down. He only carried the ball 52 times, but those carries went for 275 yards.

Davis opened the 2013 season by carrying the ball 12 times for 115 yards against the Tar Heels and backed up the performance by gaining 149 yards on 16 carries against Georgia. He recorded a 75-yard run in both of those contests and has a touchdown in each of his first three games this year.

Davis may not be a household name quite yet, but he blends a certain toughness with breakaway ability that will continue to make him a nightmare for opposing defenses. Just a sophomore, look for Davis to get more attention as the season goes on.

8) Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

Consider me a first-class passenger on the Melvin Gordon bandwagon.

With apologies to fellow backfield mate James White, Gordon, even in just three games, has proven himself to be one of the top 10 backs in the country.

Last season, he rushed for 621 yards, and his 216-yard performance against Nebraska in the Big Ten Championship Game was a sign of things to come.

Through three games, he's run for 477 yards and four scores. But while the Badgers' first two games were against inferior competition, his 15-carry, 193-yard effort this past Saturday came against the Arizona State Sun Devils, who boast one of the better front sevens in the nation.

Oh, and did we mention that he's recorded a run of at least 65 yards in each of the team's first three games?

Montee Ball may be gone, but Melvin Gordon is quickly helping Badger fans forget the former Doak Walker Award winner by putting up huge numbers and dominating opposing defenses.

7) Bishop Sankey, Washington

Through two games, Washington running back Bishop Sankey is leading the country in rushing at just over 184 yards per game.

And while Boise State and Illinois don't exactly scream "elite defense," neither school is a cupcake, either.

Sankey burst onto the scene in 2012 by rushing for 1,439 yards and 16 touchdowns. This included 100-yard efforts against both Oregon and Stanford.

Against Illinois this past Saturday, the junior carried the ball 35 times for 208 yards and a score.

Two things stick out when watching Sankey, and the first is his toughness. He takes on contact like he's happy about it and, as we saw against the Fighting Illini, he can handle upwards of 30 carries per game. Plus, running for 144 yards against the Stanford defense last season was no small feat.

The second thing that sticks out is his balance. Sure he's fast and physical, but he rarely gets tripped up by the first defender and has a knack for getting extra yards out of every run.

Bishop Sankey was an easy choice as one of the top 10 running backs in the country.

6) Duke Johnson, Miami

Miami running back Duke Johnson runs like an NFL back, and he'll soon be running as an NFL back as well.

The sophomore began his 2012 campaign by rushing for 135 and two scores on just seven carries against Boston College. He proceeded to rack up 947 yards and 10 touchdowns during the season, which included a three-touchdown, 176-yard effort against Duke in the final game of the year.

A potential dark horse for the Heisman Trophy, Johnson opened up his 2013 campaign by rushing for 186 yards in a win against Florida Atlantic.

Yards against the Florida Gators the following week, however, were much tougher to come by. Nevertheless, Johnson still managed to reach the end zone, and his Hurricanes eeked out a victory.

Johnson is extremely fast when he turns the corner and has the upper body strength to shed tacklers as he looks for open grass. Putting the Miami running back on the list was a no-brainer, but he'll have to step it up against better competition, like Florida State in early November.

5) Lache Seastrunk, Baylor

Wofford and Buffalo may not qualify as impressive competition, but Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk can only dominate the teams on the Bears' schedule.

Through the first two games, the electrifying junior has 261 yards and five touchdowns on just 28 carries.

Speed is the word that should immediately come to mind when watching Seastrunk on the field. He can sometimes get lost in a string of three and four-yard carries, but he's liable to break off a big one at any moment. Once he gets into the secondary, there's a good chance he isn't going to stop.

Last season, he was only getting a few carries per game until a 17-rush, 103-yard effort against Kansas gave him momentum heading into the second half of the season. He followed it up by scoring three touchdowns in a loss to Oklahoma.

Seastrunk then proceeded to rush for 637 yards in the team's final four games, dizzying opponents with an array of speed and quickness.

In terms of size and strength, the former Oregon Duck may not stack up with some of the other backs on this list, but his speed is in another world. It will be interesting to see how he performs when the Bears' schedule gets tougher, but if last season is any indication, Seastrunk is here to stay.

4) De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon

In his first two seasons at Oregon, running back De'Anthony Thomas was used all over the field, from running back to slot receiver to kick returner.

With the departure of Kenjon Barner to the NFL, the junior has now found a permanent home in the Ducks' backfield, and the marriage has been a successful one.

While it was unclear whether Thomas' diminutive frame could handle more than five to 10 carries per game, the Black Mamba has made it clear, with 42 carries through three games, that he is as tough as anybody in the country.

But it isn't his toughness that sets him apart. What makes Thomas so special is he's the clear-cut leader in the pure electrifying-ability category. The phrase "can score from anywhere on the field" gets used far too often, and I'm certainly as guilty as anyone. But there's no other way to describe Thomas' abilities.

As a freshman, Thomas carried the ball two times for 155 yards and two scores in Oregon's Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin. He also took the opening kickoff to the house in last year's Fiesta Bowl victory over Kansas State.

So far this season, Thomas has racked up 338 yards and six touchdowns, and he's further cemented his place on this list of the most dominant running backs in college football.

3) Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona

Arizona running back Ka'Deem Carey went from relatively unknown to one of the best backs in the country in just one short year.

After tallying 425 yards and six touchdowns in 2011, Carey went on to pile up 1,929 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2012. This included 132 yards against Stanford and an unbelievable 366 against Colorado. He added in five touchdowns to the latter performance.

Carey is as complete of a back as they come, and there isn't a single tool that he doesn't show in his running. He's fast enough to make defenses pay for taking poor angles, but he can drag tacklers around as if he's channeling Jerome Bettis.

In just two games this season, Carey has rushed for 299 yards and four touchdowns. With former quarterback Matt Scott now gone, it will be up to Carey to lead this offense throughout the season.

You can expect the best back in the Pac-12 to put up some monster statistics this season while defensive coordinators secretly urge him to leave for the NFL when the year is over.

2) T.J. Yeldon, Alabama

Because of the wealth of talent in Alabama's backfield, T.J. Yeldon may never carry the ball as much as other top backs around the country.

When he does, however, he's as good as they come.

As a true freshman in 2012, Yeldon rushed for 1,108 yards and 12 touchdowns. He piled up 153 yards against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and followed up the performance with 108 yards against Notre Dame in the national championship.

Through two games this season, Yeldon has rushed for 224 yards and a pair of scores.

Watching Yeldon is a serious treat for college football fans, because like all great running backs, there's nothing he can't do. He runs with a purpose, and he seems to enjoy punishing defenders more than simply outrunning them.

No matter where you think Yeldon belongs on this list, he's clearly one of the best running backs in the country, and he'll likely continue to have success on Sundays later in his career.

1) Todd Gurley, Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs have played one of the hardest schedules so far this season, but that hasn't stopped superhuman Todd Gurley from showing off his incredible abilities.

In the season-opening loss to Clemson, the sophomore rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries. The following week, as the Bulldogs played host to South Carolina, Gurley ran for 132 yards.

As a true freshman, Gurley had one of the more memorable seasons in recent memory by piling up 1,385 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. When you watch him run, he seems to move in a completely different gear than the other players on the field. If Gurley hits the hole and a linebacker awaits him, the safe bet is on Gurley to deliver more punishment.

The debate will rage on about whether Yeldon or Gurley is the best back, and here we have Gurley with a slight edge. Either way, the top two spots on the list must be reserved for guys who are dynamic ball-carriers in every way imaginable.

Safe to say the Yeldon and Gurley fit the bill quite well.