South Carolina sophomore running back Matthew Fuller is on the preseason radar for one of college football’s top backfield honors.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Monday that Fuller has been named a preseason candidate for the 2026 Doak Walker Award, which goes to the nation’s most outstanding college running back.
Fuller’s case starts with a steadily growing role last season. He appeared in 10 games and made three starts for the Gamecocks, then finished 2025 with 72 carries for 260 yards, a 3.6-yard average, and two touchdowns. His biggest burst came at LSU, where the Jesup, Ga. native piled up a season-high 83 yards on seven carries, highlighted by a 72-yard touchdown run.
He also arrives with some momentum from the spring. Fuller was named the 2026 Joe Morrison Offensive Player of the Spring, and South Carolina expects him to be a key piece in the backfield in 2026.
The Doak Walker process rolls on from here. The Forum’s board will announce 10 semifinalists in November, followed by three finalists later that month. The national selection committee then votes again in December to choose the winner.
That committee includes past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The 2026 Doak Walker Award winner will be revealed live at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 10. The award honors SMU legend Doak Walker, a three-time All-America running back.
The preseason candidate list also includes backs from around the country, among them Kendrick Raphael of SMU, Mark Fletcher Jr. of Miami, James Peoples of Penn State, Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss, Bo Jackson of Ohio State and Jahiem White of North Texas.
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