With an action-packed Week 1 concluded, we saw upsets, blowouts, and everything else we could ask for. We took the data from every game played this week and are diving into every facet of the game.
This piece focuses on the 100 eligible running backs from last week’s games. There were many impact players on the ground, and now it is time to dive into the numbers and see who really stood out from the pack using our PFSN RBi ranking system.
Ranking the Top 25 Running Backs in College Football
25) Justice Haynes, Michigan
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 77.42 (C+)
In what was an awe-inspiring performance from Justice Haynes, the only reason he is not higher on this list is the level of competition and his limited role as a blocker in Michigan’s win over New Mexico. Haynes ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns as New Mexico had no answer for him or anything Michigan threw at them. With similar games against teams with more national recognition, Haynes could skyrocket up this list. He is a fantastic place to start.
24) Davon Booth, Mississippi State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 77.42 (C+)
Davon Booth entered his senior season at Mississippi State on the heels of two consecutive strong years with 750 yards or more. He was at Utah State in 2023, where he amassed 805 yards on 120 carries. Last season at Mississippi State, he had 759 yards on 152 carries. His per-carry numbers are strong, and he looks to break 1,000 yards this season to help the Bulldogs take the next step.
In the Bulldogs’ Week 1 game against Southern Mississippi, Booth carried the ball 16 times for 79 yards and a touchdown. He was also successful in 100% of his pass block attempts. He was on the field for eight such situations, the second most of anyone in our top 25 and the most of anyone with a 100% success rate. The yards are great, and it is fantastic to start the year in the end zone, but being able to block on passing downs is just as crucial to a balanced offense.
23) Anthony Hankerson, Oregon State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 77.68 (C+)
Anthony Hankerson was an impact player in what proved to be a challenging game for the Beavers, serving as possibly the lone bright spot in Week 1. He rushed for 42 yards on 15 carries, including a touchdown, and caught four passes for 22 yards. Cal’s defense looked stout, so breaking through for the score shows that his 15 touchdowns last season were no fluke. Hankerson ran for 1,082 yards last season, and it is clear early that Oregon State wants to use him more in the passing game. The hope is that they fix issues around him for next week, with Fresno State coming to town.
22) Myles Montgomery, UCF
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 78.47 (C+)
In a game that took UCF a little while to get going, they turned to Myles Montgomery in the passing game for a spark. UCF won 17-10, but Montgomery showed he is ready for more responsibility in this offense. His rushing numbers were modest, 79 yards on 21 carries, but his 64-yard reception in the third quarter allowed the Knights to break through for their first score of the season and the game’s first points.
Before this season, Montgomery had just 131 carries and nine receptions over his first three years at UCF. He averaged 6.42 yards per carry and had eight touchdowns in that limited time. That production explains why he is finally getting more opportunities. Getting on this list in a game where the offense as a whole struggled shows Montgomery’s upside. To fulfill that potential, UCF will need to continue using him in the passing game.
21) Micah Ford, Stanford
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 78.5 (C+)
Stanford is clearly looking to establish the run. The Cardinal ran the ball 43 times compared to 30 pass attempts, even in a game they lost. Micah Ford was a big part of that, carrying the ball 26 times for 113 yards, an average of 4.3 per carry, and a touchdown. He accounted for 40.2% of Stanford’s total offense to earn this spot in our top 25. Ford will need to be at his best and get help from his teammates in a challenging road game at BYU next week to stay on this list.
20) Rayshon Luke, Fresno State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 78.79 (C+)
Fresno State knew exactly where to turn to get in the win column in Week 1: giving the ball to Rayshon Luke. A transfer from Arizona, Luke graded as our most elusive back across all games. Against Georgia Southern, Luke made the most of his 10 carries by running for 96 yards and three touchdowns.
Bryson Donelson wasn’t the only Fresno State back making noise last night — Arizona transfer Rayshon Luke (@_doughboyspeedy) added 96 yards and 3 TDs on just 10 carries.
The Bulldogs look to have a dangerous backfield duo brewing in 2025.#GoDogs #G5 pic.twitter.com/5LlbxDsffb
— Bryan (@BGauvin23) August 31, 2025
The attached tweet shows his elusiveness and explains why he could climb these charts with more touches. The challenge is that Fresno State has two backs on this list, which makes for a scary sight for Mountain West defenses once conference play begins.
19) Caden Durham, LSU
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 78.93 (C+)
In a massive win for the LSU Tigers in Week 1, Caden Durham was a significant factor against Clemson’s stout front. Durham turned heads as a true freshman last season, immediately earning meaningful reps. He ran for 753 yards and 260 receiving yards with eight total touchdowns in 2024.
