San Diego State RB Rashaad Penny breaks 2,000-yard mark

San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny recorded the 29th 2,000-yard season in college football history on Friday against New Mexico.

Penny entered the game with 1,824 yards through his team’s first 11 games. He broke the 2,000-yard barrier with this touchdown run in the third quarter.

Penny finished the game with 203 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in a 35-10 win for the Aztecs.

It’s the second-straight season San Diego State has had a 2,000-yard rusher. Former Aztec RB Donnell Pumphrey rushed for 2,133 yards in 2016. Penny, now at 2,023 yards, has a chance to eclipse that with San Diego State’s bowl game still to come.

Penny has been one of the best backs in college football even if he wasn’t one of the three running backs named as finalists for the Doak Walker Award, which goes to the player deemed to be the best back in college football.

Penny ran for fewer than 100 yards in just two games — losses to Boise State and Fresno State — and entered Friday’s game with three-straight games of more than 200 yards rushing. Penny is the leading rusher in college football, though he’s also gotten a ton of carries.

Stanford running back Bryce Love (one of the three finalists for the Doak Walker Award) had 101 fewer yards than Penny entering Week 13 on 58 fewer carries. With 277 yards over his next two (or three, if Stanford wins the Pac-12 North) games, Love could join Penny in the 2,000-yard club.

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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