What does Bryce Love need to average to tie 1988 Barry Sanders and 2014 Melvin Gordon?

[iowajerms]

Game 1
Bryce Love - 180 yards at Rice
Barry Sanders - 178 yards vs Miami (OH)
Melvin Gordon - 140 yards vs LSU

Game 2
Bryce Love - 160 yards at USC - 340 total rushing yards
Barry Sanders - 157 yards vs Texas A&M - 335 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 38 yards vs Western Illinois - 178 total rushing yards

Game 3
Barry Sanders - 304 yards vs Tulsa - 639 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 184 yards at San Diego State - 524 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 253 yards vs Bowling Green - 431 total rushing yards

Game 4
Barry Sanders - 174 yards at Colorado - 813 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 263 yards vs UCLA - 787 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 181 yards vs South Florida - 612 total rushing yards

Game 5
Bryce Love - 301 yards vs Arizona State - 1,088 total rushing yards
Barry Sanders - 189 yards at Nebraska - 1,002 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 259 yards at Northwestern - 871 total rushing yards

Game 6
Barry Sanders - 154 yards vs Missouri - 1,156 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 175 yards vs Illinois - 1,046 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 10/7 at Utah

Game 7
Barry Sanders - 320 yards at Kansas State - 1,476 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 122 yards vs Maryland - 1,168 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 10/14 vs Oregon

 

[iowajerms]

Game 8
Barry Sanders - 215 yards vs Oklahoma - 1,691 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 128 yards at Rutgers - 1,296 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 10/26 at Oregon State

Game 9
Barry Sanders - 312 yards vs Kansas - 2,003 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 205 yards at Purdue - 1,501 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 11/4 at Washington State

Game 10
Barry Sanders - 293 yards at Iowa State - 2,296 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 408 yards vs Nebraska - 1,909 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 11/10 vs Washington

Game 11
Barry Sanders - 332 yards vs Texas Tech (in Tokyo) - 2,628 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 200 yards at Iowa - 2,109 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 11/18 vs California

Game 12
Barry Sanders - 222 yards vs Wyoming (in San Diego) - 2,850 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 151 yards vs Minnesota - 2,260 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 11/25 vs Notre Dame

Game 13
Melvin Gordon - 76 yards vs Ohio State (CCG) - 2,336 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - Either CCG or Bowl Game

Game 14
Melvin Gordon - 251 vs Auburn (Bowl) - 2,487 rushing yards
Bryce Love - Bowl Game if Stanford makes CCG.

 

[iowajerms]

Barry Sanders - 2,850 total rushing yards in 11 games (NCAA DI-A/FBS Record)
Melvin Gordon - 2,336 total rushing yards in 14 games (2nd NCAA DI-A/FBS History)

• To tie Barry Sanders
  • in 11 games (same # of games)
    • Love needs to average 293.67 YPG Stanford plays
  • in regular season (12 games)
    • Love needs to average 251.71 YPG Stanford plays
  • in regular season + bowl game (13 games)
    • Love needs to average 220.25 YPG Stanford plays
  • in regular season + CCG + bowl game (14 games)
    • Love needs to average 195.78 YPG Stanford plays
  • in regular season + CCG + CFP semifinals + NCG (15 games)
    • Love needs to average 176.20 YPG Stanford plays

• To tie Melvin Gordon
  • In regular season (12 games)
    • Love needs to average 178.29 YPG Stanford plays
  • In regular season + bowl game (13 games)
    • Love needs to average 156 YPG Stanford plays
  • In regular season + CCG + bowl game (14 games) - (same # of games)
    • Love needs to average 138.67 YPG Stanford plays
  • In regular season + CCG + CFP semifinals + NCG (15 games)
    • Love needs to average 124.8 YPG Stanford plays

 

[ericd7633]

If he averages what he is now, he'll finish up his 12th game with 2,611 yards, which would be incredible, but he only plays what I would consider 1 great/elite defense in Washington, so I don't think it's out of the question. Stanford has an elite offense and an elite O-line.

 

[iowajerms]

If he averages what he is now, he'll finish up his 12th game with 2,611 yards, which would be incredible, but he only plays what I would consider 1 great/elite defense in Washington, so I don't think it's out of the question. Stanford has an elite offense and an elite O-line.

Good point

• If Love continues to average what he is currently averaging
  • In 11 games - Same # of games as Sanders
    • Love will finish 2,393 rushing yards - (pass Melvin Gordon)
  • In 12 games (regular season)
    • Love will finish 2,611 rushing yards
  • In 13 games (regular season + bowl game)
    • Love will finish 2,828 rushing yards
  • In 14 games (regular season + Pac 12 CG + bowl game) - Same # of games as Gordon
    • Love will finish 3,046 rushing yards - (pass Barry Sanders and new NCAA record)
  • In 15 games (regular season + Pac 12 CG + CFP semi + NCG)
    • Love will finish 3,264 rushing yards

 

[HuskerinBig10]

Play Nebraska at least once?

 

[tnapucco]

 

[outofyourmind]

I think that you have to remember that Barry Sanders went up against "run first" defenses built to stop the run.
Played against monster defenses like Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and the rest of the Big 8 that were all "what is stop the pass" 2nd thoughts .

 

[WizardHawk]

I think that you have to remember that Barry Sanders went up against "run first" defenses built to stop the run.
Played against monster defenses like Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and the rest of the Big 8 that were all "what is stop the pass" 2nd thoughts .

Don't entirely dismiss this, but this is modern football. It's much harder for any team to dominate to the point of historical numbers. The advancements in scouting, schemes, and teaching are insane. There isn't a team from longer than 20 years ago that would beat even average P5 teams today because of those advancements.

