Recap of the 25th College Football Season of the 21st Century
The thrilling climax of the 25th college football season in the 21st century took place on a riveting Monday night, as Ohio State triumphed over Notre Dame with a final score of 34-23 in the CFP national championship game. In a tribute to the conference’s illustrious history over the past quarter-century, SEC Football by the Numbers commenced its review on Wednesday by highlighting the league’s top performers in passing yards. Today, the focus shifts to those remarkable athletes who have dominated the field with their rushing prowess.
The Rushing Legends of SEC Football
In contrast to the SEC’s leading passer of the past 25 years, the conference’s most prolific rusher of the same period did not ascend to the pinnacle of the SEC’s all-time rushing chart. Georgia’s Nick Chubb amassed an impressive 4,769 rushing yards from 2014 to 2017, despite being hindered by an injury-shortened sophomore season. Nevertheless, the enduring record for career rushing yards within the SEC remains in the hands of another Bulldog.
Back in 1982, Herschel Walker usurped Kentucky’s Sonny Collins to become the SEC’s career rushing leader, eventually accumulating a staggering 5,259 yards. This formidable record has stood unchallenged as the conference benchmark for over four decades.
Modern Day Rushing Giants
While athletes from the last 25 seasons dominate 13 of the top 16 spots on the SEC’s all-time career passing yards leaderboard, it is worth noting that six of the top nine positions in career rushing yards are held by players who graced the field before the year 2000.
Nick Chubb, along with Arkansas’ Darren McFadden and Vanderbilt’s Ralph Webb, has surpassed the 4,000-yard rushing milestone in the 21st century. They join an elite group of legendary SEC ball-carriers who achieved this feat in earlier eras, including Herschel Walker, LSU’s Kevin Faulk, Auburn’s Bo Jackson, Florida’s Errict Rhett, and LSU’s Dalton Hilliard and Charles Alexander.
SEC Rushing Powerhouses of the Last 25 Years
Among the SEC’s top rushers from the past quarter-century, Alabama stands out with six players making the list. Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, and Mississippi State each contributed three players, while Kentucky and Vanderbilt had two apiece. LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, and Texas A&M each had one representative. Notably, Florida, Ole Miss, and Tennessee did not place any players on the chart. Oklahoma and Texas, having only one season of SEC participation each, also did not feature prominently.
The 25th position on the list of the 21st century’s top rushers is held by Raheim Sanders, who played for both Arkansas and South Carolina. Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who ranks 14th on the list, is the only non-running back to make the cut, showcasing his versatility and skill as a dual-threat player.
