Last updated: November 5, 2026
Iowa State’s Aiden Flora tops the list of Big 12 running backs with 937 rushing yards, but West Virginia’s Cam Cook is only 14 yards behind. Here is how the Big 12 running backs rank in 2026 according to RallyFuel’s regular-season data.
Quick summary
- Aiden Flora of Iowa State leads the Big 12 with 937 yards, a 7.2 average and eight touchdowns.
- Cam Cook of West Virginia (923) and Caleb Hawkins of Oklahoma State (906) are within 31 yards of the lead.
- Cole Tabb of Cincinnati averages 9.5 yards per carry and has ten touchdowns on only 79 carries.
- Cincinnati and Houston each have two backs in the conference’s top fifteen.
Big 12 running backs leaderboard 2026
The table ranks the top ten Big 12 running backs by 2026 regular-season rushing yards, using stats recorded on RallyFuel. Some lines may trail the latest game by a week, so read the numbers as a snapshot as of November 5.
| # | Player | School | Yds | Att | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aiden Flora | Iowa State | 937 | 131 | 7.2 | 8 |
| 2 | Cam Cook | West Virginia | 923 | 186 | 5.0 | 7 |
| 3 | Caleb Hawkins | Oklahoma State | 906 | 167 | 5.4 | 4 |
| 4 | J’Koby Williams | Texas Tech | 794 | 100 | 7.9 | 6 |
| 5 | Cole Tabb | Cincinnati | 752 | 79 | 9.5 | 10 |
| 6 | Wayshawn Parker | Utah | 726 | 109 | 6.7 | 9 |
| 7 | Duke Watson | UCF | 597 | 92 | 6.5 | 3 |
| 8 | Dylan Edwards | Kansas | 573 | 125 | 4.6 | 4 |
| 9 | Cardae Mack | Arizona State | 523 | 78 | 6.7 | 6 |
| 10 | Makhi Hughes | Houston | 516 | 117 | 4.4 | 4 |
A tight race at the top
Flora has 937 yards on 131 carries, a 7.2 average, in eight games. Cook has 923 yards, but on 186 carries, the most of any player among the Big 12 running backs. Hawkins is close behind with 906 yards on 167 attempts and adds 353 receiving yards. The three are separated by 31 yards, so the title of top rusher could change hands in a single weekend. See the Iowa State, West Virginia and Oklahoma State pages on RallyFuel.
Big plays from Texas Tech and Cincinnati
J’Koby Williams of Texas Tech has 794 yards on 100 carries, a 7.9 average with six touchdowns. Cole Tabb is the most explosive of all the Big 12 running backs: 752 yards on 79 carries is a 9.5 average, and his ten touchdowns lead the conference among the players listed here. His teammate Gi’Bran Payne adds 485 yards, giving Cincinnati 1,237 combined. More on the Texas Tech and Cincinnati pages.
The rest of the top ten
Behind the leaders, the conference is deep. the spread from fifth place to tenth is only about 236 yards.
Wayshawn Parker of Utah has 726 yards and nine touchdowns and 264 receiving yards. Duke Watson of UCF has 597 yards at 6.5 per carry. Dylan Edwards of Kansas has 573, Cardae Mack of Arizona State has 523 at 6.7 per carry, and Makhi Hughes of Houston has 516. His teammate Re’Shaun Sanford II adds 447 for the Cougars. The next group includes Rodney Fields Jr. and Joe Jackson of Kansas State and Jeremy Payne of TCU.
How to read these numbers
Each line shows rushing yards, carries, yards per carry and rushing touchdowns for the 2026 regular season. Games played differ from player to player, because some teams have had a bye and some players have missed time, so a runner with fewer games can still sit high on the list. Yards per carry is the quickest way to spot a back who is making the most of limited touches, and touchdowns show who gets the goal-line work. Use the totals as a starting point, then open any profile on the site for the full season line.
Volume versus efficiency
Cook and Hawkins win on volume, with the two highest carry counts. Tabb, Williams and Flora win on efficiency. Ranking Big 12 running backs by yards alone rewards workload, while ranking by average rewards big plays. Looking at both gives a better read on who is truly driving an offense, especially with several teams splitting carries between two backs.
More ways to follow the season
Want to see how Big 12 running backs stack up against other conferences? Read our Big Ten running backs ranking and SEC running back NIL breakdown, then browse the full Big 12 conference page on RallyFuel. You can also explore every player on the RallyFuel athlete directory and check the school leaderboard.
Vote: Who is the best of the Big 12 running backs this season? Cast your pick on the RallyFuel football predictions page.
Big 12 running backs FAQ
Who leads the Big 12 in rushing in 2026?
Iowa State running back Aiden Flora leads with 937 yards in RallyFuel’s regular-season data, followed by West Virginia’s Cam Cook with 923.
Which Big 12 running back is the most efficient?
Cincinnati’s Cole Tabb averages 9.5 yards per carry and has ten touchdowns on 79 carries, the best average among the top ten.
Where do these numbers come from?
They come from the 2026 regular-season stats stored on RallyFuel. Lines can lag the latest game, so check each player profile for the most recent totals.
Which Big 12 teams have two backs in the top fifteen?
Cincinnati (Cole Tabb and Gi’Bran Payne) and Houston (Makhi Hughes and Re’Shaun Sanford II) each place two runners.
Follow College Athletes on RallyFuel
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