Every 1,000-Yard Rusher in Florida Football History

Florida has produced two of the best running backs in NFL history — and arguably the greatest in Emmitt Smith.

Smith is among the greatest players in Florida football history.

Long before Smith helped the Dallas Cowboys win 3 Super Bowl rings and eventually retired as the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, Smith wrote his name in Florida’s record books, twice rushing for 1,000 yards and accounting for the two highest totals in program history.

Florida’s 1,000-Yard Rushers

Surprisingly, Florida has only produced 10 1,000-yard rushing seasons in its history, entering the 2025 season. Smith and Fred Taylor combined to produce three of them. Fred’s son, Kelvin Taylor, is the most recent Gator to rush for 1,000 yards, doing so in 2015.

Notably, Tim Tebow won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 as a dual-threat QB, but with 895 rushing yards, he fell shy of adding his name to the list of 1,000-yard rushers in Gators history.

Florida’s Single-Season Rushing Record Progression

In 1975, Jimmy DuBose became the first Florida Gator to rush for 1,000 yards, thus setting the single-season rushing record. Emmitt Smith broke the record in 1987 and has held it ever since. Here’s a look at the progression (bold indicates the year he set the record):

Chris Wright

Managing Editor

A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.