Auburn has a long history of producing elite running backs but none were better than Bo Jackson. Auburn’s all-time rushing leader is one of the best to ever do it in college football and it should come as no shock that he was included in ESPN’s ranking of the 100 best running backs over the last 60 years (subscription required).
Bill Connelly ranked Jackson as the 8th best running back on his list.
Like Campbell, Jackson’s career was worth the wait. After rushing for 1,213 yards as a sophomore (256 against Alabama) as the Tigers nearly won the national title, he battled injuries for much of his junior season before exploding as a senior: 1,786 yards, 17 touchdowns and the narrowest of Heisman wins over Iowa’s Chuck Long.
Jackson, who played at Auburn from 1982-85, rushed for 4,303 rushing yards (6.6 yards per carry) and 43 touchdowns in his career. He also averaged 10.5 yards per reception and caught two touchdown passes.
His 1,786 yards were the second-most in SEC history at the time, behind Hershal Walker’s 1,891 yards in 1981. His 162.4 yards per game are still the most in a single-season by an Auburn running back.
Jackson still holds the record for total rushing yards (4,303), rushing yards per game for a career (113.2), and most 100-yard games (21).
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