Barry Sanders 1988 Season

[jackrabbit21]

I was reading the ARob 1000 yards thread and a poster brought up how they include the bowl game in the total these days. That got me thinking of Barry Sanders' 1988 Heisman year at Oklahoma State. I think there are a lot of posters and readers on this site (most maybe) that do not remember or weren't even alive for this season. Basically, if you think 2,000 yards is a good year, you will be blown away by the numbers Barry put up.

Here is a link to his game-by-game stats:
SportsRatings: College Football: Barry Sanders' 1988 game-by-game rushing stats

1988 Regular-season stats
Rushing: 344 rushes, 2,628 yards (7.6 ave), 37 TDs
Receiving: 19 receptions, 106 yards, 0 TDs
Returns: 21 Kick returns, 421 yards, 1TD; 10 punt returns, 94 yards, 1TD

When you include the Bowl game:
Rushing: 373 rushes, 2,850 yards (7.6 ave), 42 TDs

At least ISU held him under 300 yards...

 

[sodakjoe]

I was reading the ARob 1000 yards thread and a poster brought up how they include the bowl game in the total these days. That got me thinking of Barry Sanders' 1988 Heisman year at Oklahoma State. I think there are a lot of posters and readers on this site (most maybe) that do not remember or weren't even alive for this season. Basically, if you think 2,000 yards is a good year, you will be blown away by the numbers Barry put up.

Here is a link to his game-by-game stats:
SportsRatings: College Football: Barry Sanders' 1988 game-by-game rushing stats

1988 Regular-season stats
Rushing: 344 rushes, 2,628 yards (7.6 ave), 37 TDs
Receiving: 19 receptions, 106 yards, 0 TDs
Returns: 21 Kick returns, 421 yards, 1TD; 10 punt returns, 94 yards, 1TD

When you include the Bowl game:
Rushing: 373 rushes, 2,850 yards (7.6 ave), 42 TDs

At least ISU held him under 300 yards...

Well, pardon my French, but...

DUH, it was Barry ******* Sanders.

 

[BigSkyCy2]

He was great, but did he have back-to-back 2,000 yard seasons? Go Troy!

Honestly though, Barry was just a beast.

 

[isuno1fan]

Best ever in my mind....college or pro

 

[ISUAgronomist]

And his son looks damn good on video. Like the second coming of....well Barry Sanders.

 

[tec71]

Interesting note, I once sat next to the OSU track coaches at the Big 8 indoor track meet in Missouri I think it was (circa 1990). We got to talking about their plight because they were going to be last in the conference again adn were lucky to score double digits. The coach made the comment to me that if they could get their football players to participate they wouldn't have enough depth to win a team title but they could set all kinds of records in the events there were in. In '86-'89 there were confident that they would have been national champs in teh 4x1, and would push the all time record. That's with Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas.

 

[CyED]

That's incredible! 7+ yrd average for the season is sick

 

[jackrabbit21]

Basically, if the number of games were 13 (regular season + bowl game) like it is now, we would have seen a 3,000 yard season.

 

[CarolinaCy]

Best ever in my mind....college or pro

I would agree on Barry as the best RB in the NFL, but in college I'd give that title to Herschel Walker. Absolute man amongst boys, could have legitimately won 3 Heisman Trophies had they not routinely snubbed underclassmen.

 

[linkshero]

I was at the game in Ames. He didn't get much in the first half, my friend and I were keeping track. I guy behind me asked what he had at half, "50 60?" I turned and said, "107". It didn't seem like it, but he got 4-5 yards on bad carries. It was a close game at half, Clones were playing great. Early third quarter we punted, and BS ripped off a 80 yarder on first down. Game over....