top rushing running backs last 40 years in college

Between October 25, 1986 and October 25, 2026, Emmitt Smith has rushed for the most yards by a running back, with 18,355 yards.

Showing

Data note: Rushing Yards: player game data complete from 1960

	NAME	RUSH YDS	GP	ATT	YPC	RUSH YDS/G	RUSH TD	REC YDS	REC	TRG	AVG	REC YDS/G	REC TD
1	Emmitt Smith E. Smith	18,355	226	4,409	4.2	81.2	164	3,224	515	130	6.3	14.3	11
2	Frank Gore F. Gore	16,000	241	3,735	4.3	66.4	81	3,985	484	696	8.2	16.5	18
3	Barry Sanders B. Sanders	15,269	153	3,062	5.0	99.8	99	2,921	352		8.3	19.1	10
4	Adrian Peterson A. Peterson	14,918	184	3,230	4.6	81.1	120	2,474	305	423	8.1	13.4	6
5	Curtis Martin C. Martin	14,101	168	3,518	4.0	83.9	90	3,329	484	409	6.9	19.8	10
6	LaDainian Tomlinson L. Tomlinson	13,684	170	3,174	4.3	80.5	145	4,772	624	868	7.6	28.1	17
7	Jerome Bettis J. Bettis	13,662	192	3,479	3.9	71.2	91	1,449	200	100	7.2	7.5	3
8	Derrick Henry D. Henry	13,552	159	2,792	4.9	85.2	129	1,865	198	255	9.4	11.7	6
9	Marshall Faulk M. Faulk	12,279	176	2,836	4.3	69.8	100	6,875	767	606	9.0	39.1	36
10	Edgerrin James E. James	12,246	148	3,028	4.0	82.7	80	3,364	433	584	7.8	22.7	11
11	Thurman Thomas T. Thomas	12,074	182	2,877	4.2	66.3	65	4,458	472	29	9.4	24.5	23
12	Fred Taylor F. Taylor	11,695	153	2,534	4.6	76.4	66	2,384	290	348	8.2	15.6	8
13	Steven Jackson S. Jackson	11,438	160	2,764	4.1	71.5	69	3,683	461	627	8.0	23.0	9
14	Corey Dillon C. Dillon	11,241	150	2,618	4.3	74.9	82	1,913	244	278	7.8	12.8	7
15	LeSean McCoy L. McCoy	11,102	170	2,457	4.5	65.3	73	3,898	518	665	7.5	22.9	16
16	Warrick Dunn W. Dunn	10,967	181	2,669	4.1	60.6	49	4,339	510	594	8.5	24.0	15
17	Ricky Watters R. Watters	10,643	144	2,622	4.1	73.9	78	4,248	467	176	9.1	29.5	13
18	Jamal Lewis J. Lewis	10,607	131	2,542	4.2	81.0	58	1,879	221	298	8.5	14.3	4
19	Thomas Jones T. Jones	10,591	180	2,678	4.0	58.8	68	2,023	308	410	6.6	11.2	3
20	Tiki Barber T. Barber	10,449	154	2,217	4.7	67.9	55	5,183	586	707	8.8	33.7	12
21	Eddie George E. George	10,441	141	2,865	3.6	74.0	68	2,227	268	269	8.3	15.8	10
22	Marshawn Lynch M. Lynch	10,413	149	2,453	4.2	69.9	85	2,214	287	391	7.7	14.9	9
23	Ricky Williams R. Williams	10,009	147	2,431	4.1	68.1	66	2,606	342	466	7.6	17.7	8
24	Clinton Portis C. Portis	9,923	113	2,230	4.4	87.8	75	2,018	247	338	8.2	17.9	5
25	Matt Forte M. Forte	9,796	146	2,356	4.2	67.1	54	4,672	554	724	8.4	32.0	21

Unlock 2x data

More NFL News

Saints G Cesar Ruiz inactive for Paris game against Steelers because of knee injury

Oct 25, 2026

Eagles short-handed vs Dallas as DeVonta Smith sits again with a hamstring injury

Oct 24, 2026

Lamar Jackson is ruled out for the Ravens' game vs. the Bengals

Oct 24, 2026

Seattle RB Chabonnet won't return this weekend against the Chiefs

Oct 24, 2026

Lawrence McCutcheon, 5-time Pro Bowl running back for Los Angeles Rams, dies at 76

