College Football Playoff 2018: 4 players you need to know immediately

Oklahoma Sooners: Rodney Anderson

The dynamic Baker Mayfield grabs all the headlines in Norman. And for good reason. Mayfield is one of the best quarterbacks in college football history. But don’t think that OU just gets by with Mayfield’s arm. Another feisty running attack rumbled through the Big 12 this season, and that was primarily led by sophomore running back Rodney Anderson.

Anderson finished 5th in the Big 12 in rushing yards (960), 3rd in touchdowns (16) and 8th in all-purpose yards (1,288). He averaged 6.9 yards per touch (rushing attempts + receptions), so Anderson has proven to be a threat running the ball and catching the ball, too. That kind of dynamo play has been why Oklahoma has been so good all season.

His best stretch all season was from October 21-November 11. In that run, Anderson ran for over 100 yards in each of the four games he played. In three of the games, he ran for 140+ and in two, he ran for 150+. That includes a 181-yard effort vs. Texas Tech and a 151-yard output against TCU. In that game against the Horned Frogs, he also racked up 139 receiving yards on just five receptions. You can run the numbers, and you’ll find that that’s pretty good. The Georgia defense will absolutely have to account for Anderson when they square off in Pasadena.