Ashton Jeanty from Boise State Comes Close to Barry Sanders’ NCAA Rush Record
Barry Sanders’ name will remain at the top of the NCAA college football record list for at least another season.
Boise State was eliminated from the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl quarterfinals by No. 6 Penn State, and star running back Ashton Jeanty ended up 28 yards shy of breaking Sanders’ record.
Jeanty entered the Fiesta Bowl needing 132 yards to surpass Sanders but concluded the season in second place on the all-time single-season rushing list, totaling 2,601 rushing yards.
It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Jeanty started to make significant yardage against Penn State’s defense, managing only 59 yards by that point.
His longest run came in the fourth quarter when he recorded a 26-yard gain along the right sideline. In total, Jeanty finished with 104 rushing yards but also had two fumbles (one lost) on 30 carries in Boise State’s defeat, ending 31-14 against Penn State.
Barry Sanders, who sent a pregame wish for good luck to Jeanty on X (previously Twitter), has held the NCAA record for 36 years, achieving it in 11 games—three fewer than Jeanty needed this season. Sanders amassed 222 yards in the 1988 Holiday Bowl, but those yards do not contribute to his official record.
After the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal, here’s how Jeanty’s season ranks among the greatest in NCAA history:
Leaders in NCAA Single-Season Rushing Records
Here’s an updated look at the top 10 single-season rushing leaders in NCAA history:
- Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (1988): 2,628 yards
- Ashton Jeanty, Boise State (2024): 2,601 yards
- Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin (2014): 2,587 yards
- Kevin Smith, UCF (2007): 2,567 yards
- Marcus Allen, USC (1981): 2,342 yards
- Rashaad Penny, San Diego State (2017): 2,248 yards
- Derrick Henry, Alabama (2015): 2,219 yards
- Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (2018): 2,194 yards
- Troy Davis, Iowa State (1996): 2,185 yards
- Andre Williams, Boston College (2013): 2,177 yards
