Underdogs dig into the 2016 Doak Walker Award Watch List

First awarded in 1990 and named after the legendary SMU rusher, the Doak Walker Award honors the the nation's top college football running back. This year, 26 fleet-footed Underdogs look to tote the Doak into the end zone.

You have to admire the thoroughness of the 2016 Doak Walker Award Watch List. More than half of the nation's leading collegiate rushers – 76 running backs in all – make an appearance.  Somewhere this morning, 52 sad offensive coordinators are rubbing their chins and muttering, "We got to recruit us some better running backs."

Underdogs haven't exactly dominated the Doak. Luke Staley of BYU brought one home for the Mountain West in 2001, and that's it. But that was yesterday, y'all. Underdogs are Bringing the Doak in 2016, and here are the bad asses who are gonna do it.

Underdogs who appear on the 2016 Doak Walker Watch List

Jamauri Bogan (So.), Western Michigan Broncos

Joel Bouagnon (Sr.), Northern Illinois Huskies

Matt Breida (Sr.), Georgia Southern Eagles

Algernon Brown (Sr.), BYU Cougars

James Butler (Jr.), Nevada Wolf Pack

Jordan Chunn (Jr.), Troy Trojans

Marcus Cox (Sr.), Appalachian St. Mountaineers

D’Andre Ferby (So.), Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Jarvion Franklin (Jr.), Western Michigan Broncos

Paul Harris (Sr.), Hawaii Warriors

Brian Hill (Jr.), Wyoming Cowboys

Dontrell Hilliard (Jr.), Tulane Green Wave

Aaron Jones (Jr.), UT-El Paso Miners

Ray Lawry (Jr.), Old Dominion Monarchs

Marlon Mack (Jr.), South Florida Bulls

Devante Mays (Sr.), Utah State Aggies

Elijah McGuire (Sr.), Louisiana Ragin Cajuns

Arkeel Newsome (Jr.), Connecticut Huskies

Jacobi Owens (Sr.), Air Force Falcons

Donnel Pumphrey (Sr.), San Diego State Aztecs

Larry Rose III (Jr.), New Mexico State Aggies

Shaq Vann (So.), Eastern Michigan Eagles

Anthony Wales (Sr.), Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Warren Wand (So.), Arkansas State Red Wolves

Jamaal Williams (Sr.), BYU Cougars

Marquis Young (So.), Massachusetts Minutemen