Ranking the Best Running Backs in College Football This Season
From a terrific trio in the SEC all the way to some electrifying Pac-12 playmakers and back to the Heisman Trophy front-runner, it may wind up being The Year of the Running Back in college football.
Penn State's Saquon Barkley continues to lead an undefeated Nittany Lions team with his all-around explosion, and the things Stanford's Bryce Love is doing now that he's emerged from Christian McCaffrey's considerable shadow are extraordinary.
You know about those guys, but what about some of the lesser-known workhorses who are getting ready to no longer be flying under the radar? There's a freshman in Wisconsin, a couple of rebounding former stars who are rounding into their primes and mid-major maulers as well.
How do you rank the top running backs in all of college football? It isn't just statistics because those don't always tell the story. From the team's success to the player's impact when he touches the ball, a lot of factors go into the equation.
Plays that directly contribute to wins, the ability to shine in key moments and next-level, eye-widening touches that look like they belong in the NFL all go into determining the positions of the nation's top backs.
It's tough to leave difference-makers such as Ohio State's J.K. Dobbins, Oklahoma State's Justice Hill, LSU's Derrius Guice, Colorado's Phillip Lindsay and UNLV's Lexington Thomas off the list. But those guys soon could surge into consideration.
Let's take a look at college football's top runners so far in 2017.
10. Nick Chubb, Georgia
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By the numbers
He's only 29th nationally with 688 rushing yards, but Nick Chubb is averaging nearly 6.5 yards per carry and has scored eight touchdowns for a team that can let him rest in the second half of blowout wins.
He's a power runner who is capable of breaking long runs, as the 33-yard touchdown scamper on the opening drive of a 45-14 win over Vanderbilt in Week 6 proves. In that game, he became just the eighth rusher ever in the SEC to eclipse 4,000 rushing yards.
Standout performance
Chubb is a steady performer, and the depth around him won't allow for him to receive any national hardware. He still can post big games, though. The best thus far was against the Commodores on Oct. 7, when he carried the ball 16 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
It would have been a lot higher had he not watched the domination from the sideline for most of the second half.
Why he's here
This isn't a sympathy vote; Chubb is back from that gruesome knee injury suffered in 2015 that kept him from being one of the greatest college football players of our generation.
After returning to Athens, Georgia, for his senior season, he's in an ideal situation where he doesn't have to carry the load. He leads a talented stable of runners that includes classmate Sony Michel, freshman D'Andre Swift and sophomore Elijah Holyfield. Still, this is Chubb's show.
When games are on the line, Chubb will be the star who shines. He's a big reason why the Dawgs are undefeated and battling for a spot in the 2018 College Football Playoff. With rugged games in front of him against Auburn, Georgia Tech and likely Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, he'll get plenty of chances.
Look for him to prove he's still that great player we all saw emerge as a freshman.
9. Diocemy Saint Juste, Hawaii
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By the numbers
Diocemy Saint Juste is not only a member of the All-Name Team, but he can also run the football a little bit. And he's a big reason why the 3-4 Rainbow Warriors have an outside shot at making a bowl game.
The 5'8", 200-pound runner isn't the biggest guy on the field, but he's putting up massive numbers. The senior is fifth nationally with 1,094 rushing yards and fourth in yards per game (156.29). He's only scored six rushing touchdowns because he isn't the biggest back in short-yardage situations, but he's a player.
Standout performance
He's failed to reach 100 rushing yards in just two games this season, but the biggest showing came in Hawaii's 35-21 loss to Nevada. That's when Saint Juste torched the Wolf Pack for 241 yards and a touchdown on a 9.6 per-carry average. That also included a 75-yard touchdown run.
Picking Saint Juste's best game is tough. He posted his most complete game in a 37-26 win over San Jose State in Week 7 when he ran for 202 yards and a pair of scores.
Why he's here
You've probably never heard of Saint Juste unless you stay up in the wee hours of the morning to watch the Rainbow Warriors. Though they often play late, they wind up on televisions because they're usually the only games left on.
If you've seen him reach the second level, you know he has some serious wheels. Saint Juste has proved he can post big stats against teams like UCLA, Wyoming and Colorado State, so he's not some cupcake-killer either.