To kick off 2025, Durham picked up where he left off, with 74 rushing yards and a touchdown and 22 receiving yards. If he continues to perform like this against elite competition, he will be on many NFL teams’ wish lists by the time he is draft-eligible.
18) Roman Hemby, Indiana
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 79.03 (C+)
As a transfer from Maryland, Roman Hemby knew what playing in the Big Ten was all about when he joined Indiana for 2025. An experienced back, Hemby had his best season back in 2022, when he averaged 5.3 yards per carry, scored 11 touchdowns, and ran for 989 yards. He also has at least 30 receptions in each of the last three seasons.
Hemby is off to a strong start with Indiana. He ran 23 times for 111 yards in the opener against Old Dominion, and one has to wonder about his ceiling in this upstart Hoosiers offense. Expect him to be a regular in this leaderboard, as he has the experience and skill set to help Indiana chase another College Football Playoff berth.
17) Yasin Willis, Syracuse
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 79.12 (C+)
When Syracuse welcomed Tennessee to town this past weekend, few expected much from the Orange. Still, against a strong Tennessee defense, Yasin Willis made a name for himself among numbers guys like me and among Syracuse fans in his first game in an increased role. He ran for 91 yards on 23 carries and scored three touchdowns. There was little else to be excited about from Syracuse in this game, but Willis got our attention.
Last season, Willis had 36 carries for 130 yards and one touchdown. At 6’1″ and 235 pounds, his goal is no mystery, but this time he got it done. Let’s see if he can build on this or if the league adjusts.
16) Quinton Jackson, Rice
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 79.17 (C+)
Special teams standout turned starting running back Quinton Jackson is off to a fast start in 2025. Jackson was impressive in a tight road win for Rice at Louisiana. He showed flashes in 2024, recording 5.7 yards per carry on 48 carries and scoring two touchdowns.
His Week 1 performance included 119 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown, which was a key reason Rice was able to pull off the win. Louisiana is a solid program that often hovers around the rankings, and Jackson was still able to put together a performance like this. It will be interesting to see just how high he can elevate his game as he adjusts to a starter’s workload.
15) Rocko Griffin, UMass
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 79.22 (C+)
Rocko Griffin hasn’t had the workload to elevate his game at his third stop in six seasons. His best season was his first at UTSA, when he averaged 5.3 yards per carry and scored six touchdowns on just 91 carries.
If his performance in UMass’ opener is any indication of his role in this offense, Griffin could set career highs across the board. He carried the ball 10 times for 94 yards and scored the game’s first touchdown, though things went downhill for UMass after that. Look for the Minutemen to lean on Griffin more as the season progresses.
14) Hollywood Smothers, NC State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 80.39 (B-)
Oklahoma transfer Hollywood Smothers had a solid first season with NC State, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and scoring eight total touchdowns in limited time. In Week 1, NC State gave him the lion’s share of the carries, and he delivered 76 yards and a touchdown.
The Wolfpack appear to have a balanced attack, so this could be his normal workload. Seeing him land at No. 14 with more to give on a per-carry basis leaves plenty of intrigue about just how much better Smothers can be.
13) Quintrevion Wisner, Texas
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.45 (B-)
Junior running back Quintrevion Wisner was the brightest star for Texas in a tough loss to Ohio State. While he didn’t find the end zone, he still averaged 5 yards per carry and ran for 80 yards.
In his first season as the starter, Wisner was productive, finishing with 1,064 yards and five touchdowns. With performances like this against well-constructed teams, his counting stats should come soon and often.
12) Robert Henry Jr., UTSA
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.85 (B-)
While the game didn’t turn out how UTSA hoped, the Roadrunners must be pleased with Robert Henry Jr.’s effort against 19th-ranked Texas A&M. He ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 11.1 yards per carry.
Henry Jr. has had a nose for the end zone in each of his first two seasons, scoring 19 times despite a crowded backfield last year. This season, he appears to have a firmer grip on UTSA’s carries, which should help the Roadrunners as the season goes on.
11) Jalen Dupree, Colorado State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.86 (B-)
Redshirt freshman Jalen Dupree had a strong showing for Colorado State at Washington. He ran for 92 yards on 15 carries and scored a touchdown. While he was efficient, the Rams’ defeat was due largely to poor quarterback play and defensive struggles. Dupree matched the 6.1 yards per carry he averaged in his 25 attempts last season. If he continues at this pace, head coach Jay Norvell may have to rethink his play-calling.
