Top 25 College Football Running Backs Heading into Week 2

With the college football season now underway and Week 1 already complete, it is time to begin ranking the running backs. 

The college game lost a lot of talented running backs from a season ago, and while there are not as many great ones as there have been in years past, there are still some electrifying backs around the country. 

Here is a list of the Top 25 running backs in the nation heading into Week 2 of the college football season. 

25. Tauren Poole (Tennessee)

After averaging over five yards per carry last season, Poole was held to just 98 yards on 24 carries in the season opening win over Montana.

He got to the end zone once and starts off the list at No. 25.

24. Marcus Coker (Iowa)

Coker, who averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season, is still only a sophomore. In Week 1, he only totaled 41 yards on 11 carries against Tennessee Tech.

He will need vast improvement on those numbers if he plans on staying on this list for the entire season. 

23. Lance Dunbar (North Texas)

After rushing for over 1,550 yards last season and nearly 1,400 the year before, Dunbar returns for his senior season as one of the most gifted running backs in college football. 

He opened the season with only 43 yards on 18 carries against Florida International over the weekend. With his talent, he should easily improve on those numbers and steadily move up the rankings as the season progresses.

22. Bobby Rainey (Western Kentucky)

Rainey is another running back who put up huge numbers last season. 

He carried the ball 340 times for nearly 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns.

In Week 1, he had 105 yards on 28 carries in a loss to Kentucky.

Rainey is a workhorse and has the talent and potential to lead the nation in rushing yards this season. 

21. Dan Herron (Ohio St.)

Herron would certainly be higher on the list if he was not suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season. 

He rushed for 1,155 yards and a 5.3 average last season to go along with 16 scores. 

He would have led a balanced Buckeye rushing attack in 2011, but instead will have to wait until Week 6 to suit up.

20. Stepfan Taylor (Stanford)

Taylor had a big year in 2010, playing alongside Andrew Luck. 

He rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns. If he improves on those numbers, he could easily be one of the top 15 running back in the country this season. 

He struggled in Week 1, with only 61 yards on 18 carries to go along with two touchdowns against San Jose St.

19. David Wilson (Virginia Tech)

Virginia Tech is never short on running backs and 2011 is no different. 

Wilson averaged 5.5 yards per carry on 113 attempts last season. He steps into a starting role in 2011. 

In the season opener against Appalachian St., he rushed for 162 yards on only 16 carries. He also scored three times.

Wilson could be a sleeper for some big time numbers in 2011.

18. Jonathan Franklin (UCLA)

Franklin was solid in the season-opening loss to Houston. 

He rushed for 128 yards on 16 carries and got into the end zone once. 

Last year, Franklin had over 1,100 yards. It would be surprising if he didn't surpass those numbers this season.

17. Zach Line (SMU)

Zach Line may not be well known, but this running back from SMU galloped for 128 yards on 22 carries in a season-opening loss to Texas A&M. 

Last year, he was one of the top players in the nation in yards per carry, at 6.1, while rushing for 1,494 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

He could easily put up 1,600 yards this season for SMU.

16. Lamar Miller (Miami)

Miller looked impressive in the season-opener against Maryland.

He rushed for 119 yards on only 18 carries. He continued to display the potential he showed as a freshman last season when he averaged 6.0 yards per carry. 

With all the turmoil in Miami, the Hurricanes may rely on Miller more than they normally would this season. That could spell big numbers in 2011.

15. Doug Martin (Boise St.)

Martin was a beast for Boise St. last season with 1,260 yards, but struggled in the opener against Georgia. 

He carried the ball 24 times for only 57 yards and a touchdown. 

Martin is in the middle of the list and could go up or down dramatically based on how he performs the rest of the season.

14. Ronnie Hillman (San Diego St.)

Hillman is a relative unknown who rushed for over 1,500 yards last year as a freshman. 

He followed up that stellar year with a 189-yard, two-touchdown performance in the opening win against Cal Poly. 

Hillman has a chance to lead the nation in rushing yards this season and beyond with the talent he brings to the table.