If his team were better and more balanced, Saint Juste would put up even better numbers. They're strong enough as they are.
8. Kerryon Johnson, Auburn
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By the numbers
The junior from Huntsville, Alabama, has been a big part of head coach Gus Malzahn's offense so far, leading the SEC with 723 rushing yards. He's also averaging 5.28 yards per carry and leads the nation in rushing touchdowns with 14.
Last year, it was Kamryn Pettway who burst onto the scene for Auburn, but since he has battled injuries so far in 2017, it's been Johnson's time to shine. He's helped ease quarterback Jarrett Stidham into the rigors of conference play. Had Johnson not missed two games—one of which was a 14-6 loss to Clemson—Auburn's 6-2 record may be better.
Standout performance
Johnson shredded Ole Miss' hapless defense for 204 rushing yards on 28 carries in a resounding 44-23 win over the Rebels on Oct. 7. He also scored three touchdowns as interim head coach Matt Luke's team had zero answers for the runner.
Though the Tigers don't often ask him to catch the ball out of the backfield, he added a pair of receptions for 23 yards in that win as well.
Why he's here
This is perhaps the most surprising inclusion on the list, and with Pettway getting healthy, Johnson's carries may fall off in the season's second half. That would see him likely tumble off the list.
But the Tigers have looked like a stellar contender in the SEC West for much of the season despite battling injuries, and a big part of that is Johnson. He can run between the tackles and get to the edge, and he can fly past defenders.
He isn't the most talented on this list, and he's the most likely to be replaced. But it's been a fantastic start for Johnson, who leads the SEC in rushing yards even though he missed a pair of games against Clemson and Mercer.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Royce Freeman, Oregon
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By the numbers
Royce Freeman elected to return to Eugene for his senior season—in part because of new head coach Willie Taggart's reputation for developing running backs, per the Oregon Ducks' official website. So far, that hasn't been a bad decision.
With quarterback Justin Herbert injured, Freeman must carry the Ducks. So far, he's eighth nationally with 957 rushing yards and has 10 touchdowns while averaging nearly 120 yards per game. At 6'0", 238 pounds, Freeman is a big back who will translate nicely in the NFL, but as his 5.9 per-carry average indicates, he can break big ones too.
When it comes to talent and size, Freeman is among the nation's best.
Standout performance
Back when things were going well for the now 4-4 Ducks and the offense was balanced and impressive with a healthy Herbert teaming with Freeman, the senior runner was a catalyst.
His best game came in a 49-13 blowout win over Wyoming when he ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns and added a 50-yard reception where he got to show off his wheels.
Why he's here
Freeman is going to go down as one of the best Pac-12 running backs of the past two decades. He has that unique ability to take over football games.
It's a shame his team won't wind up with a better record his senior year because of injuries, but he still has the prime opportunity to show he's capable of being the centerpiece of a strong offense. If he can lead the Ducks to a couple of upset wins later in the year, that will only add to his resume.
He's the 19th FBS player ever to reach 5,000 yards rushing. Everybody's keying on Freeman right now, and it doesn't matter. There's a reason why he's nicknamed "Rolls-Royce."
6. Damien Harris, Alabama
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By the numbers
At first glance, his 697 rushing yards may seem pedestrian. But if you glimpse further to the right of the stat line, you'll see that he's averaging an astounding 8.6 yards per carry and has scored 10 touchdowns.
This is for a team that doesn't need him to be an every-down back thanks to runners such as Bo Scarbrough, Najee Harris and Josh Jacobs. Still, Harris helps make the Crimson Tide offense explosive, churning out tough yards and breaking long runs.
He's the best runner on a team of all-stars.
Standout performance
Harris piled up 151 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries against Vanderbilt, good enough for a 12.6 per-carry average. Like in a lot of games, the junior rested his legs with his helmet off, mostly watching Alabama roll in the second half.
The No. 1 running back in the class of 2015 also added a catch for nine yards. You may not know that much about Harris, but he'd start for 95 percent of the teams in the nation.
Why he's here
Harris is a smart player, and he's a dynamic athlete who may be the most underrated player in the SEC.
