Another week, another record from one of the best running backs in the country -- or of all-time, for that matter.
Last weekend, Jonathan Taylor broke former Georgia great Herschel Walker‘s record for most rushing yards through their junior season in FBS history. In Wisconsin’s 45-24 win over Purdue earlier Saturday, Taylor ran for 222 yards on just 28 carries, making it 12 times he has broken the 200-yard barrier in a single game.
Those dozen 200-yard games break a tie with a trio of former collegiate greats -- USC’s Marcus Allen, Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne, Texas’ Ricky Williams -- for the most ever at the FBS level.
Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor has his 12th career game with at least 200 rushing yards, breaking a tie with Ron Dayne, Ricky Williams, and Marcus Allen for the most such games in FBS history. pic.twitter.com/zwdhcAx1KM
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 24, 2019
Taylor came into Week 13 second in the nation with 1,463 yards, behind only Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard and his 1,726. Thus, entering the final weekend of the 2019 regular season, Hubbard is up on Taylor 1,827 to 1,685.
In less than three full seasons, Taylor has now rushed for 5,856 yards in his career as well.
Taylor, who ran for 1,977 yards as a true freshman and 2,194 last season, still has another game remaining in the regular season plus at least one in the postseason to add to his total this year. If Taylor eschews the NFL draft and returns to school (unlikely), he could surpass the ex-Badger great, Dayne, as the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher (7,125 from 1996-99, including bowl games) even as the NCAA officially recognizes San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey (6,405) as its all-time leading rusher because the organization doesn’t recognize any statistics earned in bowl games played prior to 2002.