10) Star Thomas, Tennessee
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 82.02 (B-)
Star Thomas proved to be a capable replacement for Dylan Sampson, showing elusiveness and poise in Tennessee’s road win over Syracuse. He ran for 96 yards on 12 carries. He is coming off a strong 2024 season at Duke that caught Tennessee’s attention and led them to bring him in as the heir apparent. With Desean Bishop competing for touches, Thomas will need to keep flashing the skill set he showed in Week 1 to stay ahead.
9) Bryson Donelson, Fresno State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 82.02 (B-)
As I mentioned earlier, if someone is taking touches from Rayshon Luke at Fresno State, he must be talented — and Bryson Donelson is just that. Donelson handled the majority of the workload, rushing for 167 yards on 23 carries and scoring a touchdown. Georgia Southern wasn’t able to stop the run, but this is no fluke. Donelson averaged 7.3 yards per carry in this game and 6.0 last season. While the offensive line will need to prove itself against tougher defenses, Donelson’s skill is undeniable when given opportunities.
8) Darius Taylor, Minnesota
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 82.12 (C+)
Darius Taylor showed he is Minnesota’s lead back with 141 yards on 30 carries in their win over Buffalo. He also caught four passes for 36 yards. He caught 50 passes last year and scored 12 total touchdowns. He finished just 14 yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards, and I expect him to surpass that mark this season with his combination of skill and usage.
7) Jonah Coleman, Washington
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 82.64 (B-)
Coming off a 1,053-yard season in his first year at Washington, Jonah Coleman has the Huskies excited about his capabilities. He improved in each of his two seasons at Arizona, and his touchdowns doubled from five to 10 over that span. With his hot start this season, he looks ready to build on that momentum.
Coleman ran for 177 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns in the opener. He looked every bit the part of a 1,000-yard rusher and will need to showcase those skills in the big games later in the year to draw the attention of NFL teams.
6) Sam Scott, Wyoming
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 83 (B)
One of only six players to receive a B grade, Sam Scott was a major reason Wyoming started the year with a win. Scott ran for 132 yards and was tough to bring down. In his first three seasons, he never topped 100 carries in a season, but with performances like this, he could go from being known as a converted linebacker to a must-watch running back on the national stage.
5) Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 83.02 (B)
Emmett Johnson has quietly grown into a key player for Nebraska. Last season, he led the Cornhuskers in all-purpose yards. In the Week 1 matchup with Cincinnati, he balanced the offense with 108 rushing yards on 25 carries. Johnson also caught seven passes, and while none broke for long gains, his steady production was essential in securing the win. Look for him to add explosive plays this season as he settles into his role.
4) Cam Cook, Jacksonville State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 83.68 (B)
In a Jacksonville State offense that struggled against a stout UCF defensive front, Cam Cook was the difference-maker who kept the Gamecocks in the game, even after UCF gained control. Cook was dynamic, showing elusiveness and averaging 10.8 yards per reception to impact the offense in multiple ways.
Cook did not score in this game, but during his time at TCU, he showed a knack for the end zone with nine touchdowns while splitting backfield duties. Jacksonville State’s rushing attack looks to feature Cook and quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, giving Cook plenty of opportunities to build on this performance.
3) Sedrick Alexander, Vanderbilt
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 84.28 (B)
In Vanderbilt’s dominant performance, Sedrick Alexander stood out as the featured back. He ran for 83 yards on 12 carries and added a 26-yard touchdown on his only reception. Averaging 6.9 yards per carry, Alexander displayed elusiveness and playmaking ability. He appears poised for a breakout in 2025.
2) Tae Meadows, Troy
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 84.6 (B)
Tae Meadows had a huge opener, doing it all statistically and delivering the big plays Troy needed:
Troy wins its season opener 38-20 over Nicholls State.
Trojans put the game away here, Jaquez White with a huge interception with less than seven minutes to play and then Tae Meadows immediately scores from 47 yards out. @wsfa12news pic.twitter.com/3dC09P0UkQ
— Rosie Langello-Hodgens (@RosieLangello) August 31, 2025
Meadows rushed for 186 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown, leading all of Division I in rushing while averaging 8.1 yards per carry. His breakout came after totaling just four carries across his first two seasons. If he can repeat even part of this performance against Clemson next week, he will be on everyone’s radar.
1) Lincoln Tare, Texas State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 86.55 (B)
While Tae Meadows led the nation in rushing yards last week, Lincoln Tare graded highest in our system. Tare led the nation in OffRushEPA per rush, a measure of points added to the offense per carry.
Texas State RB Lincoln Pare destroyed EMU on the ground, with 167 yards on just 12 carries (13.9 ypc!). This 57 yard scamper helped the Bobcats pull away from the Eagles:@Lincdog4 @TXSTATEFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/L7DVC4zhqp
— Simon Carroll (@NFLDraftSi) August 31, 2025
Tare ran 12 times for 167 yards and a touchdown, averaging 13.9 yards per carry. He seems poised to surpass his career high of 772 rushing yards in 2022 and has improved his yards-per-carry average each year since his sophomore season.
