College Football: Top 25 Running Backs Heading into Week 4

Another week of the college football season is in the books, and a few new faces have emerged on the list of the Top 25 running backs in the country. 

Many running backs on the list struggled last week, making room for some new names this week. 

However, the man who has been at the top of the list all season had his biggest game yet. 

Here are the Top 25 running backs in the country heading into Week 4. 

25. Robbie Rouse (Fresno St.)

Robbie Rouse is the first of four new names on the list this week. 

He totaled 110 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries in Week 3 against North Dakota. 

That followed up a 169-yard performance against Nebraska last week. 

Fresno St. is not the most talented team in the nation and will be playing from behind a lot this season which could limit his carries in the coming weeks. 

24. Henry Josey (Missouri)

Josey had limited carries during the first two weeks of the season, but burst out last week against Western Illinois and is the second new name on the list this week. 

He had the biggest week of anybody in the country with 263 yards on only 14 carries. His three touchdowns were his first of the season. 

After three games, Josey is averaging nearly 14 yards a carry, tops in the country. 

23. John White IV (Utah)

White is the next new name on the list. He had 174 yards and three touchdowns in a big road win against BYU over the weekend. 

White has already amassed 380 yards and five touchdowns on the young season. 

He could put up some huge numbers in the coming weeks and has a chance to be a staple on the Top 25 for the rest of the season. 

22. Joseph Randle (Oklahoma St.)

Joseph Randle has gone over 120 yards in all three Oklahoma St. games this season. 

He has also scored at least two touchdowns in every game. 

He had 128 yards and three touchdowns last week after totaling 121 yards rushing and 99 yards receiving in Week 2. 

21. Marcus Coker (Iowa)

Coker drops one spot this week after a subpar performance against Pittsburgh. 

He ran for 86 yards on 23 carries, but was unable to reach the end zone. 

Coker has struggled in the early going this season and will need to pick up the pace if he is going to remain on this list the entire season. 

20. Chris Rainey (Florida)

Rainey had a huge game against Tennessee and moves up four spots this week to No. 20. 

He not only ran for 108 yards on 21 carries, but also caught two passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. 

His versatility and ability to hurt the defense in so many ways, makes him one of the biggest big-play threats in the country. 

19. Bobby Rainey (Western Kentucky)

Rainey had another solid performance in Week 3, rushing for 105 yards on 23 carries and remains at No. 19 this week.  

He has gone over 100 yards in every game this season and that is certain to continue, particularly if Western Kentucky can play from in front for a change. 

18. Edwin Baker (Michigan St.)

Nobody saw a bigger drop in the rankings than Baker, who fell from No. 13 down to 18. 

He struggled mightily against Notre Dame, rushing for only 26 yards on 10 carries and failing to get into the end zone. 

Baker has been a slight disappointment for Michigan St. so far this season, but still has the talent to remain on the list in the coming weeks. 

17. David Wilson (Virginia Tech)

Wilson moves up one spot this week after an 88-yard performance on 21 carries against Arkansas St.

He managed one touchdown, giving him four for the season.

This was the first time Wilson did not get over 136 yards and even though he struggled slightly in Week 3, he will be a force this season in the ACC. 

16. Zach Line (SMU)

Line has been one of the most steady players on the list this year. He moves up one spot this week to No. 16 after a five-touchdown performance against Northwestern St. 

He only carried the ball 16 times for 85 yards and had his first game under 100 yards. 

The five-touchdown performance has been unmatched by a running back this season. 

15. Doug Martin (Boise St.)

Martin remains at No. 15 this week.

While he was sluggish on the ground for the second straight game, carrying the ball 19 times for 70 yards, he did have five receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown against Toledo. 

Boise St. has played the toughest part of their schedule, and look for Martin to put up some huge numbers in the coming weeks. 

14. Lamar Miller (Miami)

Miller was impressive in Miami's win over Ohio State on Saturday. 

He carried the ball 26 times for 184 yards against a solid Ohio St. defense, good enough to move him up two spots this week. 

