- Texas Tech takes the top spot: Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams return after productive 2025 seasons, while Quinten Joyner’s return from injury gives the Red Raiders three proven options.
- Missouri boasts the nation’s top running back: Ahmad Hardy leads the Tigers’ No. 2-ranked backfield after pacing the country with 1,181 yards after contact as a sophomore.
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We’re just a few weeks away from the start of the 2026 college football season, which means it’s time to rank the 10 best position groups in the country.
Next up are the running backs. Given the physical demands of the position, having multiple players capable of handling significant workloads has become increasingly important.
Below are PFF’s top 10 running back units in college football entering the 2026 season.
1. Texas Tech
While Texas Tech doesn’t have a top-10 running back, the depth of its backfield is enough to earn the top spot on this list. Cameron Dickey returns after leading the Big 12 with 14 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore, while fellow junior J’Koby Williams ranked second among Power Four running backs with 388 receiving yards.
As impressive as both were, neither was expected to be the Red Raiders’ top back last season. Quinten Joyner tore his ACL in August and missed the entire year after earning an 80.5 PFF grade at USC in 2024. His return gives Texas Tech three proven options and makes an already productive backfield even deeper.
2. Missouri
The Tigers’ backfield is led by the best running back in the country in Ahmad Hardy, who paced the nation with 1,181 yards after contact as a sophomore. Hardy was shot in the leg while attending a concert in May but was cleared by Missouri’s medical staff in July.
If Hardy isn’t ready for Week 1, Jamal Roberts is more than capable of stepping into a larger role. His 759 rushing yards and 480 yards after contact both ranked eighth in the SEC last season. Missouri also added Xai’Shaun Edwards from Houston Christian, whose 48 forced missed tackles ranked 16th among FCS running backs.
3. Ole Miss
If Ahmad Hardy is the best running back in the country, Kewan Lacy isn’t far behind. The EA College Football 27 cover athlete led the Power Four with 24 rushing touchdowns last season.
Behind Lacy, Michigan State transfer Makhi Frazier provides another proven option after leading the Spartans with 541 rushing yards last year. The Rebels also added Southern Utah transfer Joshua Dye, whose 28 rushing touchdowns led all FCS players.
4. Florida
Jadan Baugh headlines the Gators’ backfield and is a projected first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. According to PFF’s wins above average metric, he is the most valuable returning Power Four running back since the start of the 2024 season.
Florida also added Evan Pryor from Cincinnati, who led the Big 12 with 4.2 yards after contact per attempt among running backs with at least 75 carries. London Montgomery transferred in from East Carolina after ranking fourth in the American Conference with seven rushing touchdowns.
5. Louisville
Isaac Brown leads Louisville’s backfield for the third straight season and is arguably the most efficient runner in college football. He has averaged 7.8 yards per carry over his career, the best mark among FBS running backs since 2024.
Keyjuan Brown was also one of the most efficient backs in the country when given opportunities last season. His 7.3 yards per carry in 2025 ranked second among Power Four running backs, trailing only his teammate, Isaac Brown.
6. Texas
The Longhorns had serious issues running the football last season, posting the fifth-worst EPA per run among Power Four teams. Head coach Steve Sarkisian responded by adding not one, but two high-profile transfers to the backfield.
Raleek Brown arrives from Arizona State after ranking second in the Big 12 with 55 forced missed tackles last season. Hollywood Smothers joins from NC State after ranking third in the ACC with 5.9 yards per carry.
7. Georgia
Georgia’s backfield is led by Nate Frazier, one of the top 15 running backs in the country. His 40 forced missed tackles in 2025 ranked fourth in the SEC.
Behind him, Chauncey Bowens enters his redshirt sophomore season after rushing for 526 yards last year. The Bulldogs also added Kentucky transfer Dante Dowdell, who rushed for 560 yards with the Wildcats in 2025.
8. Miami (FL)
Mark Fletcher Jr. is one of the top 10 running backs in the country after earning a 92.0 PFF rushing grade in 2025, which ranked sixth among FBS backs.
The Hurricanes also return their No. 2 and No. 3 running backs from last season in CharMar Brown and Girard Pringle Jr. Jordan Lyle is fully healthy as well, giving Miami another option after he averaged 5.8 yards per carry across his first two seasons with the Hurricanes.
9. Ohio State
The Buckeyes faced a monumental task replacing Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, but they immediately found their next star in Bo Jackson. His 36 explosive runs as a true freshman ranked sixth in the FBS, and he enters his sophomore season as our No. 9 running back in the country.
Isaiah West also returns for his sophomore season after earning a 76.5 PFF grade as a true freshman. Ohio State added further depth with Florida transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson, who rushed for 506 yards with the Gators in 2024.
10. Oregon
The Ducks make this list thanks to a pair of standout sophomores. Dierre Hill Jr. earned a 90.8 PFF grade as a true freshman, ranking fourth among FBS running backs, while his 8.9 yards per carry led the nation.
Jordan Davison wasn’t far behind, with his 89.1 PFF grade ranking 11th among FBS backs. He also rushed for 15 touchdowns, tied for the eighth-most in the country.
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