Top ten college football players since 2000 -- number 9

9. Larry Johnson, RB (Penn State)

Johnson was a solid running back for the Nittany Lions; just solid, though. That was until his senior year, when Johnson ripped defenses apart week after week en route to a 2,000-yard rushing season. Johnson broke the Penn State record for rushing yards in a game three times in 2002.

During the regular season, Johnson averaged eight yards per carry, which would have been an NCAA record, had the statistics from the bowl game not counted. Johnson was held to 72 yards on 20 carries against Auburn in the Capital One Bowl, dipping his average to 7.8 yards per carry, just under Mike Rozier’s record of 7.9.

Johnson lost the Heisman Trophy to Carson Palmer, though he won the Maxwell Award as college football’s best player, and the Doak Walker award as the nation’s best running back.