Ahmad Hardy Named Semifinalist for 2025 Doak Walker Award
11/18/2025 2:41:00 PM | Football
Mizzou football sophomore running back Ahmad Hardy was one of 10 semifinalists named for the 2025 Doak Walker National Running Back Award, the PwC Athletic Forum announced on Tuesday.
Hardy, the nation's leading rusher (1,346 yards, 6.8 YPC), headlines the list of semifinalists after becoming just the sixth player in SEC history to rush for 300 yards in a game in Mizzou's 49-27 win over Mississippi State on November 15. Hardy has eclipsed the 100-yard mark on seven occasions this season, including a 250-yard game and a 300-yard game.
Hardy already occupies fifth place on Mizzou's single season rushing list and is now 282 yards from breaking Cody Schrader's all-time mark of 1,627 set in 2023. Hardy's 15 rushing touchdowns are third nationally, putting him just three away from tying MU's single-season record of 18 held by Brad Smith (2003) Bob Steuber (1942).
Three finalists for the 2025 Doak Walker Award will be announced a week from today and the winner will be unveiled live on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards on Friday, December 12. The formal presentation of the award will take place at the annual banquet on January 30, 2026, in Dallas.
The American, Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences each have two of the semifinalists while the Big 12, Conference USA, Mountain West and Notre Dame as an Independent have one apiece.
Named after Doak Walker, a legendary figure in college football and the NFL, the Doak Walker Award presented by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum has been awarded to the nation's top running back since 1990. Since 2022, the award has recognized a national running back of the week. A select 20-person committee from the award's full voting body of media and past winners chooses the weekly recipient. On Aug. 5, a preseason candidates list was released and semifinalists for the award will be named on Nov. 18. At the annual banquet, the recipient of the 2025 PwC Doak Walker Legends Award also will be honored.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. This season, 13 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. For more information, visit SMU.edu/DoakWalkerAward or follow on X (@DoakWalkerAward).
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