Think about this: He on the nation's best college football team, yet you never hear his name. It's usually "Jalen Hurts this," or "Minkah Fitzpatrick that" or "Look what Calvin Ridley just did." Alabama has a stable full of stars, but Harris fits right in. There's a reason why Scarbrough with his ridiculous 6'2", 235-pound size can't start.
Harris is a steady weapon who makes coordinator Brian Daboll's offense as good as it can be on the ground. Sure, if you took him out, Alabama's offense would still be good. But that doesn't keep Harris from being the most consistent player on the unit.
5. Rashaad Penny, San Diego State
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By the numbers
Rashaad Penny is third nationally with 1,115 yards, and he's scored 10 touchdowns while averaging nearly 140 yards per game on the ground.
This is a 5'11", 220-pound senior running back who stepped out of the shadow of Donnel Pumphrey and is averaging 6.23 yards per carry in the only college season he'll have the opportunity to be the bell cow.
Standout performance
The two early-season victories over the Arizona State Sun Devils and Stanford Cardinal are aging well, but the biggest game for Penny came against the Sun Devils. He led the Aztecs to a 30-20 win with an incredible 216-yard performance that came off just 18 carries.
He averaged 12 yards per carry in that game, scored a rushing touchdown and added another receiving score off four grabs for 38 yards.
Why he's here
He would have been even higher on the list, but in the last two games—key losses to Boise State and Fresno State—the opponents keyed in on stopping Penny and were successful. Penny had just 122 combined rushing yards and a score in the first two setbacks of the season for the Aztecs.
Penny is still a ridiculous talent who has the potential to explode on any defense at any time. Yes, he is the beneficiary of head coach Rocky Long's stellar rush-heavy offense that produced the nation's all-time leading runner in Pumphrey. But it's not easy to step out of the shadow of a legend and play as well as he has.
Penny is big, and he can kick it up a gear once he gets past the line of scrimmage. He'll be a load to bring down in the NFL.
4. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
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By the numbers
Jonathan Taylor is the latest in a long line of premiere Wisconsin running backs, but the best thing for Badgers fans is he's only a freshman.
The 5'11", 214-pound first-year player from Salem, New Jersey, has 1,112 rushing yards on a 7.46 per-carry average, and he's scored 11 touchdowns. Taylor has put up these numbers while being the centerpiece for an undefeated team.
Standout performance
He ripped apart Florida Atlantic's defense for 223 rushing yards and three touchdowns in Week 2, but his most complete performance came in the Badgers' 38-17 dismantling of Nebraska. Against the Cornhuskers in Week 6, he ran for 249 yards and a pair of scores.
One of those touchdowns was a jaw-dropping 75-yard run, and he also averaged nearly 10 yards per carry.
Why he's here
Any time your team is undefeated this late in the year and you're third nationally in rushing yards per game (158.86), you deserve to be high on the list.
Taylor is not a complete running back yet, as he needs to prove he can consistently catch the ball out of the backfield. But he is the guy head coach Paul Chryst relies on to be the focal point of the offensive unit.
Wisconsin has contests against Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota to close out the year—along with perhaps the Big Ten Championship Game—and everybody will get to see just how far Taylor can carry his team. If he keeps the Badgers unbeaten, he'll belong even higher on the list.
But the three runners above him have put up huge numbers against better opponents.
3. Josh Adams, Notre Dame
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By the numbers
Josh Adams, the junior Fighting Irish running back from Warrington, Pennsylvania, may not have been on your preseason Heisman Trophy ballot, but he should be now.
He's leading Notre Dame's upstart offense with 967 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He's averaging 9.2 yards per carry and 138.1 yards per game. With the difficult remaining schedule for the Irish, if he continues to produce, he'll be a dark horse for some of the nation's top awards.
Standout performance
Despite a 229-yard performance against Boston College in Week 3, Adams really showed out on national television in a convincing 49-14 win over a then-No. 11 USC on Saturday.
He finished with 191 yards on 19 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead an Irish team whose only loss of the year was a 20-19 setback to Georgia.