College Football RB Rankings | 26-99
26) CJ Donaldson, Ohio State (76.86, C)
27) Miles Davis, Utah State (76.85, C)
28) NaQuari Rogers, Utah (76.77, C)
29) Qua Ashley, Ball State (76.66, C)
30) Devin Mockobee, Purdue (76.46, C)
31) Maurice Turner, Tulane (76.37, C)
32) Jevon Jackson, UAB (76.14, C)
33) Bill Davis, Louisiana (76.13, C)
34) Daniel Hishaw Jr., Kansas (75.56, C)
35) Chip Trayanum, Toledo (75.51, C)
36) Antwan Raymond, Rutgers (75.23, C)
37) Cameron Dickey, Texas Tech (75.19, C)
38) Sieh Bangura, Ohio (75.05, C)
39) Dominic Richardson, Tulsa (74.82, C)
40) Jay Ducker, Temple (74.81, C)
41) Seth McGowan, Kentucky (74.67, C)
42) Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss (74.4, C0
43) Alex Tecza, Navy (74.32, C)
44) DeSean Bishop, Tennessee (74.17, C)
45) Kendrick Reescano, Arizona (73.97, C)
46) Joe Jackson, Kansas State (73.9, C)
47) Dilin Jones, Wisconsin (73.84, C)
48) Jahiem White, West Virginia (73.76, C)
49) Ahmad Hardy, Missouri (73.58, C)
50) Shomari Lawrence, Missouri State (73.28, C)
51) Jekail Middlebrook, Middle Tennessee State (72.96, C-)
52) Marvis Parrish, Western Kentucky (72.86, C-)
53) Wayshawn Parker, Utah (72.62, C-)
54) Zylan Perry, Louisiana (72.43, C-)
55) CJ Campbell Jr., Rutgers (72.39, C-)
56) Dante Dowdell, Kentucky (71.91, C-)
57) Braylon McReynolds, Louisiana-Monroe (71.9, C-)
58) George Pettaway, James Madison (71.54, C-)
59) Scottre Humphrey, New Mexico (71.45, C-)
60) Noah Vaughn, Virginia (71.19, C-)
61) Lucky Sutton, San Diego State (71.07, C-)
62) Brandon High Jr., California (70.95, C-)
63) Alton McCaskill, Sam Houston State (70.9, C-)
64) Kentrel Bullock, South Alabama (70.59, C-)
65) Maurki James, Old Dominion (70.58, C-)
66) DeJuan Williams, Maryland (70.36, C-)
67) Lee Beebe Jr., Indiana (70.22, C-)
68) Noah Wittington, Oregon (70.22, C-)
69) Daelen Alexander, Rice (70.19, C)
70) Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo (69.69, D+)
71) Dylan Lee, Iowa State (69.62, D+)
72) Kaderris Roberts, Bowling Green (68.49, D+)
73) Kenyon Clay, Arkansas State (68.14, D+)
74) Sedrick Irvin, Stanford (68.12, D+)
75) Xavier Williams, Iowa (68.03, D+)
76) Terrell Washington, Iowa (68.01, D+)
77) Kaelon Black, Indiana (68, D+)
78) CJ Baxter, Texas (67.91, D+)
79) Kadarius Calloway, New Mexico State (67.43, D+)
80) Chavon Wright, Northern Illinois (67.16, D+)
81) Chris McMillan, Bowling Green (67, D+)
82) J’Mari Taylor, Virginia (65.51, D)
83) Jordan Marshall, Michigan (65.51, D)
84) Turbo Richard, Boston College (65.23, D)
85) Gavin Garcia, Kent State (65.19, D)
86) Telly Johnson Jr., Northern Illinois (65.01, D)
87) Kalib Hicks, Oklahoma State (64.93, D)
88) Jordan Lovett, Troy (64.2, D)
89) J’Marion Burnette, Houston (64.14, D)
90) Nate Frazier, Georgia (63.59, D)
91) Braylen Russell, Arkansas (63.51, D)
92) Malik Sherrod, Boise State (63.02, D)
93) Evan Dickens, Liberty (62.27, D-)
94) Tavierre Dunlap, Eastern Michigan (61.42, D-)
95) Dean Connors, Houston (61.36, D-)
96) James Peoples, Ohio State (61.09, D-)
97) Dijon Stanley, New Mexico State (60.5, D)
98) Angel Johnson, Washington State (57.3, F)
