Ohio State’s history of running back talent has no shortage of incredible names.
With running backs like Archie Griffin, Eddie George and Ezekiel Elliott, among many others, it's safe to say Ohio State has had an unbelievable run at the position for much of the program’s history. In 1984, that trend continued with the outstanding play of junior running back Keith Byars, who rushed his way into Heisman Trophy candidacy while serving as the primary vessel of Ohio State’s ninth-ranked scoring offense.
During the 1984 season, Byars led the nation in rushing yards with 1,655 and rushing touchdowns with 22 en route to a second-place finish in the Heisman Trophy race, falling just short of Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie for the honor. Byars also held the top marks in the country in total yards from scrimmage (2,108), touchdowns from scrimmage (24) and points (144).
Byars was also known for his workhorse mentality, as he led the country in rushing attempts (313) and total plays from scrimmage (350).
Byars’ dominant campaign started in Ohio State’s season-opener against Oregon State, in which he produced a then-career-high 182 yards on 34 carries while his two touchdowns lifted the Buckeyes over the Beavers 22-14. His outburst against Oregon State set the tone for an incredible season for the third-year back.
The legend of Byars continued two weeks later, when the running back registered his first-career passing touchdown on a trick play against No. 14 Iowa. Additionally, Byars added 120 rushing yards, 55 receiving yards and two rushing touchdowns — alongside his passing touchdown — to lift Ohio State past the Hawkeyes 45-26.
Byars’ magnum opus came against Illinois on Oct. 13, a game in which the Buckeyes orchestrated the greatest comeback in program history on the back of a record-setting performance from their star running back.
Coming off an upset loss to Purdue a week earlier, things looked grim for Ohio State against the visiting Illini. The Buckeyes trailed 24-0 midway through the second quarter, staring down the barrel of a second consecutive loss. But, that’s exactly when Byars made his imprint on the game.
With 4:23 to play in the opening half, Byars finally found paydirt on a 16-yard jaunt for a touchdown. After Ohio State recovered an onside kick on the subsequent kickoff, the Buckeyes added another score on a touchdown strike to wide receiver Cris Carter just a few plays later.
Ohio State and Byars weren’t done there, however, as he found the end zone one more time before the half on a four-yard plunge for the score, cutting the deficit to just three points heading into the locker room.
After an Ohio State takeaway on the opening kickoff of the second half, Byars struck again, rushing four times for 26 before plowing into the endzone to cap off 28 unanswered points for the Buckeyes, pushing them ahead of the Fighting Illini 28-24.
The most iconic play from Byars' illustrious Ohio State career came soon after. The Illini finally stopped the bleeding with a field goal, but Byars sucked the air out of Illinois’ momentum — dashing for a 67-yard touchdown through the heart of the Illini defense, despite wearing only one cleat for the final 40 yards of the carry.
Despite the massive momentum shift in Ohio State’s favor, the Illini managed to tie the game at 38 in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for more heroics from Byars. With just 36 seconds remaining, Byars found the endzone for the fifth time — and put Illinois away for good in the process, as the Buckeyes’ defense held the Illini to complete the comeback.
Byars finished the game with 274 rushing yards, surpassing Griffin’s single-game program record of 246, while his five touchdowns tied Pete Johnson’s Ohio State record — which Miyan Williams also tied against Rutgers in 2022.
From that point forward, Byars continued to impress. He entered the season finale against Michigan with an opportunity to surpass another record set by Griffin — the single-season Big Ten rushing record.
Sitting at 1,553 yards on the season, Byars needed 142 yards to pass Griffin and into the record books. While Byars led the Buckeyes to win over the hated Wolverines, posting 113 yards and a trio of touchdowns, he fell just shy of Griffin’s record.
While Ohio State was unable to claim a victory in the Rose Bowl, falling to USC 20-17, Byars’ outstanding season led the Buckeyes to the outright Big Ten title, and he was named an All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year.
