Running backs dominate the B1G.

Anytime you think about the conference, that’s what comes to mind. And for good reason. With greats like Ron Dayne, Archie Griffin and Anthony Thompson all hailing from B1G programs, the standard for great running backs has been set.

Despite college football growing into a faster-paced, more pass-friendly game, running backs in the B1G have continued to steal the headlines. That hasn’t changed over the past two decades. And, in fact, the conference has had some all-time greats emerge since the turn of the century.

With so many big names, it was hard to get this list down to five. Several who were left out, you could argue, easily could be on the list.

Here are a few names that just missed our cut:

  • Marion Barber, Minnesota (2001-2004)
  • Chris Wells, Ohio State (2006-2008)
  • Evan Royster, Penn State (2007-2010)
  • Javon Ringer, Michigan State (2005-2008)
  • Tevin Coleman, Indiana (2012-2014)
  • Shonn Greene, Iowa (2005-2008)
  • Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska (2011-2014)

So which ball-carriers have been the most pulverizing in the B1G since 2000? We’ve got the top five narrowed down:

5. Laurence Maroney, Minnesota (2003-2005)

Career stats: 660 carries – 3,933 yards – 32 TDs – 6.0 yards per carry

Teamed with Marion Barber in the Minnesota backfield, Maroney helped form one of the best B1G backfield tandems of all-time. And his contributions were nothing short of incredible considering he was splitting snaps and carries with another great ball-carrier.

Maroney hit the 1,000-yard mark each of his three years with the Golden Gophers and scored at least 10 touchdowns each season, as well. He was a two-time first-team All-B1G selection and was a third-team AP All-American in 2005.

Of the 36 games Maroney played in during his three-year career, he surpassed 100 yards in 21 contests.

We can only imagine the numbers Maroney could’ve put up if he stayed with the Gophers for a final season or wasn’t sharing the backfield with Barber.

4. Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State (2013-2015)

Career stats: 592 carries – 3,961 yards – 43 TDs – 6.7 yards per carry

Elliott was just another good running back in the B1G through most of 2014. And then the postseason happened.

During the Buckeyes’ championship run, Elliott rushed for more than 200 yards against Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, totaling 696 yards and scoring eight touchdowns in the final three games as Ohio State claimed a B1G and national titles.

He concluded his sophomore season with 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Elliott didn’t slow down in his junior campaign. He again rushed for more than 1,800 yards and reached the end zone 23 times. In all but one game in 2015, Elliott rushed for at least 100 yards and scored in 12 of 13 contests. He led the conference in rushing with a 140.1 yards per game average.

The Ohio State back ended his career with the second-highest rushing total in program history and was an All-B1G selection and took home B1G Offensive Player of the Year and Running Back of the Year awards.

3. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin (2011-2014)

Career stats: 631 carries – 4,915 yards – 45 TDs – 7.8 yards per carry

No B1G running back has had a year quite like the one Gordon had in 2014. In fact, Barry Sanders is the only back in the history of college football to have a better season rushing than the Badger.

Gordon rushed for 2,587 yards in his final season in Madison, a B1G single-season record and the second-highest single-year total in college football. He also scored 29 touchdowns in that memorable season.

But what was remembered most from Gordon was his record-breaking performance against Nebraska. He ran for 408 yards against the Huskers – which set an NCAA record for most rushing yards in a game at the time.

And he did it in three quarters.

Gordon ranks sixth all-time for career rushing yards among B1G backs with 4,915 yards. He was a unanimous All-American and first-team All-B1G selection and was named the B1G Offensive Player of the Year. He also took home the Doak Walker Award, the Jim Brown Award and was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2014.

In addition to a sensational senior campaign, Gordon also rushed for 1,609 yards and 12 TDs as a junior and his 7.79 yards per carry average is a B1G record.

2. Michael Hart, Michigan (2004-2007)

Career stats: 1,015 carries – 5,040 yards – 41 TDs – 5.0 yards per carry

If not for a hamstring injury that limited him  in his sophomore season, Hart very well may have eclipsed the 1,000-yard make each of his four years in Ann Arbor.

Hart’s career got off to a quick start, rushing for 1,455 yards as a freshman, leading the B1G in the category in 2004. He was named the B1G Freshman of the Year for his efforts.

After his injury-riddled sophomore campaign, the Michigan ball-carrier bounced back and tallied 1,562 yards as a junior and 1,361 yards in his senior campaign. But Hart was most known for his durability and reliability.

Hart had 1,015 carries during his career and only fumbled three times. And despite the heavy workload, he earned the reputation as one of the toughest backs to bring down.

When his career concluded, Hart’s rushing numbers ranked fourth all-time among B1G running backs. He’s just one of five ball-carriers in B1G history to surpass 5,000 yards for his career and is Michigan’s all-time rushing leader.

Hart also finished fifth in Heisman voting in 2006.

1. Montee Ball, Wisconsin (2009-2012)

Career stats: 924 carries – 5,140 yards – 77 TDs – 5.6 yards per carry

First all-time in career touchdowns. Fourth all-time in rushing yardage.

Those are where Ball’s numbers stack up among all B1G running backs. Pretty impressive totals for one of the conference’s most successful ball-carriers.

After just falling short of the 1,000-yard milestone in 2010 (996 yards), Ball dominated defenses in his final two years in Madison. As a junior, he rushed for 1,933 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2011. The following year he was close to the 2,000-yard mark again, galloping for 1,830 yards and 22 scores.

Both years, those totals were good enough to lead the B1G.

Averaging a touchdown on every 12 touches, Ball racked up the individual awards while leading the Badgers to three-straight B1G titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Ball was a two-time consensus All-American and All-B1G selection. He was also a two-time winner of the Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year and the Jim Brown Award. In his junior year, he was also named the winner of the Archie Griffin Award and the B1G Offensive Player of the Year.

As a senior, Ball was recognized as the winner of the Doak Walker Award.

Many believe that Ball was the best ball-carrier the B1G had seen since another Wisconsin great, Ron Dayne. His 5,140 yards and 77 touchdowns certainly backs up that belief.