Best Runs: Meet Michigan’s Single-Season Rushing Touchdown Leaders

There has been quite a lot of movement on the Michigan running back leaderboards in recent years. It's especially been busy among the list of the Wolverines' best single-season touchdown run totals.

This is partly thanks to high-end talent, and also to the ground-heavy style of play with which Michigan football is synonymous. Let's walk through the top rushing touchdown seasons in the Wolverines' official history.

With his explosive 2023 season, Corum not only set a program record for single-season rushing touchdowns at 27 but also guided Michigan to a national championship. His 27 touchdowns also led the entire nation. He finished the regular season sitting at 22 touchdowns (already a program record) and further separated himself with five more in the postseason. Corum's 2023 season and everything it accomplished is forever etched into the record books, regardless of how long this record stands.

Corum's direct predecessor, Haskins, held the record only briefly. Haskins' massive five-touchdown performance, which led to the Wolverines' first win over Ohio State in eight years, largely aided his push for the record. He ultimately set the program record in the Big Ten Championship game against Iowa with two additional rushing touchdowns.

Like Haskins, Johnson also burst out of a five-touchdown performance. In Michigan's dismantling of Wisconsin in 1968, Johnson was the first Wolverines running back to break into the end zone five times in one game. Johnson held the record for 53 years before Haskins snapped it in 2021.

Headlined by multiple three-touchdown performances against Indiana and Northwestern, Thomas saved his best for last. His sophomore and junior seasons were also good enough in the touchdown department to land on this list, but his 2000 season was his magnum opus. Alongside his 18 touchdowns, including a two-TD performance in a Citrus Bowl win over Auburn, he also rushed for 1,733 yards, good for the second-best season in program history.

Perry's 2003 season was recognized by a national audience, as he finished fourth in Heisman voting. He won the Doak Walker award, given to the nation's best running back, and remains the only Michigan player to have won the award.

Corum's second entry on the list doesn't quite have the same accolades as his top one — it's not a national championship season, nor did it set a program record. Yet, it still ties him for the fourth-most rushing touchdowns in program history. Courm's 2022 season is often overshadowed by what he accomplished in the next year, but 18 rushing touchdowns is nothing to scoff at.

Thomas's junior year ended just one touchdown shy of his senior campaign. This season was highlighted by an electric 197-yard, three-touchdown outburst against Indiana. He also ran for a score in a win in the Orange Bowl for a total of 17, as Michigan finished No. 5 finish in the final AP Poll.

Robinson is the only non-running back on this list. Despite being utilized as a running back in the NFL, he was the signal caller for the Wolverines. The position didn't stop him from using his legs, however, as he consistently broke off long, explosive runs. Alongside his 16 rushing touchdowns, he also tossed 20 touchdowns through the air, making him responsible for a ridiculous 36 TDs.

Anthony Thomas was nothing if not consistent. He put up top-tier seasons, and that's the reason he finds himself second in career rushing touchdowns behind Blake Corum. Even as a sophomore, Thomas dominated at the goal line. He logged 12 touchdown runs in the regular season, then exploded for three more in a Citrus Bowl win over Arkansas.

Five players are tied for the 10th spot on this list. Mike Hart in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Jamie Morris in 1987, Chris Perry in 2002, Denard Robinson in 2010, and Rob Lytle in 1976 all turned in 14 rushing touchdown seasons.

The turn into the 2020s brought a potent rushing attack with it, from Haskins to Corum. Now, the Wolverines have a new generation of running backs seeking to take the reins.