2026 College Football Rushing Leaders Through Week 3: New Stars Emerge

These are the 10 leading rushers across college football so far this season.

Duke running back Nate Sheppard continues to lead college football in rushing yards at 176 per game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It may only be three games into the season (four for some teams), but there is a clear front-runner in the race for college football's rushing title in 2026.

But there was considerable shakeup within the top 10 rushing leaders list overall after last weekend.

Let's count them down 10 to 1, ranked by rushing yards per game since some running backs who played in Week 0 have an extra game of stats.

10. Jaylin Carter [Memphis, 109.3 YPG]

Memphis' Jaylin Carter has rushed for 437 yards and 6 TDs in four games. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Jaylin Carter holds onto his spot in the top 10 for another week, just barely, after rushing for 62 yards on 12 carries in a 45-21 Memphis win over UT Martin.

That was Carter's quietest game yet for the Tigers although he did add a 17-yard receiving touchdown in the lopsided win.

T-8. LJ Martin [BYU, 109.3 YPG]

BYU Cougars running back LJ Martin (4) had a season-high 176 rushing yards and 3 TDs in 41-23 win at Colorado State. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

BYU's LJ Martin jumps into the national top 10 for the first time this season after a 176-yard, 3-TD performance in the Cougars' 41-23 win at Colorado State in Week 3.

He set the tone for the undefeated Cougars with a 56-yard touchdown run in the opening minute of the game.

LJ MARTIN 56 YARDS TO THE HOUSE! @BYUFootball strikes first! pic.twitter.com/akQZHfTopu

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 20, 2026

Martin, who rushed for 1,305 yards and 12 TDs last season, is averaging 7.8 yards per carry so far while totaling 328 rushing yards and 3 TDs through three games for No. 9-ranked BYU.

T-8. Aiden Flora [Iowa State, 109.3 YPG]

Iowa State running back Aiden Flora has rushed for 328 yards and 3 TDs this season. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Redshirt-sophomore Aiden Flora, a former walk-on for Iowa State, has taken over as the star of the Cyclones' offense in his third year in the program.

After totaling 111 rushing yards over his first two seasons while playing a larger role on special teams, Flora has stepped into the spotlight with 328 rushing yards and 3 TDs on 38 carries (8.6 YPC) so far through three games.

Most of that came Saturday as he rumbled for a career-high 194 yard and 2 TDs on just 12 carries (16.2 YPC) in a 55-7 win over Bowling Green. He added 10 receiving yards.

Aiden Flora needed just 12 carries to set a career high and score three different ways 😳

12 CAR, 194 RYDS, 2 TDS, 1 Punt Return TD vs Bowling Green pic.twitter.com/OICS6wGuFo

— CFB Performances (@performancesCFB) September 19, 2026

Flora had touchdown runs of 61 and 42 yards and also scored on a 66-yard punt return TD in the game.

7. Jamal Rule [Nebraska, 109.7 YPG]

True freshman Jamal Rule has been a revelation for Nebraska with 329 rushing yards, 82 receiving yards and 6 total TDs through his first three games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another new entrant into the national top 10, Nebraska true freshman Jamal Rule is off to a torrid start to his college football career.

Rule has rushed for 329 yards on 8.7 YPC through three games, adding 82 receiving yards and totaling 6 TDs.

In a Week 3 win over North Dakota, Rule rushed for 119 yards and 2 scores on 15 carries with 2 catches for 35 yards.

6. Wayne Knight [UCLA, 115.0 YPG]

Wayne Knight, a transfer from James Madison, has been a major catalyst for UCLA's 3-0 start with a team-leading 345 rushing yards and 8 TDs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New UCLA coach Bob Chesney has awakened the Bruins' offense as they ranked fifth nationally in rushing yards at 286.7 per game.

Leading that charge is his former James Madison star Wayne Knight, who has settled in seamlessly at UCLA with 345 rushing yards and 8 TDs on 8.8 YPC through the team's 3-0 start.

