Now, two weeks into the season, some players showed that they were rightfully ranked last year and made a statement: some improved their stock, and some fell. In any case, we had another fantastic week in college football. We are excited to update our rankings here.
This piece focuses on last week’s games’ 128 eligible running backs. There were many impact players on the ground, and now it is time to dive into the numbers and see who really stood out from the pack using our PFSN RBi ranking system.
25) Bryson Washington, Baylor
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 78.81 (C+)
After a slow start to the year, Bryson Washington came through for Baylor to complete the upset of in-state foe 17th-ranked SMU. He carried the ball 31 times for 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including one in overtime to keep the game alive for the Bears. These are more of the numbers expected from Washington on a week-by-week basis, and he will look to continue rolling next week against Samford.
24) Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 78.87 (C+)
While his usage was significantly lower in Week 2 than in Week 1, Emmett Johnson delivered again for Nebraska. Against Akron, Johnson carried the ball 14 times for 140 yards and his first two touchdowns of 2025. Johnson was our fifth-ranked running back last week, but there shouldn’t be much worry about the drop.
The combination of limited usage and the quality of Nebraska’s opponent, Akron, is a more significant factor than anything Johnson did. This looks like a premier back in the country.
23) Justice Haynes, Michigan
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 78.92 (C+)
The Alabama transfer has now been on this list for two straight weeks, and this time, he went up against one of the best defenses in the country on the road, Oklahoma. Michigan would go on to lose 24-13, but it would be hard to blame Haynes for the outcome.
Haynes ran for 125 yards and Michigan’s only touchdown on 19 carries. A 6.6 yards per carry output is impressive against this defense, and it seems like he will be an essential part of anything Michigan goes on to accomplish this season.
22) Tae Meadows, Troy
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 79.22 (C+)
After an outstanding 186-yard output last week, Tae Meadows delivered for Troy again as they gave eighth-ranked Clemson a run for their money as 29.5-point underdogs, before ultimately going on to fall 27-16. Meadows ran for 76 yards on 16 carries, showing his elusiveness in the process, and continuing to be the bright spot for this Troy team.
21) Devin Mockobee, Purdue
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 79.25 (C+)
While Purdue has had a soft landing, competition-wise, to begin the year, Devin Mockobee improved in his second game against Southern Illinois this past weekend. On 32 carries, he ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-17 win.
Mockobee fell just outside the top-25 last week, and with the biggest test of the year next week in the form of USC, it remains to be seen what version of him we see, but either way, it is a solid, reliable back for the Boilermakers.
20) Turbo Richard, Boston College
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 79.37 (C+)
Turbo Richard and the Boston College Eagles went on the road and fought until the very end in their double-overtime defeat at Michigan State, and Richard had a solid game. He ran for 55 yards on 13 carries, good for 4.2 yards per carry, resulting in most of the team’s rushing attack in this game. Look for him to lead the charge next week against Stanford as Boston College looks to get back to its winning ways.
19) Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 79.97 (C+)
The senior bell cow for Penn State was used sparingly in each of the first two weeks this season, but he showed a much better example of why he has been so reliable for Penn State over the years last week against FIU. Singleton ran for 76 yards on 13 carries, or 5.8 yards per carry, and scored a touchdown in the Nittany Lions’ 34-0 win. He scored two touchdowns in Week 1, but had just 19 yards, so returning to form resulted in him finding a place he should keep on this list.
18) Rashod Dubinion, Appalachian State
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 80.42 (B-)
The Arkansas transfer makes his debut on our top-25 with a strong game against Lindenwood in his first home game as a Mountaineer. He ran for 194 yards on 25 carries, good for 7.8 yards per carry, and would be an important factor in their 20-13 win.
Dubinion struggled to establish a strong command of the Arkansas running game, despite a strong performance in limited time last season. Dubinion played just 251 plays in three years, and he is tied for the D-I lead in plays so far. He is making the most of it.
