Are we the ONLY team to have beaten all-time top 4 RBs?

[LionIze]

I got to thinking…we may be the only team in the NCAA that has beaten the all-time top 4 rushers in FBS:

1. Pumphrey – 2015
2. Dayne – 1996,1997
3. Williams – 1996 season/1997 Fiesta bowl
4. Dorsett – 1973,1974,1975

Has any other team accomplished this? A somewhat meaningless stat, but cool nonetheless.

 

[JoeLion]

Not certain where Hershel Walker rates but they put the clamps on him and beat Georgia as well.

 

[LionIze]

I believe he is 8th

 

[bjf1991]

I got to thinking…we may be the only team in the NCAA that has beaten the all-time top 4 rushers in FBS:

1. Pumphrey – 2015
2. Dayne – 1996,1997
3. Williams – 1996 season/1997 Fiesta bowl
4. Dorsett – 1973,1974,1975

Has any other team accomplished this? A somewhat meaningless stat, but cool nonetheless.

PSU is the only one

 

[PSU Soupy]

Very cool stat..........learn something new every day.

 

[john4psu]

Marcus Allen - USC Bowl Game

 

[Art]

I got to thinking…we may be the only team in the NCAA that has beaten the all-time top 4 rushers in FBS:

1. Pumphrey – 2015
2. Dayne – 1996,1997
3. Williams – 1996 season/1997 Fiesta bowl
4. Dorsett – 1973,1974,1975

Has any other team accomplished this? A somewhat meaningless stat, but cool nonetheless.

Considering that playing SDSU in the last four years is the controlling variable, the universe of possibilities is maybe 20-25 schools. Then when you consider that some of the 12 MWC schools would have had to schedule OOC games against Wisconsin, Texas, and Pitt in the years that the other top four rushers played.....

"Somewhat" is an understatement.

But since the top four college rushers is a moving target, for your nest project you can determine if any school beat that group at any given point in time.

 

[Art]

Marcus Allen - USC Bowl Game

Way down the list, somewhere in the 30s.

 

[psuro]

I just took a quick glance at the top rushing totals of all time (not updated for Pumphrey) - from what I saw, PSU had defeated the team that RB played for, at least once, assuming PSU played them at least once. There are some guys on that list that PSU never played (i.e. Ken Simonton from Oregon State).

 

[step.eng69]

Didn't we also play against Marcus Allen in the Fiesta Bowl? Is he included in the top 20?

This is the pic e article..Honest-right hand to God

Marcus Allen. Justin K. Aller/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images

By James Alder
NFL Expert


By James Alder

Updated November 04, 2015.
Marcus LeMarr Allen was born on March 26, 1960 in San Diego, California. He was born the second of six children. His father was a construction foreman and his mother was a nurse. Marcus was a talented multi-sport athlete from a young age, and he lettered in baseball, basketball, track, and football at Lincoln High School in San Diego. In high school, Marcus played the quarterback and safety positions, although he preferred the idea of playing running back, and decided to attend the University of Southern California based off of their strong history Heisman Trophy-caliber running backs, including OJ Simpson.

Allen played running back at USC from 1978 to 1981. In his final season at the school in 1981, Allen had one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history, as he became the first player ever to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season. He led the nation in scoring, and won the Heisman Trophy that season as the nation’s best back.

 

[PSU Mike]

What was our record in all games against the top 4?

DP: 1-0?
RD: 2-2?
RW: 1-0?
TD: 3-1?

 

[Art]

Didn't we also play against Marcus Allen in the Fiesta Bowl? Is he included in the top 20?

This is the pic e article..Honest-right hand to God

Marcus Allen. Justin K. Aller/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images

By James Alder
NFL Expert


By James Alder

Updated November 04, 2015.
Marcus LeMarr Allen was born on March 26, 1960 in San Diego, California. He was born the second of six children. His father was a construction foreman and his mother was a nurse. Marcus was a talented multi-sport athlete from a young age, and he lettered in baseball, basketball, track, and football at Lincoln High School in San Diego. In high school, Marcus played the quarterback and safety positions, although he preferred the idea of playing running back, and decided to attend the University of Southern California based off of their strong history Heisman Trophy-caliber running backs, including OJ Simpson.

Allen played running back at USC from 1978 to 1981. In his final season at the school in 1981, Allen had one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history, as he became the first player ever to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season. He led the nation in scoring, and won the Heisman Trophy that season as the nation’s best back.

Marcus Allen is somewhere in the 30s............do I hear an echo in here?

 

[step.eng69]

Marcus Allen is somewhere in the 30s............do I hear an echo in here?

Only if there is a void between the ears

 

[Art]

Only if there is a void between the ears

My space is occupied.

 

[LionIze]

What was our record in all games against the top 4?

DP: 1-0?
RD: 2-2?
RW: 1-0?
TD: 3-1?

2-1 vs RD. UW rotated off of our schedule his senior year

 

[OhioLion]

That stat reminds me of a t-shirt I owned back in the day.
Anyone recall the "Heisman Graveyard" t-shirt?
Showed 5 Heisman winners tombstones and a Nittany Lion hovering over them. Apologies as I do not recall who the four winners were pictured on the shirt.

OL

 

[Royal_Coaster]

Right off the top of my head, I'd guess Allen, Walker and Testaverde are 3. We also beat Detmer and Troy Smith, although they weren't yet Heisman winners when we beat them.

 

[PSU Mike]

Right off the top of my head, I'd guess Allen, Walker and Testaverde are 3. We also beat Detmer and Troy Smith, although they weren't yet Heisman winners when we beat them.

Detmer won in 1990, and we beat him in 1989 and 1991, although the latter was not in a bowl. We beat Flutie in 1984, the year he won it, but in the regular season before he was crowned.

 

[Columbus_Lion]

Also - Tim Brown (Notre Dame), Eddie George (Ohio State), Charles Woodson (Michigan),

 

[Lion78]

Walker, Allen, Testaverde were all defeated in bowl game by PSU the year they won.

Not sure who the 4th would be.

 

[john4psu]

We beat Mike Rozier in '82 and he won it in '83.

 

[slwlion]

I got to thinking…we may be the only team in the NCAA that has beaten the all-time top 4 rushers in FBS:iirc I believe Psu has never lost to a Heisman winner in a bowl game either..

1. Pumphrey – 2015
2. Dayne – 1996,1997
3. Williams – 1996 season/1997 Fiesta bowl
4. Dorsett – 1973,1974,1975

Has any other team accomplished this? A somewhat meaningless stat, but cool nonetheless.

And I believe we beat ever Heisman trophy winner in our Bowl games.

I got to thinking…we may be the only team in the NCAA that has beaten the all-time top 4 rushers in FBS:

1. Pumphrey – 2015
2. Dayne – 1996,1997
3. Williams – 1996 season/1997 Fiesta bowl
4. Dorsett – 1973,1974,1975

Has any other team accomplished this? A somewhat meaningless stat, but cool nonetheless.

 

[step.eng69]

My space is occupied.