That included a season-high 177 yards and 2 scores on 18 carries (plus 23 receiving yards) in a 52-38 win over Purdue to open Big Ten play Saturday.

Knight rushed for 1,373 yards and 9 TDs (with 397 receiving yards and a score) on James Madison's run to the College Football Playoff last year.

5. Torrance Burgess Jr. [Texas State, 132.3 YPG]

Yet another newcomer to the top 10, Torrance Burgess Jr. is in the midst of what could be a career season in his fifth year of college football.

His 397 rushing yards through three games is already his second-best season total behind a 620-yard campaign for UTEP back in 2023.

Texas State RB Torrance Burgess Jr. yesterday

🏈 25 CAR
🏈 214 YDS

Texas State defeats North Texas 49-35 pic.twitter.com/n1s5pBFUHz

— Rafters (@RaftersHQ) September 20, 2026

Burgess had the best game of his career Saturday with 25 carries for 214 yards in a 49-35 win for Texas State over North Texas.

4. Braxton Woodson [Navy, 148.0 YPG]

Navy Midshipmen quarterback Braxton Woodson (5) scores a second half touchdown against Towson earlier this month. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Navy has only played two games so far, but quarterback Braxton Woodson remains on the list on a yards per game basis with 296 yard and 4 TDs.

Woodson left the Midshipmen's last game two weeks ago with an ankle sprain and was considered week to week. Navy returns to action Friday night at UAB.

3. Dylan Riley [Boise State, 151.3 YPG]

Boise State's Dylan Riley already has 454 rushing yards with 2 TDs through the Broncos' first three games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dylan Riley remains among the national rushing leaders after another prodigious performance in Week 3, piling up 198 yards and 2 TDs on a season-high 26 carries in Boise State's 38-24 win over South Dakota.

Riley is up to 454 yards and 2 TDs in three games, with 404 of those yards coming in the last two weeks.

He's coming off a breakout season last year with 1,125 rushing yards and 10 TDs and looks well on his way to matching or exceeding that in 2026.

2. Jadan Baugh [Florida, 152.7 YPG]

Florida's Jadan Baugh (13) rushed for a season-high 162 yards and 3 TDs in a 44-39 win at Auburn on Saturday night. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Florida took it easy on star running back Jadan Baugh through its two non-conference tune-up games, limiting him to 14 carries in each before unleashing him in the SEC opener at Auburn on Saturday night.

Baugh carried the ball 26 times for 162 yards and 3 TDs in the Gators' 44-39 road win.

Jadan Baugh ran wild in Florida’s season opener 🔥

14 CAR, 160 RUYDS, 3 TD pic.twitter.com/uxj47ONZRc

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) September 6, 2026

That was the junior's third-most carries in a game and second-highest rushing output.

Overall, he's rushed for 458 yards and 8 TDs on 8.5 YPC, building off his 1,170-yard, 8-TD breakout last season.

1. Nate Sheppard [Duke, 176.0 YPG]

Duke sophomore Nate Sheppard leads the FBS in rushing with 528 yards through three games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke sophomore Nate Sheppard seems intent on holding the national rushing lead, maintaining a comfortable margin atop the list heading into Week 4.

Sheppard's 176 rushing yards per game so far is more than 23 yards/game better than anyone else in the country. His 528 rushing yards overall also leads all players, even those who have played one more game.

Sheppard continued to produce at an elite clip in Week 3, rushing for 154 yards and 2 TDs on 23 carries in a 35-7 win over Stanford. He added a receiving TD as well and has scored 8 TDs overall in three games.

THERE. GOES. NATE. SHEPPARD. pic.twitter.com/IZ54Yd23xM

— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) September 19, 2026

After rushing for 1,132 yards and 11 TDs as a true freshman, Sheppard is on pace to blow past those numbers in 2026.