Despite Mark Richt’s decision to end Todd Gurley’s Saturday before the end of the first quarter, Georgia’s superstar still leads the SEC in rushing yards per game (134.0). But for those with at least 20 carries, he ranks second in rushing average (9.8 yards per carry) behind teammate Sony Michel, who was buried on the depth chart to start the season.

Michel now has 20 carries for 206 yards and three touchdowns. But before we coronate him or proclaim the unmatched greatness of the UGA offensive line, remember that most of those yards came against Troy, one of the most hapless FBS programs.

RELATED: Meet Sony Michel, the future of Georgia football

In the meantime, Mississippi State’s Josh Robinson forced his way into the Doak Walker conversation with one of the most impressive performances of the season, rushing for 197 yards against a talented LSU defense. It helps when your quarterback is a threat to take off and must be accounted for, and Dak Prescott is that. But Robinson now is five yards shy of Arkansas RB Alex Collins for the conference rushing lead.

Both Collins and Robinson now are in our rankings, giving the SEC three of the 10 best running backs in the nation.

Ameer Abdullah and Melvin Gordon each went for well more than 200 rushing yards Saturday. Pitt’s James Conner appeared ready to take over the No. 1 spot in our rankings with a monster first half, but Iowa put eight and nine men near the line of scrimmage in the second half as the stubborn Panthers continued to try to run without success (it cost them the game).

In the SEC, Missouri’s Russell Hansbrough ran for 119 yards on just 10 carries, including scampers of 42 and 68 yards. Indiana’s maligned run defense smothered Hansbrough and Marcus Murphy beyond those two plays.

Ralph Webb, who entered the season as Jerron Seymour’s backup, now has rushed for at least 95 yards in three consecutive games, falling three yards shy of the century mark against South Carolina. The Gamecocks’ Mike Davis, a member of our Top 10 to start the season, flickered to life with 112 yards of total offense in the win at Vandy.

Kansas State curtailed Cameron Artis-Payne and Auburn, holding the Tigers to just 2.8 yards per carry by placing a safety near the line of scrimmage.

Here are my weekly Top 10 rankings for the Doak Walker Award.

Player Buzz Previous Rank
1. Todd Gurley, Georgia Gurley ran for just six carries and 73 yards against Troy, all in two series, before letting Sony Michel star. 1
2. James Conner, Pitt Conner rushed for more than 100 yards against a stiff Iowa front seven before halftime and now leads the nation with 699 yards. 2
3. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska Abdullah carried a workmanlike 35 times for 229 yards as Nebraska upended Miami to move to 4-0. 3
4. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin Gordon emerged from a six-quarter hiatus to run for 253 yards and five touchdowns against Bowling Green. 6
5. Duke Johnson, Miami Johnson now has rushed between 90 and 97 yards in all four games. Abdullah upstaged him, but he added five catches and 84 receiving yards to 93 rushing yards. 4
6. Tevin Coleman, Indiana Coleman missed chunks of Saturday’s game (cramps? dehydration?), but still rushed for 132 yards. His 44-yard screen pass on the game-winning drive crushed Missouri. 7
7. Alex Collins, Arkansas Collins rushed for “just” 79 yards on 5.3 yards per carry vs. Northern Illinois. He’ll aim to pad his numbers against a susceptible Texas A&M run defense Saturday. 8
8. Aaron Jones, UTEP UTEP didn’t play, but Jones still ranks second in the NCAA in rushing yards per game with 182.0. 10
9. D.J. Foster, Arizona State Foster averages a ridiculous 9.4 yards per carry in three games, and he’s added 11 catches for 139 yards, accounting for six touchdowns. —
10. Josh Robinson, Mississippi State Robinson scorched an LSU defense that hadn’t allowed a point in nine quarters for 197 rushing yards Saturday. 10

Dropped Out: T.J. Yeldon, Alabama (No. 4); Shock Linwood, Baylor (No. 9)

Yeldon has rushed for fewer than 60 yards in three consecutive games, though he did add a 37-yard catch against Florida. Derrick Henry (31 carries, 184 yards) has gotten more opportunities and has outplayed Yeldon (27 carries, 115 yards) the last two weeks.

Linwood did not play this week. He’s averaging 4.7 yards per carry, but hasn’t done anything spectacular in three games and has shouldered a smaller workload than everyone on this list.