Running back, Wisconsin (from Iowa State), 2023–⁠26

Abu Sama III

Number
No. 3
Height
5′11″
Weight
211 lb
Class (2026)
Senior
Hometown
Des Moines, IA

Abu Sama III plays running back for Wisconsin, after Iowa State (2023–⁠25). Last time out, at UCLA: 6 carries, 34 yards.

2026 so far

224 rushing yards, 1 TD

Last game: 6 carries, 34 yards at UCLA, L 7–⁠17

Next game: vs. USC, Oct 24

Game by game this season, rushing yards
  1. 49ND
  2. 107WIU
  3. 34@PSU
  4. 34@UCLA

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

At a glance

Best season
732
Rushing yards, 2025 (Iowa State, 8–⁠4)
Best game
276 yards
At Kansas State, week 13, 2023: No. 1 rushing game in FBS that week

Career highs

276rushing yards, career highat Kansas State, 20233rushing touchdowns, career highat Kansas State, 2023

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2023Iowa State846147.3677
2024Iowa State1245874.7277
2025Iowa State1417325.2544
2026Wisconsin342246.6172
Career3832,1575.61477

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2023Iowa State7517.3021
2024Iowa State8587.3026
2025Iowa State5193.805
2026Wisconsin2168.0011
Career221446.5026

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2023Iowa State3RBFr.
2024Iowa State3RBSo.
2025Iowa State3RBJr.
2026Wisconsin3RBSr.5′11″211

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. rush
2023Iowa State890.1135th (n=450)0.179.914%0.23
2024Iowa State133-0.085th (n=434)0.16-10.913%-0.04
2025Iowa State980.0636th (n=576)0.105.421%0.11
2026Wisconsin350.27––9.315%–

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Rushing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessLine yardsSecond levelOpen fieldStuffed
2025Iowa State40%3.001.001.7017%
2026Wisconsin36%3.000.902.9015%

Where his yards came from, per carry: line yards are the ones credited to the blockers (the first few, and losses), second level the yards 5 to 10 past the line, open field those beyond 10. Success: carries that kept the offense on schedule. Stuffed: carries stopped at or behind the line. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Game by game

2026 Wisconsin 4 games, 224 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 6vs.Notre DameL 13–⁠41154907––
Sep 12vs.Western IllinoisW 36–⁠9810717215
Sep 26atPenn StateW 24–⁠20534017111
Oct 17atUCLAL 7–⁠17634017––
2025 Iowa State 12 games, 732 rushing yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Aug 23vs.Kansas StateW 24–⁠211443014––
Aug 30vs.South DakotaW 55–⁠7323115––
Sep 6vs.IowaW 16–⁠13124701126
Sep 13atArkansas StateW 24–⁠1696914415
Sep 27vs.ArizonaW 39–⁠14122609––
Oct 4atCincinnatiL 30–⁠38189602028
Oct 11atColoradoL 17–⁠2424177238––
Oct 25vs.BYUL 27–⁠41963028––
Nov 1vs.Arizona StateL 19–⁠24214011––
Nov 8atTCUW 20–⁠1773008––
Nov 22vs.KansasW 38–⁠141957014––
Nov 29atOklahoma StateW 20–⁠131287140––
2024 Iowa State 14 games, 587 rushing yards, 2 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Aug 31vs.North DakotaW 21–⁠353601610
Sep 7atIowaW 20–⁠19175801021
Sep 21vs.Arkansas StateW 52–⁠773001717
Sep 28atHoustonW 20–⁠011101177––
Oct 5vs.BaylorW 43–⁠21817010––
Oct 12atWest VirginiaW 28–⁠162605––
Oct 19vs.UCFW 38–⁠351055023234
Nov 2vs.Texas TechL 22–⁠231374026––
Nov 9vs.KansasL 36–⁠45520012––
Nov 16vs.CincinnatiW 34–⁠171252127––
Nov 23atUtahW 31–⁠288170416
Nov 30vs.Kansas StateW 29–⁠211581033110
Dec 7vs.Arizona StateL 19–⁠45827016––
Dec 28 ✦vs.MiamiW 42–⁠41313010––
2023 Iowa State 11 games, 614 rushing yards, 6 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 2vs.Northern IowaW 30–⁠96400261−1
Sep 9vs.IowaL 13–⁠2082409––
Sep 16atOhioL 7–⁠103−500112
Sep 23vs.Oklahoma StateW 34–⁠278704121
Sep 30atOklahomaL 20–⁠507670391−2
Oct 7vs.TCUW 27–⁠1465915517
Oct 28atBaylorW 30–⁠18321019––
Nov 11atBYUW 45–⁠138110259––
Nov 18vs.TexasL 16–⁠267110513
Nov 25atKansas StateW 42–⁠3516276377111
Dec 29 ✦vs.MemphisL 26–⁠3612407––

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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