Ranking the 10 best SEC running backs through 4 weeks of the 2026 season
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Four weeks into the 2026 college football season, the SEC has already produced some outstanding running back performances.
There is a clear leader at the top, but the rest of the list is considerably more difficult to sort out. Normally, I’d start the rankings at 10 and work my way up to No. 1, but there’s not much drama here. If I had anyone else in the top spot, I’d (deservedly) be ripped to shreds online.
Workload, efficiency, explosiveness, touchdowns, performance in important games and each player’s importance to his team’s offense all factor into these rankings.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the 10 best SEC running backs through 4 weeks of the 2026 season.
1. Jadan Baugh, Florida
There could be no other No. 1.
Baugh has been the SEC’s most dominant running back through 4 weeks, leading the conference with 600 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 83 carries. He’s averaging 7.2 yards per carry and has surpassed 100 rushing yards in every game this season for the Florida Gators.
And the production isn’t simply the result of running through enormous holes.
According to SEC StatCat, Baugh has generated 4.3 yards after contact per carry and has forced missed tackles at an impressive rate. His +0.499 EPA per rush also leads the SEC by a substantial margin.
Then came Week 4.
Against No. 4 Ole Miss, Baugh ran for 142 yards and 3 touchdowns as Florida piled up 302 rushing yards in a 52-28 statement victory.
At this point, Baugh is one of the most important offensive players in the country, full stop.
2. Fluff Bothwell, Mississippi State
Bothwell has quietly put together one of the best starts in the SEC. Kamario Taylor has been unreal and gets a lot of headlines, but Bothwell deserves his flowers, too.
He’s second in the conference with 402 rushing yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry on 73 attempts. His 100.5 rushing yards per game puts him comfortably among the league’s top producers.
What makes Bothwell particularly interesting is that he’s doing it with a significant workload without needing an enormous number of explosive plays.
He’s also been considerably more efficient than the raw 5.5-yard average might suggest. SEC StatCat credits him with a +0.280 EPA per rush, second among SEC backs with significant workloads, while he has forced missed tackles on nearly a quarter of his carries.
Mississippi State has leaned on him heavily, and he’s responded with consistent production.
3. Matt Fuller, South Carolina
Fuller may be the most underrated back on this list. Heck, imagine where the reeling South Carolina Gamecocks would be without him.
He has rushed for 384 yards on just 57 carries, good for 6.6 yards per attempt, while scoring 4 touchdowns.
The efficiency stands out even more when digging underneath the basic numbers. Fuller has averaged nearly 3 yards after contact per attempt and has produced a strong broken-tackle rate. His 33.3% broken-tackle rate is among the SEC’s best.
Fuller doesn’t have the same workload as Baugh or Bothwell, but when South Carolina gives him the ball, he consistently creates positive plays.
4. Jamal Roberts, Mizzou
Roberts isn’t having the most efficient season on this list, but his importance to Mizzou‘s offense is notable.
He’s carried the ball 89 times for 395 yards and 3 touchdowns, putting him third in the SEC in rushing yards and first in attempts. He’s also added 47 receiving yards.
Roberts has already eclipsed 20 carries in 3 of Mizzou’s first 4 games, including 26 carries against Mississippi State. He’s also demonstrated that he can be a major part of the passing game when needed.
His efficiency doesn’t match some of the backs above him, but the Tigers have asked Roberts to be a workhorse, and he’s responded with nearly 100 rushing yards per game.
5. Jason Patterson, Kentucky
Patterson is doing a lot with a little. He’s averaging 8.2 yards per carry through 4 games, with 326 rushing yards on only 40 attempts.
That’s, frankly, absurd.
SEC StatCat credits Patterson with a +0.442 EPA per rush, second in the conference, along with a 35% broken-tackle rate. He’s also averaging 3.3 yards after contact.
The only thing keeping him from moving higher is volume. Kentucky simply hasn’t asked him to carry the ball nearly as often as Florida has asked Baugh or Missouri has asked Roberts.
But if we’re ranking the best performers rather than simply the biggest stat accumulators, Patterson has a strong case to be even higher.
6. DeSean Bishop, Tennessee
Bishop has been a major part of Tennessee’s rushing attack and has already shown that he can take over a game.
He’s rushed for 320 yards and 4 touchdowns on 54 carries, averaging 5.9 yards per attempt.
We already know what Bishop can do, as he ran for 1,076 yards last year. Word of advice? Don’t let him get hot down the stretch if you’re a Tennessee opponent.
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7. Dilin Jones, LSU
Jones has been one of the SEC’s most dependable workhorse backs.
The former Wisconsin running back has accumulated 348 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns on 78 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per attempt.
The yards-per-carry figure isn’t spectacular, but Jones is gobbling up touches, having already received nearly 20 carries per game.
He’s also been productive in some of the SEC’s more meaningful games, giving LSU a dependable option when the offense needs to stay balanced.
8. Duke Clark, Florida
Yes, there are 2 Florida backs on this list.
That’s a testament to how good the Gators’ rushing attack has been. Baugh might be the leader, but Clark is about as good of an RB2 as there is in the league.
Clark has turned his 32 carries into 259 yards — good for 8.1 yards per attempt. He’s also added a receiving touchdown.
The Week 4 performance against Ole Miss was particularly impressive. Clark and Baugh combined for 268 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, helping Florida completely overwhelm the No. 4 team in the nation.
Clark doesn’t have Baugh’s workload, which is why he isn’t higher. But in terms of pure production per opportunity, he’s been phenomenal.
9. Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
Lacy hasn’t produced the gaudy rushing totals some expected coming into the season, but he’s still been one of the SEC’s more valuable backs.
He missed the Florida game, which really hurt the Rebels. If he can return from injury after Ole Miss’s bye week, though, he should pick up right where he left off. No ranking of the top-10 RBs in the league would be complete without Lacy.
10. Nate Frazier, Georgia
We end this list with another guy who missed Week 4 with an injury. Frazier has only 24 carries for 202 yards, but he’s averaging an outrageous 8.4 yards per carry and has already scored 5 touchdowns.
Georgia has enough depth in its backfield that Frazier doesn’t need 20 carries every Saturday, especially with how good Chauncey Bowens has also been. But when he gets his opportunities, he’s making them count.
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Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
