Jan 18, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) during practice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
No returning running back in the 2025 college football season had more rushing touchdowns last fall than Notre Dame Fighting Irish star Jeremiyah Love. Meanwhile, only one other back who carried the ball over 150 times in 2024 averaged more than his 6.9 yards per carry. Furthermore, no other returning back registered more than the Notre Dame running back’s four rushes of over 60 yards last fall.
The most impressive thing amongst the statistical accolades Love amassed last season is that they don’t define his contributions to the sport. The Notre Dame back has explosive, home-hitting capability, but his lower body strength and contact balance make him a dangerous short-yardage threat. He’s also an adept pass catcher, making him a practically unstoppable offensive weapon.
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks running back Ahmad Hardy (22) runs the ball as Auburn Tigers take on Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. Auburn Tigers defeated Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks 48-14.
Ahmad Hardy led all freshmen running backs with 1,351 rushing yards for the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks last fall, and he returns to college football in 2025 with the Missouri Tigers, looking to prove himself at the SEC level.
He’s one of the most elusive players you’ll see this coming season while having the strength to stiff-arm the best defensive players attempting to stop him. He’s easily one of the top running backs in the country, and his impact is being felt in recruiting for the team he departs.
Nov 16, 2024; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes (21) scores a touchdown during the first half against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
The Oregon Ducks offense lost playmakers at every position, but their ground game shouldn’t skip a beat after luring former Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes to Eugene. Hughes earned a CSN All-American honorable mention after rushing for 1,401 yards (10th nationally) and 15 touchdowns.
One of the fastest running backs in college football (verified by Reel Analytics) he has the vision and drive to get the job done anywhere on the field.
Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) celebrates a touch down in the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
It says Nicholas Singleton in the header here, but really it should be a hybrid between Singleton and teammate Kaytron Allen. The two Penn State Nittany Lions running backs combined for over 2,200 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall as a legitimate thunder and lightning backfield.
While Allen is favored by some Penn State fans, Singleton is clearly the more talented of the two, with his receiving prowess set to be more important than ever to quarterback Drew Allar’s success this fall.
Nov 30, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Isaac Brown (25) runs the ball during the third quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
The 2025 college football season will be stacked at the running back position, and Isaac Brown is a name that should be heard a lot during the fall. He’s fresh off a commanding freshman campaign where he paced the Louisville Cardinals offense with 1,173 rushing yards at 7.11 yards per carry with 11 touchdowns.
A true pace back, Brown earned CSN Freshman All-American honors for his performances and is on an upward trajectory.
Nov 9, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) runs with the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
Consistently one of the most underrated running backs in the country, Jonah Coleman had a stellar season amongst a difficult first season in the Big Ten for the Washington Huskies.
The former Arizona running back tallied a career-high 1,053 rushing yards and surpassed his career touchdown total in just one season with 10 rushing scores. He’s never averaged less than five yards per carry and is a monster who breaks tackles and adds yardage after contact for fun.
Jan 3, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) scores a touchdown against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second quarter at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
When healthy, Darius Taylor is one of the top running backs in college football. He missed half of what should have been a 1,000+ yard freshman campaign and followed up last year with five 100+ yard outings and was just 14 yards shy of the elusive 1,000 yards.
He’s a big-play threat who eats up ground without being the fastest back in the country while being able to lower the shoulder and break tackles to grind out extra yardage after contact. Last year, he demonstrated his receiving ability, too.
