Bold Predictions: Bo Jackson will lead the Big Ten in rushing yards in 2026

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As preseason camp begins this week, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.

There are two things I’m bullish on about the Buckeyes going into 2026. One is that Ohio State will be better at running the football.

They have to be. Arthur Smith has a great background in working with great running backs as an offensive coordinator, and he should be able to get the Buckeyes going on the ground again.

The second thing I’m bullish on is that Bo Jackson is about to break out. Like, really break out.

In this week of Bold Predictions, I’m predicting Jackson will lead the Big Ten in rushing yards.

Jackson finished fifth in the Big Ten in rushing yards last year at 1,090 yards. The leader, Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson, had 1,451 yards rushing. He’s now in the NFL. So, too, are the second and fourth-leading rushers in the Big Ten last year.

The two players behind Jackson — Kaelon Black and King Miller — have also moved on to the NFL.

Keep in mind, too, that Jackson wasn’t even the Buckeyes’ starting running back at the start of the season. Heck, he didn’t even play against Texas. What followed was six games of 100+ rushing yards.

That’s good. This season, he’ll be better.

Consider Ohio State’s offense last year was driven through its passing game. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate were the best wide receiver duo in college football. The Buckeyes don’t have a clear-cut WR2 coming into this season. While they work in their new receivers, they’ll need to run the football to open up the passing part of their offensive playbook. 

Enter Jackson. He only had one game last year with 20+ carries. This season, he should have way more. Jackson is coming into this season as the RB1 on the Buckeyes’ roster, meaning he will be playing in Week 1.

Also, remember Arthur Smith’s offenses are built on running the football. Look at what he did in Tennessee and Atlanta in his NFL offensive coordinator and head coaching stints. 

Combine all of that with the fact that rushing leaders above and below Jackson are now in the NFL, and it’s very possible to see Jackson atop the Big Ten rushing chart in 2026. Jackson was less than 400 yards away from the top of the list in 2026, and that’s with missing the first game of the regular season.

Even with the Buckeyes being WRU, they are historically known for their legendary running backs. Jackson may be, believe it or not, next in line. That will start with Jackson leading the Big Ten in rushing yards in 2026.

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