Oct 24, 2026

Browns defensive tackle Mason Graham returns Sunday vs Titans after missing 2 games

Oct 23, 2026

More Cowboys Stats

Team Leaders

PASS

1,639

Prescott

RUSH

317

Williams

REC

577

Lamb

Team Rankings

PPG

25.2

12th

OPP PPG

26.5

25th

RUSH YDS/G

76.0

31st

PASS YDS/G

273.2

6th

2026 Division Standings

TEAM	W	L	T	PCT
Giants	3	2	1	.583
Eagles	2	4	0	.333
Cowboys	2	4	0	.333
Commanders	1	4	1	.250

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Mon 10/26	DAL	@	PHI	8:15 PM
Sun 11/1	ARI	@	DAL	1:00 PM
Sun 11/8	DAL	@	IND	1:00 PM
Sun 11/15	SF	@	DAL	4:25 PM
Sun 11/22	TEN	@	DAL	1:00 PM

Last Game

Cowboys

2 - 4

Final

Packers

4 - 2

Sun 18 Oct 2026

NFL 2026 Leaders

Pass Yards Leaders

1,794

Stafford

1,784

Maye

1,714

Stroud

Rush Yards Leaders

665

Walker

641

Robinson

627

Cook

Rec Yards Leaders

717

Smith-Njigba

580

Olave

577

Lamb

Pass TD Leaders

14

Purdy

14

Lawrence

14

Cousins

Rush TD Leaders

8

Allen

7

Gibbs

7

Williams

Rec TD Leaders

7

Smith-Njigba

6

Watson

5

Likely

QB Rating Leaders

119.6

Jackson

118.1

Purdy

111.3

Goff

Sack Leaders

7.5

Anderson

6.0

Rousseau

5.5

Ponder

NFL 2026 Rankings

PPG Rankings

32.8

29.5

29.2

28.0

27.0

Opp PPG Rankings

12.8

16.6

17.3

18.3

20.3

Total Yards Rankings

414.0

404.4

401.3

393.8

390.7

387.7

Rush Yards Rankings

159.8

154.3

151.5

149.5

148.8

128.2

Pass Yards Rankings

309.8

301.2

297.0

285.7

280.7

273.2

Sack Leaders

20.0

19.0

18.0

17.0

NFL Fantasy 2026

Fantasy RB Rankings

126.7

Gibbs

124

Walker

108.5

Robinson

Fantasy WR Rankings

115.9

Smith-Njigba

89.8

Watson

83.1

Lamb

Fantasy TE Rankings

70.3

Likely

63.7

Kittle

54.2

Bowers

Fantasy K Rankings

84

Shrader

68

Reichard

65

McLaughlin

NFL 2026 Betting

Best Record ATS

5-1

4-1

4-1-1

5-2

4-2

Worst Record ATS

0-5-1

1-5

1-3-1

2-4

NFL 2026 Standings

NFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Giants	3	2	1	.583
Eagles	2	4	0	.333
Cowboys	2	4	0	.333
Commanders	1	4	1	.250
NFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Vikings	5	0	0	1.000
Bears	5	2	0	.714
Packers	4	2	0	.667
Lions	3	2	0	.600
NFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Panthers	3	2	0	.600
Falcons	2	4	0	.333
Saints	2	4	0	.333
Buccaneers	1	5	0	.167
NFC West	W	L	T	PCT
49ers	6	0	0	1.000
Seahawks	3	3	0	.500
Cardinals	2	4	0	.333
Rams	2	4	0	.333

AFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Bills	5	1	0	.833
Patriots	4	3	0	.571
Jets	2	4	0	.333
Dolphins	0	5	0	.000
AFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Browns	4	2	0	.667
Steelers	4	2	0	.667
Ravens	4	2	0	.667
Bengals	3	2	0	.600
AFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Jaguars	4	2	0	.667
Colts	2	4	0	.333
Texans	2	4	0	.333
Titans	1	5	0	.167
AFC West	W	L	T	PCT
Chiefs	5	0	0	1.000
Broncos	4	2	0	.667
Raiders	3	3	0	.500
Chargers	0	6	0	.000