Fansided

Best college football running back from every state

By Nicholas Ian Allen

LOUISIANA, NO - JANUARY 1: Running back Herschel Walker #34 of the University of Georgia Bull Dogs carries the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Sugar Bowl game January 1, 1981 at the Louisiana Superbowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Bull Dogs won the game 17-10. Walker played at the University of Georgia from 1980-1983, and won the Heisman Trophy in 1982. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
LOUISIANA, NO - JANUARY 1: Running back Herschel Walker #34 of the University of Georgia Bull Dogs carries the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Sugar Bowl game January 1, 1981 at the Louisiana Superbowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Bull Dogs won the game 17-10. Walker played at the University of Georgia from 1980-1983, and won the Heisman Trophy in 1982. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 50
Next
SEP 10 1972, SEP 11 1972; Denver Broncos (Action); Denver Bronco running back Floyd Little (44) heads for the end zone on 89-yard return of a punt Sunday as Baltimore Colt rookie tackle Tom Drougas (74) from University of Oregon tries in vain to catch him. Following the play are Bronco rookie linebacker Tom Graham (83) from Oregon and veteran receiver Rod Sherman. Colts won the game 20-13 at Mile High Stadium. The Broncos will open the National Football League regular season next Sunday at Mile High Stadium against the Houston Oilers.; (Photo By Barry Staver/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
SEP 10 1972, SEP 11 1972; Denver Broncos (Action); Denver Bronco running back Floyd Little (44) heads for the end zone on 89-yard return of a punt Sunday as Baltimore Colt rookie tackle Tom Drougas (74) from University of Oregon tries in vain to catch him. Following the play are Bronco rookie linebacker Tom Graham (83) from Oregon and veteran receiver Rod Sherman. Colts won the game 20-13 at Mile High Stadium. The Broncos will open the National Football League regular season next Sunday at Mile High Stadium against the Houston Oilers.; (Photo By Barry Staver/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /

Connecticut

Floyd Little, Syracuse Orange

Syracuse University has produced many great running backs, many of whom wore the No. 44 with the Orange during their careers. Jim Brown and Ernie Davis both wore the number for Syracuse. Brown would go on to set the NFL record for rushing yardage and touchdowns. Davis won the Heisman Trophy in 1959, becoming the first African-American player to win college football’s highest honor.

However, it was Connecticut native Floyd Little who became the first Syracuse running back to be named an All-American three times. Little first earned the honor as a sophomore in 1964 when he gained 874 rushing yards on 157 carries (a 5.6 average), and scored nine touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 257 yards and a TD, and even completed four of six passes for 17 yards and another score.

As a junior, Little set career highs with 1,065 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. He added a personal best 21 receptions for 248 yards and a touchdown. Little ranked seventh in the nation in rushing in 1965, and finished fifth in the Heisman voting.

He followed with another top-five Heisman finish as a senior. Little ran for 811 yards and 12 touchdowns in 1966, and was once a again a valuable receiver out of the backfield. He caught 13 passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

Little left Syracuse as the school’s all-time leader in both rushing (2,750) and total yardage (3,341). Though he lost the school rushing record to Larry Csonka the following season, he held on to the total yardage record until 1981. He currently ranks sixth in school history in rushing and sits third in total yardage.

Home/College Football