17) Jadan Baugh, Florida
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 80.61 (B-)
When USF came into Gainesville, nobody expected the Gators to take a loss this week, and that would be especially true if you knew the performance that Jadan Baugh would have. Baugh carried the ball 18 times for 83 yards, good for 5.2 yards per carry.
Against a much weaker opponent last week, Baugh averaged 11.6 yards per carry, but this game was right on par with his 5.1 average from his freshman year last year, which would be impressive to be able to duplicate in an even bigger role.
16) Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 80.75 (B-)
Kewan Lacy appears to be a diamond that was sitting in the rough on the Missouri bench, as he transferred to Ole Miss for his sophomore season and has really hit the ground running. Lacy kicked the year off with a huge three-touchdown performance against Georgia State, in a game the Rebels won 63-7.
In Week 2, Ole Miss got their revenge after losing to Kentucky last year, winning 30-23 on the road, and Lacy was an incredibly impactful player for them. He ran for 138 yards on 28 carries and a touchdown. He will look to keep this momentum going into their home matchup with Arkansas next week.
15) Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 80.85 (B-)
Jalen Buckley responded nicely to an underwhelming opener against Michigan State in their Week 2 matchup against North Texas. Buckley ran for 112 yards on 30 carries and caught two passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. Western Michigan fell 33-30 in overtime in this game, and while it is hard to blame Buckley, he will undoubtedly look to be more efficient next time out.
14) Makenzie McGill II, North Texas
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.03 (B-)
After a Week 1 performance to forget, with just one yard on the ground, Makenzie McGill II was the force that led North Texas to victory this past weekend. He ran for 102 yards on 16 carries and scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime. He graded as one of our most elusive runners this week, and North Texas will look for this version of McGill going forward to lead their ground attack.
13) Anthony Hankerson, Oregon State
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.3 (B-)
Oregon State got what they expected from Anthony Hankerson in Week 2, as he has had a firm hold on the lead-back role for the Beavers since he stepped onto campus at the start of last season. Hankerson ran for 136 yards on 25 carries, moving ten spots up our rankings.
After two losses at home, Hankerson and the Beavers head to Lubbock to take on the Red Raiders of Texas Tech. If Hankerson can get on our rankings once again against them, there will be real consideration given to him being among the true best backs in the country.
12) Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami (FL)
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.61 (B-)
After a nice win in week 1 vs Notre Dame, and a solid personal performance, Mark Fletcher Jr. and Miami dismantled Bethune-Cookman, 45-3. I am always impressed by impactful players who seem to make every carry count, even when their usage is limited.
Fletcher Jr. was a significant factor in this game, rushing for 86 yards on 11 carries and a pair of touchdowns. Miami faces off with upstart South Florida next week, and Fletcher will be a key to keeping the offense balanced.
11) Waymond Jordan, USC
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.65 (B-)
After getting just five carries in week 1’s beatdown of Missouri State, USC unleashed its stud junior running back Waymond Jordan in a 59-20 win over Georgia Southern. Jordan ran for 167 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. This 10.4 yards per carry is impressive, but pretty close to the 8.4 yards per carry he averaged in his much smaller sample size in week 1.
This is all to say that if there is a hole, Jordan will take it and make the most of it. Look for him to be a mainstay on this list.
10) Seth McGowan, Kentucky
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.68 (B-)
As the clear lead back in Kentucky, Seth McGowan did his best to help the Wildcats secure the upset against 20th-ranked Ole Miss on the road. He ran for 93 yards on 15 carries and a pair of touchdowns. He improved upon his 4.3 yards per carry in week 1 to average 6.2, giving the Wildcats some hope in a tough conference, even following a loss.
His place in the top ten here is legitimate, and he is a player to watch if he keeps doing this against intense competition like this.