I love watching throw back games. Particularly from the 80's when it was games I actually went to. Seeing how much the pace and complexity of the game really has changed through to now.

Of course Sanders was a special runner and would no doubt still be a dominating runner on a team today. Not sure he would set the same marks though because of how different the game is overall.

If it really was easy to run over teams you believe do not play run stop first defense then we would see ridiculous numbers from running backs often and we don't.

 

[wazzu31]

Couldn't you guys pick a better back to compare Love and Sanders to than Gordon?

 

[iowajerms]

Couldn't you guys pick a better back to compare Love and Sanders to than Gordon?

Not comparing Sanders to Gordon. Comparing Love to the Top 2 on the Most Rushing Yards in a season. I figured adding Kevin Smith from UCF (who is 3rd) would be too much.

 

[iowajerms]

I think that you have to remember that Barry Sanders went up against "run first" defenses built to stop the run.
Played against monster defenses like Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and the rest of the Big 8 that were all "what is stop the pass" 2nd thoughts .

I kind of made it look more impressive for Sanders without bringing up the defenses. 2,850 rushing yards in 11 games is insane. Love will need to average 300 yards the next 6 games to match that.

 

[tnapucco]

Not comparing Sanders to Gordon. Comparing Love to the Top 2 on the Most Rushing Yards in a season. I figured adding Kevin Smith from UCF (who is 3rd) would be too much.

Yeah because Smith isn't B1G.

 

[iowajerms]

Yeah because Smith isn't B1G.

Neither is Love or Sanders. Who else should I include?

 

[tnapucco]

Neither is Love or Sanders. Who else should I include?

Gordon....err, wait....

 

[iowajerms]

Game 1
Bryce Love - 180 yards at Rice
Barry Sanders - 178 yards vs Miami (OH)
Melvin Gordon - 140 yards vs LSU

Game 2
Bryce Love - 160 yards at USC - 340 total rushing yards
Barry Sanders - 157 yards vs Texas A&M - 335 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 38 yards vs Western Illinois - 178 total rushing yards

Game 3
Barry Sanders - 304 yards vs Tulsa - 639 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 184 yards at San Diego State - 524 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 253 yards vs Bowling Green - 431 total rushing yards

Game 4
Barry Sanders - 174 yards at Colorado - 813 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 263 yards vs UCLA - 787 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 181 yards vs South Florida - 612 total rushing yards

Game 5
Bryce Love - 301 yards vs Arizona State - 1,088 total rushing yards
Barry Sanders - 189 yards at Nebraska - 1,002 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 259 yards at Northwestern - 871 total rushing yards

Game 6
Bryce Love - 152 yards vs Utah - 1,240 total rushing yards
Barry Sanders - 154 yards vs Missouri - 1,156 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 175 yards vs Illinois - 1,046 total rushing yards

Game 7
Barry Sanders - 320 yards at Kansas State - 1,476 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 122 yards vs Maryland - 1,168 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 10/14 vs Oregon

 

[iowajerms]

Game 8
Barry Sanders - 215 yards vs Oklahoma - 1,691 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 128 yards at Rutgers - 1,296 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 10/26 at Oregon State

Game 9
Barry Sanders - 312 yards vs Kansas - 2,003 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 205 yards at Purdue - 1,501 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 11/4 at Washington State

Game 10
Barry Sanders - 293 yards at Iowa State - 2,296 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 408 yards vs Nebraska - 1,909 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 11/10 vs Washington

Game 11
Barry Sanders - 332 yards vs Texas Tech (in Tokyo) - 2,628 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 200 yards at Iowa - 2,109 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 11/18 vs California

Game 12
Barry Sanders - 222 yards vs Wyoming (in San Diego) - 2,850 total rushing yards
Melvin Gordon - 151 yards vs Minnesota - 2,260 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - 11/25 vs Notre Dame

Game 13
Melvin Gordon - 76 yards vs Ohio State (CCG) - 2,336 total rushing yards
Bryce Love - Either CCG or Bowl Game

Game 14
Melvin Gordon - 251 vs Auburn (Bowl) - 2,487 rushing yards
Bryce Love - Bowl Game if Stanford makes CCG.

• To tie Barry Sanders
  • in regular season (12 games) - Same # of Games
    • Love needs to average 322.0 YPG Stanford plays
  • in regular season + bowl game (13 games)
    • Love needs to average 268.3 YPG Stanford plays
  • in regular season + CCG + bowl game (14 games)
    • Love needs to average 230.0 YPG Stanford plays
  • in regular season + CCG + CFP semifinals + NCG (15 games)
    • Love needs to average 201.3 YPG Stanford plays

• To tie Melvin Gordon
  • In regular season (12 games)
    • Love needs to average 219.2 YPG Stanford plays
  • In regular season + bowl game (13 games)
    • Love needs to average 182.7 YPG Stanford plays
  • In regular season + CCG + bowl game (14 games) - Same # of games
    • Love needs to average 156.6 YPG Stanford plays
  • In regular season + CCG + CFP semifinals + NCG (15 games)
    • Love needs to average 137.0 YPG Stanford plays

• If Love continues to average what he is currently averaging
  • In 12 games (regular season) - Same # of games as Gordon
    • Love will finish 2,480 rushing yards - (pass Melvin Gordon)
  • In 13 games (regular season + bowl game)
    • Love will finish 2,686 rushing yards
  • In 14 games (regular season + Pac 12 CG + bowl game) - Same # of games as Gordon
    • Love will finish 2,893 rushing yards - (pass Barry Sanders and new NCAA record)
  • In 15 games (regular season + Pac 12 CG + CFP semi + NCG)
    • Love will finish 3,100 rushing yards