Sophomore RB Ahmad Hardy becomes third Tiger running back in five seasons to be named finalist for prestigious Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation’s top running back.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou football sophomore running back Ahmad Hardy was named a finalist for the 2025 Doak Walker National Running Back Award, the PwC Athletic Forum announced on Tuesday. Hardy is one of three finalists for the prestigious award given to the nation’s top running back, joining Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love and Ole Miss’ Kewan Lacy.
Hardy, the nation’s second-leading rusher (1,403 yards, 6.6 YPC), leads the trio of finalists in that statistic while ranking fourth nationally in rushing touchdowns (15). Hardy’s 983 yards after contact lead the country and account for 70.1 percent of his yardage while his 77 missed tackles forced rank third nationally.
The sophomore from Oma, Mississippi, became just the sixth player in SEC history to rush for 300 yards in a game in Mizzou’s 49-27 win over Mississippi State on November 15. Hardy has eclipsed the 100-yard mark on seven occasions this season to lead the group of finalists. Beyond that, Hardy has topped 250 yards twice, including his 300-yard outing, posting two of the top eight rushing performances in program history. No other finalist has eclipsed 200 yards more than once.
Hardy already occupies fifth place on Mizzou’s single-season rushing list and is 225 yards from breaking Cody Schrader‘s all-time mark of 1,627 set in 2023. Hardy’s 15 rushing touchdowns put him just three away from tying MU’s single-season record of 18 held by Brad Smith (2003) Bob Steuber (1942).
Hardy joins Schrader (2023) and Tyler Badie (2021) in an elite group of Mizzou running backs to be named finalists for the Doak Walker Award.
The winner of the 2025 Doak Walker Award will be unveiled live on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards on Friday, December 12. The formal presentation of the award will take place at the annual banquet on January 30, 2026, in Dallas.
Named after Doak Walker, a legendary figure in college football and the NFL, the Doak Walker Award presented by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum has been awarded to the nation’s top running back since 1990. Since 2022, the award has recognized a national running back of the week. A select 20-person committee from the award’s full voting body of media and past winners chooses the weekly recipient. On Aug. 5, a preseason candidates list was released and semifinalists for the award will be named on Nov. 18. At the annual banquet, the recipient of the 2025 PwC Doak Walker Legends Award also will be honored.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. This season, 13 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. For more information, visit SMU.edu/DoakWalkerAward or follow on X (@DoakWalkerAward).
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