9) Jamal Roberts, Missouri
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 81.8 (B-)
It was clear that Jamal Roberts was rested in week 1 to prepare for the team’s matchup against Kansas in the ‘Border War’ matchup, which they won 42-31. Roberts was the star of the show. He ran for 143 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.
Roberts also had a 100% success rate in his pass-blocking situations, and it is no surprise that the team put up 42 points with such great blocking. This 11-yard per carry output was incredible in such an intense rivalry game, and he was a key cog in why the result went in Missouri’s favor.
8) LJ Martin, BYU
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 82.58 (B-)
It was revealed that LJ Martin was motivated to relieve some pressure on his young quarterback, and his play has definitely backed up his words. After getting just eight carries in BYU’s 69-0 beatdown of Portland State, where he had 131 yards, Stanford came to town. In this matchup, Martin ran for 110 yards on 18 carries, good for 6.1 yards per carry.
Martin is an explosive player, with rushes of over 40 yards in each of the first two games, and the success of BYU will largely be determined by whether he can keep playing at this level.
7) Robert Henry Jr., UTSA
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 82.71 (B-)
In our first edition, Robert Henry Jr. came in as our 12th-ranked running back. One week later, he has improved on that impressive ranking. As one of the most explosive players in the country, Henry has shown this to be far from just talk with a 75-yard rush in each of the first two games.
Henry Jr. eclipsed 150 yards in each of the first two games of the season now, and his average yards per carry decreased to 10.2 from this still incredible performance. Look for UTSA to ride on his back to victory next week against Incarnate Word in their next game this weekend, and for Henry to be a staple in our top-15.
6) Adam Randall, Clemson
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 82.75 (B-)
After limited usage and production in week 1 against LSU, Adam Randall bounced back in a big way against Troy. Randall ran for 112 yards and a touchdown last week as Clemson fought off a pesky Troy team that held them without a touchdown in the first half, making his contribution much more vital to avoid falling to 0-2. Randall also caught four passes for 23 yards in this game. Look for Randall to be a critical piece of the Clemson offense and for him to crack this list whenever they lean on him to lead the offense.
5) Jonah Coleman, Washington
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 82.78 (B)
When you come into week 2 as the 7th-ranked running back in college football, what is the best way to follow that up? How about FIVE touchdowns!
Filling up the trophy case 🔥🏆
Back to back B1G award weeks for Jonah Coleman @jonahcoleman8 pic.twitter.com/tfSZwuyJba
— Washington Football (@UW_Football) September 8, 2025
Jonah Coleman made the graphic for week 1 because he is one of my favorite backs in the league this season, and this type of performance does not surprise me against an inferior opponent. Washington trounced UC Davis 70-10 on the back of Coleman’s five touchdowns. He carried the ball 15 times for 111 yards, so he scored one out of every three times he touched the ball.
With a rivalry game on the road at Washington State next week, I expect him to come out motivated and stay as a staple in the top-15 in these rankings next week and for the whole season.
4) Lucky Sutton, San Diego State
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 83.11 (B)
Lucky Sutton was too much to handle for Stony Brook in week 1, and was the lone bright spot for the Aztecs in a game that they lost 36-13 to Washington State. He carried the ball 15 times for 88 yards, and to do that against such a quality opponent bodes well for the remainder of the season as the team has another stout defense in the form of Cal next week, but this time at home.
3) Kentrell Bullock, South Alabama
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 83.24 (B)
In a game in which South Alabama gave Tulane all it could handle, Kentrell Bullock’s performance goes a long way toward explaining why they could hang with a potential CFP team. Bullock ran for 107 yards, meaning he went for over 100 yards in each of the first two games of the year, and a touchdown in their 33-31 loss. Look for him to continue being a force this season and try to crack this list, even with some weaker opponents in the conference.
2) Hollywood Smothers, NC State
- Week 2 PFSN College RBi Grade: 85.12 (B)
After cracking the list last week as our 14th-ranked back, he vaulted to the second spot this week with an incredible performance against conference foe Virginia.
