Print ArticleIt used to be that rushing for 2,000 yards in a single season was a rare and extraordinary achievement. But during the recently completed college football season, a total of three running backs in Division I-A, Ray Rice of Rutgers, Kevin Smith of the University of Central Florida and Matt Forte of Tulane, all topped the 2,000 yard mark.
Because of recent changes at the collegiate level, 2,000 yards is not as far out of reach as it used to be. However, it is still an impressive accomplishment.
Since 1981, a total of 13 college football players at the Division I-A level have broken the 2,000 yard plateau, and one player even did it twice. The first college player to reach 2,000 yards was Marcus Allen of USC back in 1981. Troy Davis of Iowa State eclipsed mark during back-to-back seasons in 1995 and 1996. A second running back in 1996 also surpassed 2,000 yards, Byron Hanspard of Texas Tech.
With Division I-A college football adding a 12th regular season game in 2006, and with several teams also playing in conference championship games each year, some college players now have as many as 14 games in a season to try and reach the 2,000 yard mark. (Conference championship games and bowl games are both counted in the yearly stats for college football players)
In the NFL, O.J Simpson of the Buffalo Bills became the first player to rush for over 2,000 yards back in 1973. At the time, Simpson’s accomplishment came during a 14-game regular season. Since then, two more games have been added to the NFL regular season schedule, but only four other running backs have ever topped 2,000 yards, Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams, Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions, Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos and Jamal Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens.
There are two other 2,000 yard rushers that deserve to be mentioned as well. In 1985, during the final season of the United States Football League, Herschel Walker of the New Jersey Generals set the all-time pro football rushing record with 2,411 yards. Also, in the Canadian Football League, Mike Pringle of the Montreal Alouettes became the first and only 2,000 rusher in league history in 1998. The CFL and USFL regular seasons both featured 18 game regular seasons.
Of all the players who have ever rushed for over 2,000 yards at the collegiate and pro football levels, only one name is listed as having accomplished the feat in both categories. That would be Barry Sanders, who did it in college at Oklahoma State in 1988 and again in 1997 with the Detroit Lions. Sanders still holds the collegiate single-season record with 2,628 yards rushing.
So, as you can see, the number of players who have rushed for 2,000 yards in a single season is a pretty exclusive group. But if this past college football season is any indicator, one has to wonder if reaching 2,000 yards at the college football level will become more commonplace in the years to come? Or was this just a banner year for running backs? Only time will tell.
By The Numbers
NFL
1973 - O.J. Simpson - Buffalo Bills - 2,003 (14 games)
1984 - Eric Dickerson - Los Angeles Rams - 2,105 (16 games)
1997 - Barry Sanders - Detroit Lions - 2,053 (16 games)
1998 - Terrell Davis - Denver Broncos - 2,008 (16 games)
2003 - Jamal Lewis - Baltimore Ravens - 2,066 (16 games)
USFL
1985 - Herschel Walker - New Jersey Generals - 2,411 (18 games)
CFL
1998 - Mike Pringle - Montreal Alouettes - 2,064 (18 games)
College/Division I-A
1981 - Marcus Allen - USC - 2,342 (11 games)
1983 - Mike Rozier - Nebraska - 2,148 (12 games)
1988 - Barry Sanders - Oklahoma State - 2,628 (11 games)
1994 - Rashaan Salaam - Colorado - 2,055 (11 games)
1995 - Troy Davis - Iowa State - 2,010 (11 games)
1996 - Troy Davis - Iowa State - 2,185 (11 games)
1996 - Byron Hanspard - Texas Tech - 2,084 (11 games)
1998 - Ricky Williams - Texas - 2,124 (11 games)
2000 - LaDainian Tomlinson - TCU - 2,158 (11 games)
2002 - Larry Johnson - Penn State - 2,087 (13 games)
2004 - J. J. Arrington - California - 2,018 (12 games)
2007 - Matt Forte - Tulane - 2,127 (12 games)
2007 - Kevin Smith - UCF - 2,567 (14 games)
2007 - Ray Rice - Rutgers - 2,012 (13 games)
Because of recent changes at the collegiate level, 2,000 yards is not as far out of reach as it used to be. However, it is still an impressive accomplishment.
