Together, they formed an unstoppable force, culminating in a remarkable 2016 season when Pumphrey tallied a jaw-dropping 2,133 rushing yards and 17 TDs, and Penny contributed 1,018 rushing yards and 11 scores.
Ball recorded 1,830 yards and 22 TDs in his last year with the Badgers, but Gordon picked up the slack, averaging 10 yards per carry with a 62-621-3 line.
Barner’s versatility allowed him to score in multiple ways -- rushing, receiving, and kick-returning -- making him the first Duck to accomplish that feat since 1965. As for James, his speed and elusiveness were the cornerstone of Oregon's offensive explosion, and he finished third in the 2010 Heisman voting after leading the nation in rushing yards with over 1,700.
Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were an absolute force in the SEC during their time at Arkansas, combining for 7,501 yards over three seasons -- that's 2,500 yards per year. In 2007 alone, they racked up a staggering 2,992 yards.
In 2005, the two combined for a jaw-dropping 3,042 rushing yards and 40 scores, a testament to their complementary styles. Bush dazzled with his speed and versatility, averaging 8.7 yards per carry en route to winning the Heisman Trophy, while White was the bruiser, leading the nation with 24 rushing TDs.
Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber III formed one of the most dominant backfields in college football during their time at Minnesota. From 2003 to 2004, they became the first duo in NCAA history to each rush for over 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Barber ran for 1,196 and 1,269 yards while Maroney added 1,121 and 1,348 yards.
Auburn’s backfield has a rich history of dynamic duos, but none is more celebrated than Ronnie Brown and Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. In 2004, the pair led Auburn to a perfect 13-0 season, combining for 2,543 total yards and 22 TDs.
Before they became NFL stars, Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders formed a potent backfield duo for Oklahoma State. In 1987, Thomas generated a 251-1,613-17 rushing line, while Sanders posted a respectable 105-603-9 line as the clear backup.
The "Pony Express" duo of Eric Dickerson and Craig James tore through defenses during their time at SMU. Dickerson rushed for 1,428 yards in 1981 and an impressive 1,617 in 1982, while James contributed 1,147 and 938 yards, respectively. They accumulated a staggering 8,193 combined rushing yards, an NCAA record that still stands.
While Archie Griffin earned the headlines and Heisman glory for Ohio State's mid-'70s dominance, fullback Pete Johnson was the perfect complement. Johnson found the end zone 25 times in 1975, the same year Griffin claimed his second Heisman Trophy. Together, they racked up over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, making them a nightmare for opposing defenses.
