Running back, Kentucky (from Oklahoma), 2022–⁠26

Jovantae Barnes

Number
No. 2
Height
6′0″
Weight
211 lb
Class (2026)
Senior
Hometown
Las Vegas, NV

Wikipedia readers: about 309 a month over the past year

Jovantae Barnes plays running back for Kentucky, after Oklahoma (2022–⁠25). Last time out, at Oklahoma: 5 carries, 16 yards.

2026 so far

156 rushing yards, 1 TD

Last game: 5 carries, 16 yards at Oklahoma, W 21–⁠13

Next game: vs. Vanderbilt, Oct 24

Game by game this season, rushing yards
  1. -2ALA
  2. 100USA
  3. 28@SC
  4. 14LSU
  5. 16@OU

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

Career highs

203rushing yards, career highvs. Maine, 20243rushing touchdowns, career highvs. Maine, 2024

Rushing

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

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2022Oklahoma1165194.5531
2023Oklahoma371403.8117
2024Oklahoma1225774.7574
2025Oklahoma19452.4110
2026Kentucky281565.6139
Career3221,4374.51374

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2022Oklahoma5265.2013
2023Oklahoma5234.6011
2024Oklahoma171237.2119
2025Oklahoma11616.0016
2026Kentucky294.505
Career301976.6119

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2022Oklahoma2RBYr 1
2023Oklahoma2RBYr 2
2024Oklahoma2RBYr 3
2025Oklahoma2RBYr 4
2026Kentucky2RBSr. (Yr 5)6′0″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
2022Oklahoma1130.1241st (n=470)0.1413.415%0.14
2023Oklahoma390.11––4.312%0.11
2024Oklahoma1360.1341st (n=434)0.1618.022%0.14
2025Oklahoma220.05––1.28%–
2026Kentucky300.10––3.19%–

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
2026Kentucky46%3.001.201.7032%

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 Kentucky 5 games, 156 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 12vs.AlabamaL 17–⁠453−20014
Sep 26vs.South AlabamaW 45–⁠218100139––
Oct 3atSouth CarolinaW 35–⁠34928016––
Oct 10vs.LSUW 35–⁠3431401115
Oct 17atOklahomaW 21–⁠1351608––
2025 Oklahoma 4 games, 45 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Aug 30vs.Illinois StateW 35–⁠37906––
Sep 6vs.MichiganW 24–⁠13624010116
Sep 13atTempleW 42–⁠351216––
Sep 20vs.AuburnW 24–⁠171000––
2024 Oklahoma 9 games, 577 rushing yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Aug 30vs.TempleW 51–⁠3533013––
Sep 7vs.HoustonW 16–⁠12124001338
Sep 14vs.TulaneW 34–⁠191453014112
Sep 21vs.TennesseeL 15–⁠2581211720
Sep 28atAuburnW 27–⁠211861116––
Oct 12vs.TexasL 3–⁠34143801016
Oct 19vs.South CarolinaL 9–⁠351770011421
Oct 26atOle MissL 14–⁠261667013557
Nov 2vs.MaineW 59–⁠1418203374119
2023 Oklahoma 6 games, 140 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 2vs.Arkansas StateW 73–⁠01349016217
Sep 9vs.SMUW 28–⁠1125041−3
Sep 16atTulsaW 66–⁠17136811715
Oct 28atKansasL 33–⁠385170614
Nov 4atOklahoma StateL 24–⁠271−900––
Nov 24vs.TCUW 69–⁠4531006––
2022 Oklahoma 10 games, 519 rushing yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 3vs.UTEPW 45–⁠13425015––
Sep 10vs.Kent StateW 33–⁠392105––
Sep 17atNebraskaW 49–⁠141377031––
Oct 1atTCUL 24–⁠5518100220214
Oct 8vs.TexasL 0–⁠4972401127
Oct 15vs.KansasW 52–⁠42216927––
Nov 12atWest VirginiaL 20–⁠23522014––
Nov 19vs.Oklahoma StateW 28–⁠13659022––
Nov 26atTexas TechL 48–⁠516140915
Dec 29 ✦vs.Florida StateL 32–⁠3527108112––

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

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