While the ground seems to keep moving under the feet of the Big 12 Conference with eight new schools in the last two years, some of the historical context of the league is changing as well.
One way fans catch catch up is by bringing themselves up to speed on some of the histories of the new teams to join the Big 12 and dusting up on the history for some of the old teams.
Here’s a look at the career rushing yardage leaders for all 16 teams in the Big 12 in 2024:
Arizona, Ka’Deem Carey, 4,239 rushing yards (2011-2013): Carey was a two-time consensus All-American at Arizona and rushed for 1,800 yards each year. He Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2013.
Arizona State, Woody Green, 4,188 rushing yards (1971-1973): Green was a two-time All-American and rushed for over 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. The Sun Devils went 32-4 with Green on the roster, including an 11-1 record and Fiesta Bowl win as a senior in 1973.
Baylor, Shock Linwood, 4,213 rushing yards (2013-2016): Linwood was a star on some of Baylor’s best teams, including back-to-back Big 12 championships in 2013 and 2014. Linwood rushed for over 1,200 yards twice, in 2013 and 2015.
BYU, Jamaal Williams, 3,901 rushing yards (2012-2016): Williams rushed for over 1,200 yards twice in his career at BYU and saved his best season for last, rushing for 1,375 yards and 12 touchdowns while he averaged 5.9 yards per carry in 2016. Williams led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns for the Detroit Lions in 2022.
Cincinnati, Reggie Taylor, 4,242 rushing yards (1983-1986): Just 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, Taylor starred for the Bearcats in the mid-1980s while his school played as an Independent. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his last three seasons and his 4,242 career rushing yards is stil the Cincinnati record almost 40 years after he played his final college game.
Colorado, Eric Bienemy, 3,940 rushing yards (1987-1990): An explosive runner who was only 5-foot-7 and 2 205 pounds, Bienemey helped lead Colorado to a national championship in 1990, when he was named Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year.
Houston, Ketric Sanford, 3,636 rushing yards (1996-1999): Sanford left Houston with school career records for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and all-purpose yards. Earned All-American and All-Conference USA honors as a senior.
Iowa State, Troy Davis, 4,382 rushing yards (1994-1996): Davis was lightning in a bottle for Iowa State in the mid-1990s, and is one of only two running backs in FBS history to rush for over 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Davis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
Kansas, June Henley, 3,841 rushing yards (1993-1996): There’s a good chance Henley’s record falls after almost 30 years — current running back Devin Neal is sitting at 3,077 career rushing yards headed into 2024.
Kansas State, Darren Sproles, 4,979 rushing yards (2001-2004): The smallest player on this list packed one of the biggest punches — Sproles was only 5-foot-6 and 190 pounds but was a three-time All-Big 12 pick and led the Wildcats to one of the greatest upsets in college football history when Kansas State defeated No. 1 Oklahoma in the 2003 Big 12 Championship Game.
Oklahoma State, Thurman Thomas, 5,001 rushing yards (1984-1987): It’s amazing to think that Oklahoma State had Thurman Thomas as the starting running back and Barry Sanders as his backup for three years … and Sanders had to sit and wait behind Thomas.
TCU, LaDainian Tomlinson, 5,263 rushing yards (1997-2000): Tomlinson did all of his damage before TCU joined the Big 12 but still won the Doak Walker Award in 2000 while the Horned Frogs were still playing in the WAC. Like Sanders and Sayers … you can find Tomlinson in both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Texas Tech, Byron Hanspard, 4,219 rushing yards (1994-1996): Hanspard helped guide the Red Raiders from the Southwest Conference into the Big 12 — he was a two-time All-SWC pick and earned All-Big 12 honors and was the Doak Walker Award winner in 1996.
UCF, Kevin Smith, 4,679 rushing yards (2005-2007): Smith was the first consensus All-American in UCF history and had one of the greatest individual seasons for a running back in college football history when he rushed for 2,567 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2007.
Utah, Zach Moss, 4,067 rushing yards (2016-2019): Just 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, Moss was a two-time All-Pac-12 pick and Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2019. Set the school record with 4,067 career rushing yards to go with 688 career receiving yards and 41 total touchdowns.
West Virginia, Avon Cobourne, 5,104 rushing yards (1999-2002): West Virginia had an incredible run of running backs from 1999 to 2002 — Cobourne, Amos Zeroue and Steve Slaton all in a row. Cobourne racked up the most yards of any of them, rushing for over 1,000 yards three times and a career-high 1,710 yards as a senior.
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