Highest-graded ACC RBs, Week 2 (from @PFSN365):
1) Hollywood Smothers, NC State – 85.1
2) Adam Randall, Clemson – 82.8
3) Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami (FL) – 81.6
4) Turbo Richard, Boston College – 79.4
5) TJ Harden, SMU – 77.7 pic.twitter.com/03TwCUi7Rc— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) September 9, 2025
He ran for 140 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 17 carries, and led the team to a 35-31 win. He was solid in the pass block as well, and has shown through the first two weeks that he is someone that the Wolfpack can rely on week in and week out. Look for him to be a weekly fixture on this list, and if he shows up against the top teams in the conference, he could have a long career of football ahead of him.
1) Cam Cook, Jacksonville State
- Week 1 PFSN College RBi Grade: 86.32 (B)
The top back this week is no stranger to the list or the top five, as he was ranked fourth in our first rankings that we released last week. To the surprise of nobody here at PFSN, he performed at a high level again.
Jacksonville State RB Cam Cook WENT OFF against Liberty today 🔥
🐔 29 CAR
🐔 195 YARDS
🐔 6.7 YPC
🐔 2 TOUCHDOWNS@CamCook_4 @JaxStateFB pic.twitter.com/tJam11lPPY— LIGHT ON COLLEGE SPORTS (@LightOnSports) September 6, 2025
This player showed what he is capable of as an elusive back, and when the offense runs through him, there are lots of green pastures ahead for Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks won the game by 10 as 6.5-point underdogs, and if he can continue this through the year, he will have the biggest of schools calling for him to transfer for his senior season, and the NFL calling his name whenever he chooses to enter the Draft.
College Football RB Rankings
26) Sieh Bangura, Ohio (78.55, C+)
27) Kanye Udoh, Arizona State (78.47, C+)
28) Lee Beebe Jr., Indiana (78.34, C+)
29) Makhi Frazier, Michigan State (78.24, C+)
30) Chip Trayanum, Toledo (78.24, C+)
31) Bill Davis, Louisiana (78.14, C+)
32) Dominic Richardson, Tulsa (78.05, C+)
33) Chavon Wright, Northern Illinois (77.91, C+)
34) Miles Davis, Utah State (77.89, C+)
35) Adam Mohammed, Washington (77.79, C+)
36) Jaziun Patterson, Iowa (77.76, C+)
37) Raleek Brown, Arizona State (77.75, C+)
38) TJ Harden, SMU (77.65, C+)
39) Kendrick Raphael, California (77.60, C+)
40) Kenji Christian, Toledo (77.55, C+)
41) Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest (77.50, C+)
42) Kaytron Allen, Penn State (77.22, C+)
43) Evan Dickens, Liberty (77.08, C+)
44) Kejon Owens, FIU (76.88, C)
45) Jevon Jackson, UAB (76.60, C)
46) Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo (76.41, C)
47) Ahmad Hardy, Missouri (76.34, C)
48) Sedrick Alexander, Vanderbilt (76.21, C)
49) Dean Connors, Houston (76.04, C)
50) J’Mari Taylor, Virginia (76.02, C)
51) Cam Edwards, UConn (75.98, C)
52) Carson Hansen, Iowa State (75.96, C)
53) Elijah Green, Sam Houston State (75.56, C)
54) Alex Tecza, Navy (75.51, C)
55) Gemari Sands, FAU (75.40, C)
56) Kevin Riley, Alabama (75.39, C)