13. Chris Polk (Washington)

Polk looked good in a win over Eastern Washington. 

He ran for 125 yards on 23 carries.

He could improve on his 1,415 yards from last season in 2011.

12. Michael Dyer (Auburn)

Dyer is an extremely talented running back who was held in check in Week 1. He did get into the end zone twice, but only totaled 57 yards on 14 carries. 

If Auburn plans on having any success this season, Dyer will have to be a workhorse for them throughout the year.

11. Ray Graham (Pittsburgh)

Pittsburgh loves to run the football. This season, Graham will be getting most of their carries. 

In Week 1, he carried the ball 29 times for 201 yards and three touchdowns against Buffalo. That's good for an average of 6.9 yards, slightly better than the 6.2 yards per carry he put up last season. 

Graham will get bulk carries and could be one of the best running backs in the country in 2011.

10. Edwin Baker (Michigan St.)

Baker totaled 91 yards on 18 carries in the season-opening win against Youngstown St. 

Last year, Baker came out of nowhere and rushed for 1,201 yards and 13 touchdowns. 

Baker should have no problem improving on those numbers this season.

9. Vick Ballard (Mississippi St.)

Ballard had perhaps the best first game of any running back in the country over the weekend. 

He rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns on only 10 carries in a 59-14 demolition of Memphis. 

Last year, he rushed for nearly 1,000 yards. The senior should put up even bigger numbers in 2011.

8. James White (Wisconsin)

White was one of three dominant running backs for Wisconsin last season, and with only he and Montee Ball remaining, he will put up even bigger numbers in 2011. 

White averaged 6.7 yards per carry last year on 156 rushes. He opened the new campaign with 64 yards on 11 carries to go along with a touchdown against UNLV in Week 1.

If White was the only guy in Madison, he might be in the top five on this list.

7. Trent Richardson (Alabama)

Richardson is very talented and will carry the bulk of the load for Alabama this season with Mark Ingram now gone. 

He struggled in Week 1, only gaining 37 yards on 13 carries, but did find the end zone three times against Kent St. 

Much is expected of Richardson. If he can live up to the hype, he may be a top-five running back this season.

6. Montee Ball (Wisconsin)

Ball will share time with James White this season and both have the potential to go over 1,300 yards in the Wisconsin offense. 

He scored three touchdowns against UNLV last weekend on only 10 carries and should have no problem putting up 17 to 20 touchdowns this season.

5. Isaiah Pead (Cincinnati)

Pead was big last season for Cincinnati, going over 1,000 yards and averaging 6.6 yards per carry. 

Last weekend, he rushed for 87 yards against Austin Peay on only seven carries. He did not see much of the field after the first quarter, but he did see the end zone twice.

His explosive big play ability put him in the top five in these rankings.

4. Cyrus Gray (Texas A&M)

Gray showed why he is one of the best backs in the country by running for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries last week against SMU.  

He rushed for over 1,133 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and could put up close to 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns this season for a very talented Texas A&M team.

3. Montel Harris (Boston College)

Harris was held out of the season-opening loss to Northwestern with a knee injury, but still comes in at No. 3 on this list based on his performance in past years. 

He rushed for 1,243 yards in 2010 and 1,457 yards in 2009. Harris will be out for a few more weeks, but should put up huge numbers for Boston College when he returns.

2. LaMichael James (Oregon)

James was in and out of the game in the loss to LSU over the weekend. While he may be the most explosive running back in the country, he struggled mightily against the talent of LSU. 

He rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. 

James ran for 1,731 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Duplicating those numbers will be difficult this time around, but James has the talent to do almost anything at the college level.

1. Marcus Lattimore (South Carolina)

Lattimore was a talented freshman last season, totaling 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns.

As a sophomore this year, big things are expected from the ultra-talented running back. 

He did not disappoint in Week 1, with 112 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 33 yards receiving. 

Lattimore tops the list for Week 1, but will he be able to hang on for the entire season?