Arkansas' McFadden, Jones No. 1; Georgia steps up

Arkansas' Darren McFadden (20 TDs) and Felix Jones (13) were the best running back duo in the nation this season. AP

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In Sports Illustrated's college football preview, the 2007 season was billed as "The Year of the Running Back," and the magazine published five regional covers featuring Michigan's Mike Hart, Arkansas' Darren McFadden, Oklahoma's Allen Patrick, West Virginia's Steve Slaton and a trio of USC backs, along with a story hailing the group as the "best crop of rushers since the late 1970s." Turns out, 2007 was, in fact, the year of a running quarterback in Heisman winner Tim Tebow of Florida.

But we still had big moments from guys whose primary responsibility is to run the ball. UCF's Kevin Smith made a run at Barry Sanders' single-season rushing mark and Heisman runner-up Darren McFadden tied an SEC record with 323 yards against South Carolina.

A season full of upsets took its toll on the poll -- and my preseason top 10 rushing duos. So with the regular season in the books and the bowl bonanza days away, let's take another look at the nation's top 10 rushing tandems. Before we begin, let's remember the cardinal rules: this is about running backs only -- no running quarterbacks, fullbacks or all-purpose wide receivers that take the occasional handoff -- and it has to be a legit tandem, not just one guy with monster numbers. So without further ado:

1. Arkansas

Preseason rank: No. 1

As Dennis Green would say: "They are who we thought they were." McFadden and fellow junior backfield-mate Felix Jones more than lived up to the hype, beating out every other tandem with 3,240 all-purpose yards and 33 touchdowns. McFadden, who was Heisman bridesmaid for the second straight year (and if he does opt for the NFL, he will go down as one of the greatest to never win a stiff-armed trophy), led the way with 1,725 rushing yards and 15 scores and threw for four more TDs working as a quarterback out of the Wild Hog formation, while Jones, the most overlooked player in the nation, had 13 scores.

McFadden and Jones also channeled another famous duo off the field, dressing up as Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble for Halloween.

2. Georgia

Preseason rank: No. 9

The emergence of Knowshon Moreno made all the difference in Georgia's season and its ranking on this list. The redshirt freshman capitalized on injuries to seniors Kregg Lumpkin and Thomas Brown, seizing the starting role in rushing for 1,273 yards (fourth most for a freshman in SEC history) and 12 touchdowns.

While Moreno became one of the year's breakout stars, earning all-SEC first-team honors, he formed formed a formidable duo when Brown returned. Brown averaged 5.4 yards a carry in totaling 706 yards and nine touchdowns, including 139 yards in the regular-season finale against Georgia Tech, in which Moreno had his second-worst game of the year (45 yards).

3. Kansas

Preseason rank: NR

Brandon McAnderson and Jake Sharp are the true definition of "Thunder and Lightning." Anderson, at 6-feet, 235 pounds, is the prototypical steamroller, while Sharp (5-10, 190 pounds) brings track speed to the field. Together, they were a major part of the Jayhawks' come-from-nowhere 11-1 season, combining for 2,166 total yards and 25 touchdowns, but they got little-to-no love most of the year.

McAnderson, a senior who was Kansas' No. 1 fullback last season, has developed into a legit weapon in a one-back offense, rushing for 1,050 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Sharp had 788 yards and seven scores.

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