Won "Heisman Trophy" in a year it had been virtually pre-decided it would go to either Aikman or Peete. Finally, with the numbers he was putting up, "Heisman Committee" had to (grudgingly) give it to someone who wasn't even on their radar at season's beginning. Loved every moment of it...

The man broke 33 ncaa records he scored 39 touchdowns and rushed for 2,628 yards in a single season and this was before he ran for 262 and 5 TDs in his bowl game (which unlike these days doesnt count for season statistics). If he didnt have to sit behind Thurman Thomas his career stats would be unbelievable. He is with out a doubt is one of the best football players college, pros whatever to ever play the game and very well can be viewed as the best to ever play. Personally i do but i also go to Oklahoma State.

He was absolutely phenomenal. He had over 30 touchdowns his final year alone.

Barry sanders broke 25 NCAA records in one season of football in 1988 he also averaged 200 yards every game and 7.4 yards per carry. OH ! and he won the heisman that year also. There is no other college football player in history that can say that. Barry sanders is the best college football player of all time.

No argument here. I'm a Nebraskan... he was truly the BEST.

one year wonder

One of my favorite players of all-time. Really only got one year at running back, but in that year he set the NCAA record for most yards gained in a single season and won the Heisman trophy....just imagine if he would have stayed for his senior year!

You dip *#*#@ That say barry is over rated and a quiter are probably the dumbest people on the planet if you could read.... then maybe you could get something out of his book. You must not even watch football because those are the dumbest comments I have ever seen. You may think he sucked but he sure has more class then you will ever have. BEST RUNNING BACK EVER TO STRAP ON PADS!!!! How do you even argue that everyone else was good too but Barry was great.

Best back in the history of the greatest sport in history.

The best pure runner that ever lived.  39 TD's and 2600+ yards in a single season may never be touched in college football history.

IHUHUO

From someone who watched Barry play in college - he was better than Thurman Thomas. Both great RBs; wish coach had put him in the game more.

the worst of all time terrible display of sportmenship Juuuusssst kiidddinnngg greatest !!! point blank

The best RB ever. PERIOD!!!!!!

Best college back of all-time

I love good running backs. Been watching them since the early 70s. Loved watching Campbell, Dorsett, Peyton and even O.J.

I have never seen any back that had the moves of Barry Sanders, even Emmitt Smith said he was the best. Smiths old coach Jimmy Johnson said Barry was the best pure runner he had ever seen. Sort of ends the Barry/Smith debate.

He carried the Lions on his back, they have been horrible ever since he left. At least they use to make the playoffs.

In Basketball one superstar can't win the big one. Jordon needed Scotty. In football its much harder for a superstar to carry the team since they typically only play D or O but not both as in BB, plus BB only has 5 players vs 22. He did about as much for Detroit as anyone could.

I watched a Meijer video tape of his career up to 1997, man every run he had seemed to be a highlight clip. He was superhuman when it came to dodging would be tacklers. No other back before or since had his moves, not even Sayers who admitted Barry was better than he ever was. He was the back that fellow Pro players loved to watch.

Can you imagine what Barry Sanders would have done if he had had the benefit of a good offensive line like, say, what the Dallas Cowboys had in the mid-90s? He'd have the records, no question.

As for his collegiate career, there's been none greater. There might be some that were as good (Herschel Walker comes to mind first), but Sanders will always be tops to me.

I am pissed he wasnt terrible but he wasnt as good as herschel in college so thats why iam giving him a 1

Barry Sanders was great!

The greatest player in college and in the NFL no one can match what he had done in either level of football.

great college player but not the greatest. one person can't win a title by themselves? HERSCHAL WALKER 1980. I think barry is a classy guy and one of the better backs college and one of the best pro backs, but I have him #16 in a list of greatest college players.

all of you people giving him one star should blow your heads off! Not one player can win a title, we all know he never had a great team. All he could do is put up great numbers, over 2000 yards in college and nfl. he was the greatest running back in the history of football, end of story. thank you.

go pokes

The best back who i ever seen and thats why I'm #1 today at MSU because of me watchin what he could do on the field.

If you had to play for the Lions who treated you like crap... wouldn't you quit

Quit on his Team in the end, Quitter are not great.

The best, need I say more!!

I'm still waiting for someone, ANYONE, to tell us why he dropped out so early, and so close to beating Peyton's record. We used to go watch him play back when he was in college, (at Oklahoma State, I might add) and he was amazing - even better in the NFL. He cheated himself and all his fans when he retired so young.

Great in the NFL...Great in college but not the greatest there ever was in college like he was in the NFL

Quit the NFL.

Good college back and great NFL back, but no NFL Titles or College Championships.

Without a doubt the best running back of all time.

I am a Sooner but Barry was probably the best runner I have seen other than Gayle Sayers.... and to the usc trogin .... BS ! You all cant even be honest! You can rate Barry a 4 if you think your boy was better but a 1 just shows your stupidity!

He was the greatest back I've ever seen. Not even a close 2nd. I love what he did after he scored a touchdown... he handed the ball to the ref.

I agree with everyone else who actually watched college football in 1988. It is simple but true....no one has ever been as jaw-droppingly amazing as young Barry Sanders in the history of college football.

Barry is the greatest and if you think otherwise than you never saw him play!

Anyone not giving Sanders a 5 didn't watch NCAA football in 1988. Weak schedule ? OU, Nebraska, Colorado... yeah right! No Marcus Allen, you're right! Allen's line 2467 yd, 5.6 avg, 23 TDs: Sanders' 2628 yd, 7.6 yd avg, 39 TDs AGAINST teams that played defense, NOT the PAC-10. His retirement left MUCH to be desired, but when one has accomplished all he had, playing for a bunch of losers, in front of a bunch of losers gets, old. If only today's athletes had half as much class.

If there was one man, I can say I admire and look up to, it is this man.

Insane. Best ever, hands down, no arguement, case closed.

He was good - but he was no Marcus Allen

Simply no comparing

There can be only one

THURMAN TH0MAS WAS BETTER THAN BARRY SANDERS WHEN THEY BOTH PLAYED FOR OKLAHOMA STATE

The best Running Back of all time.

How could anyone give Barry less than a 4 (a 4 is too low)? True, he did only start one year, but guess who he was backing up, THURMAN THOMAS. I don't remember that well, but Thurman Thomas was pretty good, right?

Has he been tackled yet??? No doubt the most elusive runner of all time, bar none. Arguably the best runner in history of college as well as NFL. What would the NFL rushing record be if he was on a good team and still playing? 24 or 25 thousand yards?

He was amazing!

His Heisman year stats of 2,680 yrds. rushing with 39 total touchdowns are incredible and probably will never be touched by anyone for a long, long time.

Barry was the most exciting player to watch - both at Oklahoma State and with the Lions.

I don't believe anyone has every tackled him yet.