Top 25 RB rankings entering Week 7 of college football
The On3 Top 25 running backs held fairly solid after an exciting Week 6. With only one new name joining the Top 25, the movement of interest came with a few running backs sliding up and down the list.
For instance, one running back has climbed all the way to No. 3 from the back of the Top 10 after not being in the Top 25 heading into Week 5. All told, the conference breakdown is as such: Five from the Big Ten, SEC and Group of 5 schools, four from the Pac-12, three from the Big 12, two from the ACC and one Notre Dame running back.
Check out the full On3 Top 25 running backs below.
1. Blake Corum, Michigan
Corum and Michigan have yet to really face a stout defense, and the Wolverines are thusly chugging along. Corum has looked fully recovered from a knee injury that struck in Week 12 last season, and Saturday night was a light, efficient evening.
Corum carried just nine times for 69 yards and a touchdown as the Wolverines pounded Minnesota. He’s averaging 6 yards per carry this season and leads the country with 10 rushing touchdowns.
2. Audric Estimé, Notre Dame
Estimé had easily his worst game of the season as Notre Dame turned in a clunker on the road at Louisville. He carried 10 times for 20 yards and had one catch for nine.
Even still, Estimé is averaging 6.6 yards per carry in 2023 and has seven touchdowns. He’ll keep being the bell cow for Notre Dame.
3. Jonathon Brooks, Texas
Brooks is no Bijan Robinson, but he’s been nearly as effective for Texas in 2023. And despite the loss to Oklahoma, Brooks was exceptional on Saturday.
He carried 22 times for 129 yards and a touchdown while hauling in five passes for 34 yards. He’s been a perfect counterpunch to the passing attack.
4. Jawhar Jordan, Louisville
On the other side from Estime, Jordan bounced back from his worst game of the season. He shredded the Irish defense as Louisville got a huge win.
Jordan carried 21 times for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the winning effort. He’s averaging 7.5 yards per carry through six games.
5. Darius Taylor, Minnesota
Taylor has missed the past two games and the Gophers have felt it. Minnesota is 1-1 without Taylor, with the lone win coming against a Group of 5 team.
Without Taylor, the Minnesota offense has become one-dimensional and struggled. With him, they’ve been able to field a punishing rushing attack as he averages 6.1 yards per carry.
6. Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Hampton failed to find the end zone against Syracuse on Saturday, his first game of the season without a rushing touchdown. He did turn in his second-best rushing performance of the season, though.
Hampton had 15 carries for 78 yards, good for 5.2 a carry. A plenty efficient day amid a blowout led by the passing game.
7. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
Allen was held relatively in check in terms of yards per carry on Saturday, but even that wasn’t enough: 4.8 yards per carry. Life can be that way when you averaged 7.1 yards per carry entering the game.
Allen carried 21 times for 101 yards and a touchdown as Wisconsin ground out a win. He’s on pace for yet another 1000-yard season.
8. Ray Davis, Kentucky
Davis wasn’t going to rush for 280 yards in back-to-back weeks — especially with Georgia lined up. The Bulldogs shut him, and the Kentucky offense, down.
Davis carried 15 times for 59 yards, but did manage to catch a TD. It’ll hopefully be smoother sailing ahead against the rest of the SEC East.
9. MarShawn Lloyd, USC
Lloyd played his part as USC needed all hands on deck to withstand a push from Arizona. And it marked his third-straight game where he notched double-digit carries.
Lloyd took 15 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown, one of his stronger performances of the year. He’ll likely be needed again against a solid Notre Dame defense.
10. Nate Noel, Appalachian State
It took an injury to stop Noel from rushing for 100-plus yards against Coastal Carolina this Wednesday. He’d done so in every game so far for Appalachian State.
Even with the one carry for one-yard performance, Noel is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He’s lacking in the touchdown department with just four, but his 652 yards are among the best in the country.
Running backs No. 11 through 25
11. Damien Martinez, Oregon State
12. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee
13. TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
14. Emani Bailey, TCU
15. Devin Neal, Kansas
16. Rasheen Ali, Marshall
17. Marcus Carroll, Georgia State
18. Bucky Irving, Oregon
19. Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks, Mississippi State
20. Harrison Waylee, Wyoming
21. Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
22. Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
23. Jaydn Ott, Cal
24. Jase McClellan, Alabama
25. Nick Singleton, Penn State
Waylee (No. 20) is the only new player in the Top 25 this week Florida State’s Trey Benson surprisingly fell out of the rankings after a blistering performance, but one where he only had to break as many tackles as he scored touchdowns — two.