Boise, Idaho: Jeanty Falls Short of Sanders’ Rushing Record
In a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup of the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl, Boise State faced off against Penn State on Tuesday night. Unfortunately for the Broncos, their star running back, Ashton Jeanty, was unable to achieve a record-breaking performance as his team fell to Penn State with a final score of 31-14.
Jeanty entered the game needing to gain 132 rushing yards to surpass the legendary Barry Sanders‘ all-time single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards, set back in 1988. However, by the end of the night, Jeanty finished with 104 rushing yards. This leaves him just 28 yards short of breaking the long-held record. With a total of 2,601 rushing yards for the season, Jeanty will finish in second place in the NCAA history books.
Throughout the game, Jeanty struggled against Penn State’s tough defensive line. He entered the fourth quarter with only 59 yards, but managed to put together a late-game surge, including a 26-yard run that was his longest of the night. Despite his efforts, Jeanty also faced difficulties, with two fumbles during the game.
For context, Sanders set his record in just 11 games, three fewer than Jeanty played this season. The former Oklahoma State star’s impressive performance in the Holiday Bowl did not contribute to his rushing total that year. After this Fiesta Bowl loss, Jeanty will hold his place in history but will have to wait at least one more season to see if anyone can surpass him.
With Jeanty’s season over, it is worth examining the top of the NCAA single-season rushing record leaderboard:
- 1. Barry Sanders – 2,628 yards
- 2. Ashton Jeanty – 2,601 yards
- 3. …
As the college football season winds down, the spotlight remains on Jeanty, who now holds a significant place in NCAA history.
