Christian McCaffrey has been compared to a bunch of different college football legends. The Reggie Bush comparison has been thrown around by some, given McCaffrey’s ability to make people miss in the open field.

On Tuesday, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz threw out another name when talking about the Heisman Trophy runner-up.

That’s high praise coming from a guy who has seen as much football as Ferentz has. McCaffrey and Sanders were already linked after the former broke the latter’s all-purpose yardage record against USC in the Pac-12 Championship.

It’s hard to argue with Ferentz’s claim.

If not for Derrick Henry breaking the SEC rushing record, McCaffrey would’ve wound up with the Heisman Trophy. Since McCaffrey was contained by Northwestern in the season opener, the Associated Press Player of the Year has 110-plus yards from scrimmage in every game this season.

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Ferentz’s squad will have the challenge of ending that streak when they face McCaffrey and the Cardinal in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Iowa does boast the nation’s 20th-ranked run defense, and it was also the last team in the country to surrender a rushing score. The Hawkeyes’ eighth-ranked run defense didn’t allow anyone to rush for 100 yards in the final four games of the season.

Iowa will be playing in its first Rose Bowl since 1991. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. CT on ESPN.