cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Abu Sama III /Iowa State

Abu Sama III

RB · Iowa State · Jr · #24

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

732 RUSH YDS · 5 RUSH TD · 141 CARRIES

2026 TRANSFERTransferred Iowa State → Wisconsin for 2026

Where He Ended Up · Transfer

Transferred to Wisconsin

2025Iowa State
2026Wisconsin

RB · IOWA STATE · BIG 12

Abu Sama III

  • 3
  • #24
  • 5-11 | 210 lb
  • Des Moines, IA

CFB Zeitgeist Score

55

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by rush yards at the 77th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#1308

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP RB AWARD

Doak Walker

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R06 · Starter

Starter. A locked-in starting role.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Development Trajectory · rushing yards

2023–2025
6142023
7322025

+19%

Modest growth (19%) across the multi-season window.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#711 national
CFB
College
Iowa State
2023–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionRB
Class3
Jersey24
Measurements5-11 | 210 lb
HometownDes Moines, IA
Primary teamIowa State

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 3-star No. 711 recruit
Composite rating 0.8756 HighSchool
Signed with Iowa State 2023
Origin Southeast Polk Des Moines, IA, USA
Class Profile Context
2023 3-star | 0.8756 No. 711 recruit | HighSchool | Iowa State

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 1 Programs changed on file
Latest destination Wisconsin 2026
Transfer stars 3-star CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility