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DALLAS – Sophomore running back Matthew Fuller was tabbed a preseason candidate for the 2026 Doak Walker Award the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced on Monday. The Forum annually presents the award to the nation’s most outstanding college running back. Fuller saw action in 10 games (three starts) last season for the Gamecocks. He saw more playing time as the season progressed, finishing 2025 with 72 attempts for 260 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and a pair of touchdowns. The Jesup, Ga. native had seven carries for a season-high 83 yards at LSU, including a 72-yard touchdown run. He was named the 2026 Joe Morrison Offensive Player of the Spring and will be a vital cog in the Gamecocks’ backfield in 2026. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November. Three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2026 Doak Walker Award will be announced live at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 10. The award is named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. Each Tuesday of this season, The PwC SMU Athletic Forum will once again announce a Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week. 2026 Doak Walker Award Preseason Candidates Ajay Allen (Sr.), Western Kentucky Jabari Bates (Sr.), San Jose State Jadan Baugh (Jr.), Florida Braydon Bennett (Sr.), Eastern Michigan Vaughn Blue (Jr.), Central Michigan Mel Brown (Sr.), Colorado State Raleek Brown (Sr.), Texas Kenyon Clay (Sr.), Arkansas State Cam Cook (Sr.), West Virginia Manny Covey (Jr.), Memphis Kam Davis (So.), Liberty Jordon Davison (So.), Oregon Evan Dickens (Jr.), Boston College Cameron Dickey (Jr.), Texas Tech Cam Edwards (Sr.), Michigan State Dylan Edwards (Jr.), Kansas Leonard Farrow (Sr.), Florida Atlantic Mark Fletcher Jr. (Sr.), Miami Matthew Fuller (So.), South Carolina Ashton Grey (Jr.), East Carolina Carson Hansen (Sr.), Penn State Ahmad Hardy (Jr.), Missouri Samuel Harris (So.), Wyoming Caleb Hawkins (So.), Oklahoma State Marcellous Hawkins (Sr.), Virginia Tech Justice Haynes (Sr.), Georgia Tech Malachi Hosley (Sr.), Georgia Tech Makhi Hughes (Sr.), Houston Fame Ijeboi (So.), Purdue Bo Jackson (So.), Ohio State Telly Johnson Jr. (Jr.), NIU Peyton Jones (Jr.), Liberty Demon June (Fr.), North Carolina Wayne Knight (Sr.), UCLA Ousmane Kromah (So.), Florida State Kewan Lacy (Jr.), Ole Miss Peyton Lewis (Jr.), Virginia Khobie Martin (So.), Indiana CJ Miller (Jr.), Toledo Adam Mohammed (Jr.), California Kamari Moulton (Jr.), Iowa AJ Newberry (Jr.), Oregon State Godspower Nwawuihe (So.), Army James Peoples (Jr.), Penn State George Pettaway (Sr.), James Madison Kendrick Raphael (Sr.), SMU Kedrick Reescano (Sr.), Arizona Turbo Richard (Jr.), Indiana Devin Roche (Jr.), Old Dominion Jayden Scott (So.), NC State Sutton Smith (Sr.), Arkansas Hollywood Smothers (Jr.), Texas Lucky Sutton (Sr.), San Diego State Herschel Turner (Jr.), Nevada Kanye Udoh (Sr.), Liberty Ca’Lil Valentine (Jr.), Illinois Duke Watson (Jr.), UCF Jahiem White (Sr.), North Texas DeJuan Williams (So.), Maryland Yasin Willis (Jr.), Kansas