Top Five Opposing Running Backs Wisconsin Will Face in 2026

As the season approaches, Badgers On SI ranks the top players at each position among Wisconsin’s 12 regular-season opponents. After kicking things off with quarterbacks, here are the top five running backs the Badgers are set to face in 2026.

1. Antwan Raymond, Rutgers

Rutgers' Antwan Raymond — Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Antwan Raymond | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While perhaps not a household name due to playing on a lowly Rutgers team, Raymond quietly broke out in 2025. He stepped into a workhorse role, logging 244 carries for 1,241 yards and 13 touchdowns to earn Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. With Emmett Johnson and Kaytron Allen off to the NFL, Raymond returns as the Big Ten’s leading returning rusher from last season and ranks ninth nationally among returning FBS players in rushing yards.

The junior from Canada possesses strong vision and patience, bursting through holes while making defenders miss in space. He isn’t a pure burner and isn’t an overwhelming threat as a pass catcher, recording 18 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns last season, but Raymond is the lifeblood of the Scarlet Knights’ offense. The Badgers will have to key in on slowing him down when Wisconsin hosts Rutgers in Week 10.

2. Darius Taylor, Minnesota

Minnesota's Darius Taylor — Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2025 was supposed to be a breakout season for Taylor, but injuries prevented that from coming to fruition. Appearing in 10 games, he logged 143 carries for 670 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and four touchdowns while dealing with multiple injuries that affected both his availability and effectiveness. The senior has rushed for 2,455 yards on 5.1 yards per carry with 19 touchdowns across 28 career games with the Golden Gophers.

Taylor is a well-rounded back with a strong reputation in pass protection and as a receiver out of the backfield, compiling 99 receptions for 687 yards and two touchdowns through three seasons. He has the potential to be the Big Ten’s top running back as the centerpiece of Minnesota’s offense, but staying healthy will be key. Taylor has eclipsed 100 total yards in each of his two career matchups against Wisconsin, and the Badgers must keep him in check to reclaim Paul Bunyan’s Axe when the Golden Gophers come to Madison in Week 13.

3. Waymond Jordan/King Miller, USC

USC's Waymond Jordan — USC Trojans running back Waymond Jordan | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This may technically be cheating, but the Trojans are slated to feature a two-headed monster in the backfield in 2026. In his first season at USC after starring at Hutchinson Community College, Jordan flashed his potential with 88 carries for 576 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and five touchdowns before suffering a season-ending ankle injury after six games. A former walk-on, Miller burst onto the scene in Jordan’s absence, recording 156 carries for 972 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns across 12 appearances.

Miller, a redshirt sophomore, is bigger at 6-foot and 225 pounds than the senior Jordan, who stands 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, though the two have similar running styles. While neither has flashed much production as a pass catcher, both running backs display excellent vision before bursting through holes and consistently show strong contact balance. How the carries are divided remains to be seen in Lincoln Riley’s often pass-heavy offense, but Jordan and Miller give USC one of the conference’s top backfields and will pose a significant challenge when the Trojans visit Camp Randall Stadium in Week 8.

4. Carson Hansen, Penn State

Running back Carson Hansen — Former Iowa State Cyclones running back Carson Hansen | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

One of many players following head coach Matt Campbell from Iowa State to Penn State, Hansen has flown under the radar as an efficient and productive runner. Last season, he logged 188 carries for 952 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and six touchdowns in 11 games while splitting touches with now-Wisconsin running back Abu Sama. Hansen eclipsed the 100-yard mark in each of his final five games of 2025 and totaled 1,771 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns across 38 career games with the Cyclones.

The senior from Lakeville, Minnesota is a hard-nosed runner who fights for extra yards and is difficult to bring down at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds. He isn’t a standout athlete with top-end speed, but Hansen is a seasoned veteran who is more than capable of carrying over his production from the Big 12 to the Big Ten. The Badgers will hit the road to take on Hansen and the Nittany Lions to open conference play in Week 4.

5. Wayne Knight, UCLA

Running back Wayne Knight — Former James Madison Dukes running back Wayne Knight | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Iowa’s Kamari Moulton also received strong consideration, but the final spot on this list belongs to Knight, a prized transfer who followed head coach Bob Chesney from James Madison to UCLA. Knight starred for the Dukes during their run to the College Football Playoff last season, handling 207 carries for 1,373 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns across 14 games. His 2,039 all-purpose yards set a school record and earned him AP Second-Team All-American honors.

The redshirt senior is undersized at 5-foot-7 and 193 pounds, but he’s explosive with the ability to break loose any time he touches the ball. After totaling 40 receptions for 397 yards and a touchdown in 2025, Knight also gives UCLA a productive pass-catching option and a reliable safety valve for new quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Wisconsin will get a chance to see how Knight’s game translates to the Power Four level when the Badgers travel to Pasadena for a Week 7 matchup against the Bruins.

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