San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny became the 22nd player in FBS history to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a single season when he rattled off a 51-yard touchdown in the third quarter of a game against New Mexico.
Your newest 2,000-yard rusher, Rashaad Penny!
— San Diego State Football (@AztecFB) November 24, 2017
A 51-yard TD dash makes it 21-0 Aztecs in the third quarter. #OneCityOneTeam pic.twitter.com/FZPWJdy5Fb
Rashaad Penny is now over 2,000 rushing yards for the season (22nd player in FBS history, 23rd occasion).
— Jamie McConeghy (@McConeghySDSU) November 24, 2017
Penny eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark a season after former Aztecs running back Donnel Pumphrey accomplished the same feat. That also made some history, with San Diego State becoming the first school in FBS history to have two different players run for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
SDSU is the first school in FBS history with consecutive seasons of different 2,000-yard rushers (Donnel Pumphrey in 2016, Rashaad Penny in 2017).
— GoAztecs Stats (@GoAztecsStats) November 24, 2017
We may not be quite done with the 2,000-yard rushers this season either. Stanford running back Bryce Love begins the week with 1,723 rushing yards this season. This week, Stanford faces a Notre Dame team that has allowed 200+ rushing yards each of the past three weeks. There is also the possibility Love gets to play in the Pac-12 Championship Game for another opportunity to tack on the yardage. Wisconsin freshman Jonathan Taylor is also in striking distance with 1,657 yards this season, and he is guaranteed a chance in the Big Ten championship game.
Penny had been on the Heisman Trophy radar earlier in the season, and some will argue he is worthy of a trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation as much as any other players who may be heading there. Penny was not named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s top running back. Love, Taylor and Penn State’s Saquon Barkley were named finalists for the award earlier this week.
We were under the impression that the Doak Walker Award went to the best running back in the country ...
— San Diego State Aztecs (@GoAztecs) November 21, 2017
But that's none of our business. 🐸🍵
Heisman voters, there's still time. pic.twitter.com/eKis3Mx7uk