Ahmad Hardy breaks Cody Schrader’s single-season Mizzou rushing record
By David Wasson
Published:
Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy broke the Tigers’ single-season rushing record on Saturday night, eclipsing Cody Schrader’s previous total of 1,627 yards gained in 2023.
Hardy broke the record with a 12-yard gain in the fourth quarter. That carry gave him 76 yards against the Virginia Cavaliers in the Gator Bowl and officially gave him the best rushing season in program history.
Hardy entered Saturday’s game with 1,560 yards on 241 carries and 16 touchdowns. His 130.0 yards-per-game average led the nation. His 6.5 yards-per-carry average entering the postseason ranked second nationally, and it was far better than Schrader’s 5.8 yards per carry on 276 rushing attempts in 2023. Hardy’s 16 rushing scores also sit just 2 scores away from Brad Smith’s single-season record of 18 set in 2003.
Hardy, who transferred to Mizzou ahead of the 2025 season, gained 1,351 yards on 237 carries with 13 touchdowns at UL Monroe en route to Freshman All-American and Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2024. He totaled 8 100-yard rushing days in 2025, went for 250 yards against Louisiana, and came within 19 yards of Mizzou’s single-game rushing record with a 300-yard outburst against Mississippi State.
Both Hardy’s 250-yard game and his 300-yard game earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He was a Doak Walker Award finalist as well.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