Since 1981, a total of 13 college football players at the Division I-A level have broken the 2,000 yard plateau, and one player even did it twice. The first college player to reach 2,000 yards was Marcus Allen of USC back in 1981. Troy Davis of Iowa State eclipsed mark during back-to-back seasons in 1995 and 1996. A second running back in 1996 also surpassed 2,000 yards, Byron Hanspard of Texas Tech.
With Division I-A college football adding a 12th regular season game in 2006, and with several teams also playing in conference championship games each year, some college players now have as many as 14 games in a season to try and reach the 2,000 yard mark. (Conference championship games and bowl games are both counted in the yearly stats for college football players)
In the NFL, O.J Simpson of the Buffalo Bills became the first player to rush for over 2,000 yards back in 1973. At the time, Simpson’s accomplishment came during a 14-game regular season. Since then, two more games have been added to the NFL regular season schedule, but only four other running backs have ever topped 2,000 yards, Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams, Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions, Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos and Jamal Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens.
There are two other 2,000 yard rushers that deserve to be mentioned as well. In 1985, during the final season of the United States Football League, Herschel Walker of the New Jersey Generals set the all-time pro football rushing record with 2,411 yards. Also, in the Canadian Football League, Mike Pringle of the Montreal Alouettes became the first and only 2,000 rusher in league history in 1998. The CFL and USFL regular seasons both featured 18 game regular seasons.
Of all the players who have ever rushed for over 2,000 yards at the collegiate and pro football levels, only one name is listed as having accomplished the feat in both categories. That would be Barry Sanders, who did it in college at Oklahoma State in 1988 and again in 1997 with the Detroit Lions. Sanders still holds the collegiate single-season record with 2,628 yards rushing.
So, as you can see, the number of players who have rushed for 2,000 yards in a single season is a pretty exclusive group. But if this past college football season is any indicator, one has to wonder if reaching 2,000 yards at the college football level will become more commonplace in the years to come? Or was this just a banner year for running backs? Only time will tell.
By The Numbers
NFL
1973 - O.J. Simpson - Buffalo Bills - 2,003 (14 games)
1984 - Eric Dickerson - Los Angeles Rams - 2,105 (16 games)
1997 - Barry Sanders - Detroit Lions - 2,053 (16 games)
1998 - Terrell Davis - Denver Broncos - 2,008 (16 games)
2003 - Jamal Lewis - Baltimore Ravens - 2,066 (16 games)
USFL
1985 - Herschel Walker - New Jersey Generals - 2,411 (18 games)
CFL
1998 - Mike Pringle - Montreal Alouettes - 2,064 (18 games)
College/Division I-A
1981 - Marcus Allen - USC - 2,342 (11 games)
1983 - Mike Rozier - Nebraska - 2,148 (12 games)
1988 - Barry Sanders - Oklahoma State - 2,628 (11 games)
1994 - Rashaan Salaam - Colorado - 2,055 (11 games)
1995 - Troy Davis - Iowa State - 2,010 (11 games)
1996 - Troy Davis - Iowa State - 2,185 (11 games)
1996 - Byron Hanspard - Texas Tech - 2,084 (11 games)
1998 - Ricky Williams - Texas - 2,124 (11 games)
2000 - LaDainian Tomlinson - TCU - 2,158 (11 games)
2002 - Larry Johnson - Penn State - 2,087 (13 games)
2004 - J. J. Arrington - California - 2,018 (12 games)
2007 - Matt Forte - Tulane - 2,127 (12 games)
2007 - Kevin Smith - UCF - 2,567 (14 games)
2007 - Ray Rice - Rutgers - 2,012 (13 games)
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