On Friday night, Missouri football will learn if it fielded the nation’s best running back in 2025 .

Ahmad Hardy is one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, which is given to the nation’s top tailback each year. Then-Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty, a first-round draft pick this year, won the honor in 2024.

Hardy is going up against Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, a St. Louis native, and Ole Miss’ Kewan Lacy, a Mizzou transfer who spent his freshman year in Columbia, for this year’s trophy.

There’s a real chance Hardy becomes the first Mizzou tailback to win the award Friday, Dec. 12. He leads the SEC with 1,560 rushing yards. He’s 68 bowl-game rushing yards from breaking Cody Schrader’s single-season Mizzou rushing record, set in 2023. Hardy has more after-contact rushing

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