Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, November 29, 2014
With his first carry vs. Minnesota, Wisconsin?s Melvin Gordon moved into the history books.
Gordon passed former Wisconsin great and 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne to set the Big Ten single-season rushing record. Gordon now can eye even greater achievements.
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Could Gordon join Dayne as a Heisman winner? Perhaps. Most straw polls have Gordon running second or third in the race, with Oregon?s Marcus Mariota leading.
What would Gordon need to do to enhance his Heisman stock? Keep ticking off 200-yard rushing games-he has three in a row–and lead the Badgers to the Big Ten title with a big performance vs. Ohio State in the conference championship game.
Gordon also has a shot to break the FBS single-season rushing standard of 2,628 yards set by Oklahoma State?s Barry Sanders in 1988. Gordon entered today No. 1 in the nation in rushing with 2,109 yards (191.7 ypg). (His 25 TDs lead the nation, too.) Gordon needs 520 yards to pass Sanders, meaning he would need to average 259.5 yards if he plays just two more games and 173.3 if he plays three more.
Two weeks ago, Gordon set the FBS single-game rushing make with 408 yards on 25 totes vs. Nebraska but saw that record eclipsed last week by Oklahoma?s Samaje Perine, who had 427 yards on 34 carries vs. Kansas.
It has been a special season for a special back.
| About Tom Dienhart | BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men's basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, read all of his work at btn.com/tomdienhart, and subscribe to his posts via RSS. Also, send questions to his weekly mailbag using the form below and read all of his previous answers in his reader mailbag section. |
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