Which college football programs truly own the ground game in the NFL? A viral timelapse posted by @DeegSports on X (formerly Twitter) reveals a fascinating 58-year history of rushing dominance, tracking which schools have produced the most rushing yards in the NFL from 1966 to 2024. For fans of the run game, this is the kind of visual data that tells a powerful story about tradition, talent, and long-term impact.
Watch 58 Years of NFL Rushing Yards by College in One Eye-Opening Timelapse
The video visualization shows the steady rise and fall of powerhouse programs as they feed elite running backs into the NFL. From classic blue-bloods like Oklahoma to modern-day giants like USC and Florida, the timelapse captures the legacy of college football’s biggest contributors to the professional run game.
Running Back Rushing Yards in the NFL — By College (1966-2024) pic.twitter.com/evkIWp4nLs
— Deeg (@DeegSports) May 15, 2025
Alabama, known in recent years for producing elite backs like Derrick Henry, Mark Ingram, and Najee Harris, climbs into the top tier in the early 2010s and 2020s and never looks back.
USC and Penn State, both with long traditions of running excellence, start strong in the earlier decades, riding the production of legends like Marcus Allen, O.J. Simpson, and Franco Harris. But as the decades progress, newer dynasties begin to challenge their ground-game supremacy.
Notably, the timelapse isn’t just a showcase of star players, it’s a window into how offensive philosophies, recruiting pipelines, and NFL success stories all contribute to a college’s legacy. Programs like Texas, Florida State, and Auburn have brief but significant surges thanks to breakout NFL stars who racked up thousands of yards during their professional careers.
What’s also interesting is how the leaderboard evolves with time. Schools that were once dominant begin to fade as others emerge. It reflects not only the shifting sands of college football success but also the NFL’s evolving style of play, which has fluctuated between pass-heavy and run-heavy eras.
At the top of the final leaderboard in 2024? University of Miami stands tall, bolstered by its recent dynasty of dominant backs. But schools like Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma are not far behind, proving that the SEC still sets the standard when it comes to producing powerful runners.
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This timelapse does more than entertain, it educates. It’s a reminder of the deep connections between college football and the NFL, and how certain programs consistently develop not just athletes, but professional-level ground-game machines.
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