The post Top 5 running backs in the Big Ten for 2025 season appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The college football season is right around the corner, and it is going to be an exciting one in the Big Ten. The conference is loaded with good teams, and there are high expectations after back-to-back national championships. Michigan won it all in 2023, and Ohio State captured the crown last season. There should be a good amount of teams that are still alive and contending for a national championship at the end of the 2025 season, and it will be exciting to see if another team from this conference can pull it off.
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In terms of contenders in the Big Ten, Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon are the teams that you can essentially write in to make the College Football Playoff. All three teams made it last year, and they are all expected to be among the best teams in the country this year as well. Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and USC are all teams to watch, too. The Hoosiers and Wolverines both have CFP experience, and they are hoping to make it again. USC and Illinois are looking for their first appearance.
All in all, there is a lot of talent in the Big Ten. That talent is going to be spread out all over the field, and one of the most important positions on the gridiron is running back. Here are the best RBs in the Big Ten for the 2025 season:
5. Noah Whittington, Oregon
Coming in at #5 on our list is Oregon football’s Noah Whittington. Whittington is as experienced as they come as he is getting ready for his sixth season of college football. He started his career back at Western Kentucky, and after spending two seasons with the Hilltoppers, he transferred to Oregon. Whittington has been with the Ducks for the past three seasons, and he is now getting ready for year four.
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Whittington has been splitting carries during his Oregon career, and that is going to be the case this season as well because of a transfer that we will discuss more in depth later. Still, even though Whittington might not get the bulk of the carries for the Ducks, he is one of the top backs in the Big Ten. He rushed for nearly 800 yards during his first season with the Ducks, and he has been productive ever since. There aren’t a lot of players in the game with as much experience as Whittington, so that should come in handy this season,
4. Makhi Hughes, Oregon
Speaking of the Oregon football team, let’s continue to talk about the Ducks with our #4 spot. Oregon hit the transfer portal and landed a very intriguing player as Makhi Hughers is now a member of the team. He spent the first two years of his career at Tulane, but he is now getting ready to get his first taste of the Power Four level.
Hughes was an absolute stud at Tulane as he combined for nearly 2,800 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in two seasons with the Green Wave. He did everything right, and he looks like a perfect fit for this Oregon offense. The only concern about Hughes is regarding how he will transition to this level. He was outstanding at Tulane, but the Big Ten is going to be more difficult. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts.
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3. Justice Haynes, Michigan
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We have another transfer coming in at #3 on the list, and that player is Michigan football’s Justice Haynes. Haynes transferred in from Alabama during the offseason, and he is expected to have a big year for the Wolverines. Haynes is going into his junior year, and he has showed a lot of potential during his two seasons with the Crimson Tide. He has gotten better as his career has gone on, and that should continue during his time at Michigan.
Haynes was able to get a decent amount of playing time as a freshman as he racked up 168 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and then he took a nice leap last season. In 2024. Haynes finished with 448 yards and seven scores. He averaged just under six yards per carry. Haynes will be QB1 for the Wolverines in 2025, and he should be able to put together a big year.
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2. Kaytron Allen, Penn State
These last two RBs are 1A and 1B. We recently ranked the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten, and Penn State’s Drew Allar took the top spot. Well, the Nittany Lions have the best RB room in the conference as well. Let’s talk about Kaytron Allen first. He could’ve left for the NFL last year, but like a lot of his teammates, he decided to come back for another year to chase a national championship. Allen has already had an impressive career at Penn State, but he has a chance to make it legendary.
Allen has rushed for over 850 yards in all three seasons of his career, and he got over the 1,100 yard mark last year while splitting carries with his buddy that we will talk about shortly. Allen also racked up eight touchdowns last season. If he didn’t have another top back in the conference as his teammate, he would’ve ran the ball even more. Allen is a stud, and the Penn State RB room is loaded.
1. Nick Singleton, Penn State
Lastly, we have Nick Singleton. The Penn State football team has the two best RBs in the Big Ten, and it’s hard to find anyone that disagrees with that claim. Like Allen, Singleton also has three years of experience under his belt with the Nittany Lions, and he has been sensational every single year. He also could’ve left for the NFL after last season, but he decided to come back with Allen. Penn State has the best RB duo in the country.
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Singleton has rushed for over 1,000 yards twice in his career, and he finished last season with 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns. He didn’t have as many carries as Allen because of missing a game, but he only finished with nine less yards. Both of these RBs are outstanding, and the fact that Penn State has both of them is unfair for the rest of the Big Ten.
The running back position is loaded in the Big Ten ahead of the 2025 season. There are a lot of good players who weren’t named here, but these are the best of the best. It’s going to be an exciting season in this conference.
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