5 Greatest Running Backs in Georgia Football History
Modern-day Georgia running backs may dominate the list of the five greatest backs in school history, but you're kidding yourself if you think No. 1 comes from the 21st century.
The Bulldogs have been blessed at the position for decades. When Lars Tate left after the 1987 season, he trailed only that aforementioned No. 1 player in career yards rushing.
Rodney Hampton followed Tate and ranked third. Then came Garrison Hearst, Terrell Davis, and Robert Edwards. Georgia has had a murderer's row of talent in the backfield for the last 45 years.
The thing is, only one of those players made our list. No slander on the ones who didn't, though, as this is one of the harder lists to crack compared to most other schools.
Honorable Mentions
- Lars Tate (1984-1987)
- Terrell Davis (1992-1994)
- Robert Edwards (1994-1997)
- Knowshon Moreno (2007-2008)
- Sony Michel (2014-2017)
5. Garrison Hearst (1990-1992)
SEC Freshman of the Year in 1990. Second-team All-SEC in 1991. SEC Player of the Year, Doak Walker Award Winner, third-place in Heisman Trophy voting, and unanimous All-American selection in 1992.
It's tough to find a more accomplished player than Garrison Hearst at Georgia when it comes to honors. His 33 touchdowns rank with Michel in a tie for fifth, and his 3,232 yards rushing rank fifth with two of the five ranked ahead of four-year players. Hearst left Georgia for the NFL after three seasons in 1993.
4. Todd Gurley (2012-2014)
Gurley's career at Georgia ended on a sour note as the NCAA suspended the running back for four games his junior year after determining he had received $3,000 for signed autographs and memorabilia. Remember when that was a thing? His first game back from suspension, he tore his ACL and ended his collegiate career.
But for two-and-a-half years, Gurley's combination of speed and power couldn't be matched in the entire sport at his level. He was so good over those mere 30 games that he still ranks third in school history in yards rushing and in a tie for third in touchdowns.
3. Nick Chubb (2014-2017)
Michel only couldn't get more carries in the Georgia backfield because one of the greatest to ever put on the shoulder pads happened to be there at the same time.
Chubb was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2014 after running for 1,547 yards with 14 touchdowns. The next year, he played in just six games, but still ran for 747 yards and led the FBS with an 8.1-yard-per-carry average.
In 2016 and 2017, he ran for more than 1,100 yards despite injuries limiting him yet again. And, finally, in his senior season, healthy for the first time since freshman year, Chubb teamed with Michel full-time in helping Georgia to the national championship game.
2. Frank Sinkwich (1940-1942)
A native of Yugoslavia, Sinkwich won the first Heisman Trophy as a player at an SEC school back in 1941. His 1,103 yards rushing led the country and his 2,187 set the NCAA record for total offense as Georgia went 11-1, winning the conference title and beating UCLA in the Rose Bowl.
Most incredibly, Sinkwich was named the "Number 1 athlete for 1942" by the Associated Press. Incredible because it's the same year Boston Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams won the Triple Crown.
In his career, Sinkwich accounted for a combined 4,602 yards rushing and passing while running for 30 touchdowns and throwing for 30 more.
1. Herschel Walker (1980-1982)
It's possible that Walker isn't just the best running back Georgia's ever had but the best running back college football has ever seen. Barry Sanders, Archie Griffin, and maybe OJ Simpson would also be in the argument.
In just three seasons, Walker ran for 5,259 yards with 49 touchdowns and led the SEC in both categories every single season.
The Bulldogs won the national title in 1980 for the first time since 1942 as Walker finished third in Heisman voting. As a sophomore, he finished second. Then, as a junior, in his final season, Walker won the award along with the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year. He was truly remarkable.
More Georgia Football Rankings
- 10 Greatest Georgia Football Players Ever
- 5 Greatest Quarterbacks in Georgia History
- 5 Greatest Defensive Players in Georgia History
Related: The Greatest HBCU Players in Pro Football History
Related: 10 Highest Paid College Football Coaches: Who Tops the List?
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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 6:48 AM.