The Ohio State single-season rushing records are lofty goals, but could a current Buckeye challenge them? Despite opening the year with no snaps in Week 1, and as RB3 at best, Bo Jackson broke out as a first-year running back and led the way by season’s end. During the non-conference stretch at the beginning of the year, Jackson only saw the field for 33 snaps. However, it was apparent in those few snaps that he was the spark that the running game needed. As a result, he took over as the starter in the Week 4 game vs Minnesota and never looked back.
While the career rushing numbers are a bit out of reach for one of the best running backs in the Big Ten this year, how about the single-season records? We’ve already looked at the prospect of Jeremiah Smith breaking the single-season receiving records for the Buckeyes, so how about Bo Jackson and the rushing records?
Can Bo Jackson Break Ohio State’s Single-Season Rushing Record?
The Current Records
The history of Ohio State running backs is vast and prestigious. Eight halfbacks and fullbacks have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and so many more have had incredible seasons for the Buckeyes. Oddly enough, only three running backs have earned consensus All-American status, the most recent being Eddie George in his Heisman Trophy-winning 1995 season. While Jackson isn’t quite there just yet, he has a bright future.
How Ohio State – and College Football writ large – operate its offense has changed. Back in the day, Woody Hayes was famous for his “three yards and a cloud of dust” mentality, plus his “there are only three things that can happen when you throw the ball, and two of them are bad” quote. Ohio State ran the ball 54% of the time last year, but those numbers are skewed due to mop-up numbers (plus you don’t want to not utilize generational talents at wide receiver).
So, as it stands, three different former Buckeyes own the three Ohio State single-season rushing records: Keith Byars, J.K. Dobbins, and Pete Johnson.
| Record Holder | Bo Jackson | |
| Rushes | 336 (Kieth Byars, 1984) | 179 |
| Yards | 2,003 (J.K. Dobbins, 2019) | 1,090 |
| Touchdowns | 25 (Pete Johnson, 1975) | 6 |
When you stack up Jackson’s numbers straight up against the record-holders, it looks intimidating. Ohio State, as a team, ran the ball 461 times last year for 2,161 yards and 25 touchdowns…between 11 different players.
Let’s try to stay optimistic and look at what Jackson would have to do to break each record.
What Jackson Would Have To Do
Heading into 2026, Jackson is the unquestioned RB1 on the depth chart, something he didn’t have in his breakout season in 2025. How many yards and touchdowns could he have gotten if he started Week 1 and didn’t give up the job? We may never know, but we can assume it would have been better, but likely not enough to challenge the records.
Over a 12-game regular season, Jackson would have to go nuts. He would have to average over 28 carries per game for 167 yards and over two touchdowns. If the Buckeyes make the CFP as the loser of the Big Ten Championship, but go on a title-winning run, they would get to play 17 games, and would drop the goal to 19.8 carries per game for 117.9 yards and one-and-a-half touchdowns.
Here, we can break down what Jackson would need on a per-game basis based on how many games the Buckeyes could play:
| Games | Rushes | Yards | Touchdowns |
| 12 | 28.1 | 167 | 2.1 |
| 13 | 25.9 | 154.2 | 1.9 |
| 14 | 24.1 | 143.1 | 1.8 |
| 15 | 22.5 | 133.6 | 1.7 |
| 16 | 21.1 | 125.3 | 1.6 |
| 17 | 19.8 | 117.9 | 1.5 |
Is It Possible?
So, with all of that, is it within the realm of possibilities that Jackson, as a second-year player, could own any of the Ohio State single-season rushing records? We do live in a world in which the Indiana Hoosiers are reigning national champions fresh off a 16-0 season, so anything is possible.
Working in Jackson’s favor this year is the tougher schedule. He will likely have to play more four-quarter games this year than some of the other stud running backs in Ohio State’s recent history (ie, since Urban Meyer took over). In the games against Texas, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan, and so forth, Ryan Day and Arthur Smith will likely try to out-physical their way to victories off the back of Jackson. That will lead to more opportunities. For example, Jackson carried the ball for his career high in the win over Michigan last year.
Unfortunately, that career-high is just 22 carries. Looking at even the 17-game average, it gets more and more unlikely. Jackson has only carried the ball more than 19 times once, has never eclipsed 117 yards (117 is his career-high, also in the Michigan game), and has only one two-touchdown game to his name. That one game was in the win over Rutgers, so he has never done all three in the same game.
Final Verdict
So, the final verdict is, no, it’s probably not likely…this year. Smith is coming in to call the offense after plenty of time in the NFL, so expecting Jackson to take another step forward is reasonable, especially with an improved offensive line. However, in the infinite number of universes out there in the multiverse, there may be one out there in which Jackson amasses 337 carries.
For reference, only two players carried the ball more than 300 times last year, and Ole Miss’s Kewan Lacy led the way with 306. No running backs in the country went over 1,700 yards, let alone 2,000. As for touchdowns, only two backs went over 20, with North Texas’s (now Oklahoma State’s) Caleb Hawkins leading the way with 25.
Never say never, but it’s going to be tough. If Jackson can carry the ball 200 times and repeat his 6.1 yards per carry average, Ohio State would be in a great place, even if that’s just 1,220 yards. He’s a home-run threat and can legitimately score from anywhere, especially if he gets a step or two faster this year.
Unfortunately, with running clocks, plus the focus to get the best player in college football the ball, it’s going to be tough for Jackson to own the Ohio State single-season rushing records. If he does, however, feel free to tag @OldTakesExposed on Twitter, and we will gladly wear the egg on our face as we watch Jackson hoist the Heisman Trophy.
Main Image: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