Miller is extremely talented and could get a lot of carries this season to help take the pressure off Jacory Harris. 

13. Montel Harris (Boston College)

Montel Harris drops five more spots this week after missing his third consecutive game to start the season. 

He is getting closer to coming back and almost played in the ACC opener against Duke, a game Boston College lost, 20-19. 

The Eagles need him back or it is going to be an extremely long season on Chestnut Hill. 

12. Ray Graham (Pittsburgh)

Graham falls two spot after running for 97 yards on 22 carries against Iowa. 

He also caught six passes for 50 yards. 

Graham has been solid in the early going this season and should have no trouble hanging around the Top 10 for the entire season. 

11. Vick Ballard (Mississippi St.)

Ballard drops five spots after virtually not showing up against the talented LSU defense on Thursday night. 

He only got 10 carries and accumulated just 38 yards. 

While the LSU defense is one of the best in the country, Ballard still drops five spots after his worst performance of the year. 

10. James White (Wisconsin)

White had a nice bounce-back week after struggling in Week 2, accumulating 91 yards on only eight carries against Northern Illinois. 

That performance was good enough to move him up two spots this week. 

White is a big-play threat who has struggled some in the early going, but is almost certain to put up huge numbers once he gets more carries. 

9. Chris Polk (Washington)

Polk came up huge for Washington, as they hung with Nebraska for most of the game Saturday. 

He carried the ball 22 times for 130 yards and one touchdown.

That performance is good enough to move him up five spots on the list this week.  

8. Montee Ball (Wisconsin)

Montee Ball was solid in Week 3, but still drops three spots after only gaining 91 yards on 20 carries against Northern Illinois. 

He did reach the end zone twice, but the low yards per carry drops him three spots on this week's rankings. 

7. Ronnie Hillman (San Diego St.)

Hillman blitzed Washington St. for 191 yards and four touchdowns on 32 carries Saturday and moves up four spots this week.  

He has rushed for nearly 500 yards in three games and has averaged over 6.0 yards per carry in every contest. 

His eight touchdowns are also something to take notice of. 

HIllman has a great chance to lead the country in rushing this season and might just continue to move up the list. 

6. Isaiah Pead (Cincinnati)

Pead drops three spots this week simply due to the fact that he only played two drives in the Bearcats domination of Akron. 

He scored a touchdown on the opening drive and only carried the ball six times for 15 yards before leaving the game early due to the short week for Cincinnati. 

Pead was removed from the game to rest up for Thursday's contest against NC State. 

5. Trent Richardson (Alabama)

Richardson finally busted out last weekend against North Texas. 

He carried the ball only 11 times, but totaled 167 yards and three touchdowns. 

Richardson proved to be too much for the Mean Green and moves up four spots this week. 

A few more games like this, and he could be near the top of this list. 

4. Michael Dyer (Auburn)

Dyer moves up three spots this week after a 151-yard performance on the road against Clemson. 

He carried the ball 16 times with two scores. 

Dyer started the season slow, but has come on strong the past two weeks and has averaged over eight yards per carry the past two weeks. 

3. Cyrus Gray (Texas A&M)

Gray drops one spot this week, not because of a poor performance, but because of what the man at No. 2 did. 

He carried the ball 29 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 58 yards and a score. 

Gray is another dual threat on this list that can hurt the opposition in more ways than one. 

2. LaMichael James (Oregon)

James had, by far, his best game of the season against Missouri St. last week. 

He had 204 yards and three touchdowns on only 12 carries. 

A 90-yard touchdown scamper brought back glimpses of the previous two seasons, and James proved why he is still one of the best backs in the game. 

1. Marcus Lattimore (South Carolina)

Marcus Lattimore remains the No. 1 running back on the list for the third consecutive week. 

He had his best game of the season in Week 3 against Navy, rushing for 246 yards and three touchdowns on 37 carries. 

Lattimore has developed into a workhorse, and the Gamecocks needed everything he had to prevail against a pesky Navy team in Week 3.