Back at 15 to 20 years ago, running backs earned their fair share of pub.

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Ohio State's Eddie George won the 1995 Heisman Trophy, a year after Colorado's Rashaan Salaam did the same. Running backs went back-to-back again in 1998 and 1999, with Texas back Ricky Williams followed by Wisconsin's Ron Dayne.

But the same can't truly be said of present day runners. Since Dayne's win, just two running backs have earned the honor with Reggie Bush (2005, vacated) and Mark Ingram (2009) standing alone in a sea of quarterback victors.

Could 2015 be different? Thanks to back-to-back strong running back classes in 2013 and 2014, college football is loaded with talented young runners capable of carrying a team's offensive payload and lighting up both the scoreboard and the stat sheet. At least one of the top five running backs listed below is a Heisman Trophy favorite, and it wouldn't be a shock to see multiple runners below in serious contention for the award.

1. Nick Chubb, So., Georgia

Chubb didn’t top the 100-yard mark in the first five games as a true freshman. But in Game Six at Missouri, Chubb rushed for 143 yards in a Georgia win and never looked back. He rushed for at least 113 yards in eight straight games to end the season, including a 33-carry, 266-yard, two-touchdown performance against Louisville in the Belk Bowl. At 5-10 220, Chubb has the size of a power back, but with multiple carries of over 80 yards, he also has the speed to take it the distance. Running backs can occasionally slide down the priority list in the NFL Draft, but if Chubb can continue to produce and stay healthy, he’s the kind of back who could merit an early selection.

2. Ezekiel Elliott, Jr., Ohio State

While Chubb could be the top NFL prospect at running back, it would be hard to find a more productive player at the position than Ezekiel Elliott, who looked like the best player in the country over the season’s final few weeks. Elliott rushed for 220 yards and two touchdowns in the Big Ten Championship Game. He topped that with 232 yards and two scores in the College Football Playoff semifinal win against Alabama. Then he went for 246 yards and four touchdowns in the championship game against Oregon. While Cardale Jones gets a lot of credit for Ohio State’s mic drop to end the year, Elliott is probably the rightful recipient. What’s next? Can Elliott make a push toward 2,000 yards and top Eddie George’s single season Buckeye rushing record? You bet. Along with TCU's Trevone Boykin, Elliott is considered a Heisman Trophy favorite.

3. Leonard Fournette, So., LSU

The reason for so much hype about LSU’s sophomore running back? Take a look at the bowl game against Notre Dame. There aren’t many 230-pound backs with the juice to break an 89-yard touchdown run, and even fewer with the speed to return kickoffs and break a 100-yard touchdown return in the same game. Fournette, like Chubb (above) and Cook (below) topped the 1,000-yard mark as a true freshman, finishing with 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also already has a highlight reel usually reserved for somebody with much more field time, a combination of Fournette going over, around and through potential tacklers.

4. Dalvin Cook, So., Florida State

Cook’s freshman year started slowly. Through five games, he had a total of 24 carries and two catches. But he finished with five 100-yard games, including three straight to end the season. Over those three games, which included the ACC Championship Game and a College Football Playoff semifinal, Cook averaged 141.3 rushing yards per game and caught 10 passes. Pushed over a full 12-game season, that would leave Cook just shy of 1,700 rushing yards and 40 receptions. This season, without Jameis Winston and with a full year’s work, the explosive Cook could have the production to match his prodigious talent.

5. James Conner, Jr., Pittsburgh

It was a tough choice here between Conner and Alabama’s Derrick Henry, but Conner’s production pushes him over the top. Henry rushed 172 times for 990 yards and 11 touchdowns as part of a timeshare, whereas Conner — the ACC Player of the Year — carried 298 times, taking those carries for 1,765 yards and 26 rushing scores. Could Henry produce at a similar level with 120 more carries? Possibly. But he’ll continue to share carries with Alabama’s deep backfield, while Conner will make probably make another run of 1,500-plus yards as Pittsburgh’s primary toter of the rock.

