By SuperWest Sports Staff
The West has produced plenty of great college football running backs and rushing quarterbacks.
The all-time lists of the best single-season national rushing leaders include some of the country’s best.
The tables below rank the top rushers in the past 65+ seasons in single-season yards, touchdowns, yards per carry, and rushing attempts.
Let’s get to the lists.
Best in West Single-Season Rushing Yards Leaders
| Year | Player | School | Yds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ashton Jeanty | Boise State | 2601 |
| 1981 | Marcus Allen | USC | 2342 |
| 2017 | Rashaad Penny | San Diego State | 2248 |
| 2016 | Donnel Pumphrey | San Diego State | 2133 |
| 2017 | Bryce Love | Stanford | 2118 |
| 1994 | Rashaan Salaam | Colorado | 2055 |
| 2015 | Christian McCaffrey | Stanford | 2019 |
| 2004 | J.J. Arrington | California | 2018 |
| 2012 | KaDeem Carey | Arizona | 1929 |
| 2005 | Jerome Harrison | Washington State | 1900 |
| 2013 | KaDeem Carey | Arizona | 1885 |
| 2012 | Stefphon Jefferson | Nevada | 1883 |
| 1975 | Ricky Bell | USC | 1875 |
| 2009 | Toby Gerhart | Stanford | 1871 |
| 2013 | Bishop Sankey | Washington | 1870 |
| 2014 | Donnel Pumphrey | San Diego State | 1867 |
| 2016 | Brian Hill | Wyoming | 1860 |
| 1995 | George Jones | San Diego State | 1842 |
| 2002 | Chris Brown | Colorado | 1841 |
| 2015 | Royce Freeman | Oregon | 1836 |
| 2014 | Jay Ajayi | Boise State | 1823 |
| 2009 | Ryan Mathews | Fresno State | 1808 |
| 2011 | LaMichael James | Oregon | 1805 |
| 1979 | Charles White | USC | 1803 |
| 2012 | Kenjon Barner | Oregon | 1767 |
Best in West Single-Season Rushing Touchdowns Leaders
| Year | Player | School | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Kapri Bibbs | Colorado State | 31 |
| 2024 | Ashton Jeanty | Boise State | 29 |
| 2014 | Jay Ajayi | Boise State | 28 |
| 2009 | Toby Gerhart | Stanford | 28 |
| 1971 | Terry Metcalf | Long Beach State | 28 |
| 2002 | Brock Forsey | Boise State | 26 |
| 1969 | Leon Burns | Long Beach State | 26 |
| 2006 | Ian Johnson | Boise State | 25 |
| 2012 | Stefphon Jefferson | Nevada | 24 |
| 2005 | Lendale White | USC | 24 |
| 2001 | Luke Staley | Brigham Young | 24 |
| 1994 | Rashaan Salaam | Colorado | 24 |
| 2021 | Tyler Allgeier | Brigham Young | 23 |
| 2017 | Rashaad Penny | San Diego State | 23 |
| 2016 | Jeremy McNichols | Boise State | 23 |
| 2012 | KaDeem Carey | Arizona | 23 |
| 1995 | George Jones | San Diego State | 23 |
| 1960 | Bob Gaiters | New Mexico State | 23 |
| 2016 | Brian Hill | Wyoming | 22 |
| 2002 | Chance Harridge | Air Force | 22 |
| 1997 | Skip Hicks | UCLA | 22 |
| 1996 | Corey Dillon | Washington | 22 |
| 1981 | Marcus Allen | USC | 22 |
| 1968 | O.J. Simpson | USC | 22 |
| 2024 | Cameron Skattebo | Arizona State | 21 |
| 2021 | Tavion Thomas | Utah | 21 |
| 2017 | Myles Gaskin | Washington | 21 |
| 2013 | Tyler Gaffney | Stanford | 21 |
| 2012 | Kenjon Barner | Oregon | 21 |
| 2010 | LaMichael James | Oregon | 21 |
| 2009 | Jacquizz Rodgers | Oregon State | 21 |
| 1996 | Calvin Branch | Colorado State | 21 |
| 1996 | Troy Davis | Iowa State | 21 |
| 1993 | Marshall Faulk | San Diego State | 21 |
| 1991 | Marshall Faulk | San Diego State | 21 |
Best in West Single-Season Yards per Carry Leaders
| Year | Player | School | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Rachaad White | Arizona State | 10.0 |
| 1957 | Leon Burton | Arizona State | 9.6 |
| 2014 | Jhurell Pressley | New Mexico | 9.5 |
| 1960 | Pervis Atkins | New Mexico State | 9.4 |
| 2017 | Khalil Tate | Arizona | 9.2 |
| 2016 | Teriyon Gipson | New Mexico | 8.8 |
| 2005 | Reggie Bush | USC | 8.7 |
| 2016 | Timothy McVey | Air Force | 8.5 |
| 1983 | Mike Brown | Air Force | 8.5 |
| 1960 | Tom Larscheid | Utah State | 8.4 |
| 1971 | Benny Malone | Arizona State | 8.2 |
| 2010 | Alex Green | Hawaii | 8.2 |
| 2008 | Jahvid Best | California | 8.1 |
| 2001 | Luke Staley | Brigham Young | 8.1 |
| 2017 | Bryce Love | Stanford | 8.1 |
| 1984 | Kevin Lowe | Wyoming | 8.0 |
| 2016 | Tyrone Owens | New Mexico | 8.0 |
| 2009 | Vai Taua | Nevada | 7.8 |
| 2020 | Tyler Nevens | San Jose State | 7.8 |
| 1959 | Billy Brown | New Mexico | 7.8 |
| 2000 | Kenton Keith | New Mexico State | 7.8 |
| 2017 | Rashaad Penny | San Diego State | 7.8 |
| 2022 | John Lee Eldridge III | Air Force | 7.7 |
| 2009 | Luke Lippincott | Nevada | 7.7 |
Best in West Single-Season Rushing Attempts Leaders
| Year | Player | School | Att |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Marcus Allen | USC | 403 |
| 2012 | Stefphon Jefferson | Nevada | 375 |
| 2024 | Ashton Jeanty | Boise State | 374 |
| 1986 | Steve Bartalo | Colorado State | 362 |
| 1975 | Ricky Bell | USC | 357 |
| 1968 | O.J. Simpson | USC | 355 |
| 1980 | Marcus Allen | USC | 354 |
| 2003 | Steven Jackson | Oregon State | 350 |
| 1969 | Leon Burns | Long Beach State | 350 |
| 2016 | Brian Hill | Wyoming | 349 |
| 2016 | Donnel Pumphrey | San Diego State | 349 |
| 2013 | KaDeem Carey | Arizona | 349 |
| 2014 | Jay Ajayi | Boise State | 347 |
| 2002 | Cecil Sapp | Colorado State | 347 |
| 2022 | Brad Roberts | Air Force | 345 |
| 2009 | Toby Gerhart | Stanford | 343 |
| 1978 | Charles White | USC | 342 |
| 1985 | Steve Bartalo | Colorado State | 338 |
| 2015 | Christian McCaffrey | Stanford | 337 |
| 2013 | Tyler Gaffney | Stanford | 330 |
| 2011 | Robbie Rouse | Fresno State | 329 |
| 1974 | Louie Giammona | Utah State | 329 |
| 2013 | Bishop Sankey | Washington | 327 |
| 2012 | Stepfan Taylor | Stanford | 322 |
| 2002 | Steven Jackson | Oregon State | 319 |