57) Caleb Ramseur, Nevada (74.87, C)
58) Jai’Den Thomas, UNLV (74.71, C)
59) Lincoln Pare, Texas State (74.66, C)
60) Jeremiah Cobb, Auburn (74.47, C)
61) Zuberi Mobley, Tulane (74.31, C)
62) Sutton Smith, Memphis (74.24, C)
63) Rayshon Luke, Fresno State (74.20, C)
64) Antwan Raymond, Rutgers (73.96, C)
65) Jo Silver, Delaware (73.93, C)
66) Scottre Humphrey, New Mexico (73.91, C)
67) Nate Frazier, Georgia (73.67, C)
68) Nolan Ray, Maryland (73.64, C)
69) Shomari Lawrence, Missouri State (73.45, C)
70) CJ Baxter, Texas (73.44, C)
71) Jekail Middlebrook, Middle Tennessee (73.39, C)
72) Sean Patrick, Akron (73.36, C)
73) Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M (73.32, C)
74) Yasin Willis, Syracuse (73.30, C)
75) Daelen Alexander, Rice (73.13, C)
76) Abu Sama III, Iowa State (72.92, C-)
77) Jabari Bates, San Jose State (72.87, C-)
78) Grant Washington, Minnesota (72.71, C-)
79) Jo’Shon Barbie, Marshall (72.49, C-)
80) Dominic Knicely, Coastal Carolina (72.36, C-)
81) Landon Sims, Hawaii (72.23, C-)
82) Dante Dowdell, Kentucky (71.90, C-)
83) Javin Gordon, Tulane (71.68, C-)
84) Herschel Turner, Nevada (71.54, C-)
85) Kirby Vorhees, Washington State (71.53, C-)
86) Cam Porter, Northwestern (71.52, C-)
87) Micah Ford, Stanford (71.13, C-)
88) Sire Gaines, Boise State (71.05, C-)
89) David Mbadinga, Georgia Southern (70.89, C-)
90) Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh (70.84, C-)
91) Isaac Brown, Louisville (70.84, C-)
92) Caden Durham, LSU (70.73, C-)
93) Jay Ducker, Temple (70.61, C-)
94) Qua Ashley, Ball State (70.39, C-)
95) Kalib Hicks, Oklahoma State (70.31, C-)
96) Jalen John, Coastal Carolina (70.13, C-)
97) Lloyd Avant, Colorado State (69.81, D+)
98) Star Thomas, Tennessee (69.64, D+)
99) Adam Hill, Texas Tech (69.61, D+)
100) Quinton Jackson, Rice (69.37, D+)
101) Cameron Pettaway, Bowling Green (68.47, D+)
102) Kaden Feagin, Illinois (68.15, D+)
103) Jalen Dupree, Colorado State (68.14, D+)
104) Zylan Perry, Louisiana (68.08, D+)
105) Ashten Emory, UTEP (67.83, D+)
106) Kenyon Clay, Arkansas State (67.68, D+)
107) Tawee Walker, Cincinnati (67.65, D+)
108) Jeffery Pittman, Southern Miss (67.23, D+)
109) Telly Johnson Jr., Northern Illinois (67.12, D+)
110) Brandon Hood, UMass (66.99, D)
111) Gavin Garcia, Kent State (66.91, D)
112) Caleb Komolafe, Northwestern (66.66, D)
113) Chauncey Bowens, Georgia (66.27, D)
114) Zay Parks, Florida State (66.25, D)
115) Dilin Jones, Wisconsin (66.09, D)
116) Makari Bodiford, Memphis (65.98, D)
117) Devin Miles, Western Michigan (65.77, D)
118) Ja’Vin Simpkins, Coastal Carolina (65.56, D)
119) DeJuan Williams, Maryland (64.99, D)
120) Kaelon Black, Indiana (64.85, D)
121) CJ Campbell Jr., Rutgers (64.74, D)
122) Lamar Sperling, Buffalo (64.67, D)
123) Rodney Fields Jr., Oklahoma State (64.35, D)
124) Trey Cornist, Central Michigan (62.39, D-)
125) CJ Stokes, Charlotte (61.69, D-)
126) Justin Baker, Tennessee (61.36, D-)
127) Tavierre Dunlap, Eastern Michigan (59.66, F)
128) Rocko Griffin, Massachusetts (58.36, F)