"Notre Dame’s Josh Adams has been a big-play machine all season long, and his dominant performance in a blowout win over rival USC was just the latest example of just how dangerous he is with the ball in his hands," Luke Easterling of USA Today's the Draft Wire wrote.
Why he's here
Everybody wants to talk about Bryce Love's game-breaking ability, and there's nothing wrong with that. But Adams belongs in the next breath.
He is a playmaker at the highest level of the sport, showcasing his ability to do damage with his wheels on plays like his 84-yard scoring scamper against the Trojans. And USC is a team that recruits some of the top athletes in the country.
Adams has also been proving he's a capable every-down back. He's 6'2", 225 pounds, and those physical attributes, combined with his skill set, make him a guy NFL scouts are drooling over.
2. Bryce Love, Stanford
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By the numbers
Nobody has posted better numbers as a running back than Stanford junior Bryce Love. He leads the nation with 1,387 rushing yards and is averaging 10.27 yards per carry, and he has 11 touchdowns on the ground.
"Only one Power Five running back in the past decade has carried the ball more than 150 times and averaged more than eight yards per carry—California's Jahvid Best averaged 8.1 yards per tote on 194 carries in 2008," USA Today's Paul Myerberg wrote. "Love already has 118 carries. That's ridiculous."
Standout performance
There have been so many in which Love, the third-year player who traveled across country from his North Carolina home to play for the Cardinal, has wowed the nation. But his biggest performance came in a 301-yard game against Arizona State in Week 5 when he looked like he'd been created for an Xbox.
He also scored three touchdowns, and the Cardinal won 34-24.
Why he's here
Some may ask why he isn't higher. The reason is because the player above him is the best all-around performer in college football, and he affects the game in so many ways.
Love is the best rushing weapon in college football, though, and in any other year, he'd be atop the Heisman Trophy list. With some of the defenses and quality opponents remaining on the Cardinal's schedule, Love still could wind up hoisting the hardware.
With the kind of career McCaffrey had in Palo Alto, California, perhaps no one expected Love to step in to head coach David Shaw's offense and do what he's done. It's even arguable that he's had a better year than his predecessor ever did, and if he keeps it up, he may win the Heisman that McCaffrey never did.
1. Saquon Barkley, Penn State
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By the numbers
Though his numbers may not be as flashy as Love's, Saquon Barkley is the most explosive player on one of the most high-flying, fun offensive attacks in the nation.
He's averaging 211.1 all-purpose yards per game (No. 1 in the nation), and he's gaining an average of 108.1 yards on the ground per game. He has eight rushing touchdowns, three receiving scores and one passing TD. He also is averaging 30.3 yards per kickoff return and has scored a touchdown there too.
Standout performance
Though his Heisman moment may have come with the tipped catch against Michigan on prime-time TV on Saturday, his best game of the year came in a last-second win over Iowa in Week 4. He carried the Nittany Lions with 211 rushing yards and touchdown on 28 carries and added 94 yards on 12 receptions.
He also leapt a Hawkeye for another wild moment.
Bill Bender of Sporting News wrote this after the game:
"There isn't a more exciting player, not even Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield or USC's Sam Darnold," Bill Bender of Sporting News wrote after the game. "There hasn't been a running back quite like this in a while—and that's saying something considering Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook were all on the field last year."
Why he's here
Barkley is the best player in college football so far but not by a lot. Love is right behind him, and if he were playing for the undefeated team, they may be flipped.
The good thing about Barkley's best performances (against Iowa and Michigan) is they came on the biggest stages with everybody watching. But he's also had some pedestrian numbers at times because PSU didn't need him to be dynamic to win.
With a standout road performance against Ohio State this weekend at Ohio Stadium, Barkley could solidify himself as the Heisman Trophy front-runner and the favorite to win the Doak Walker Award. But here's the thing about the season Barkley is having: If he has an off night in a loss to the No. 6 Buckeyes, he'll get knocked down a rung.
Barkley has earned the right to be college football's top running back, but he also could fall because of the hype and standard his performances have created. That's why he needs a huge game in a PSU win.
Unless otherwise noted, stats are courtesy of Sports Reference and CFBStats.com, and recruiting data is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings.
Brad Shepard covers college football for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter at @Brad_Shepard.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
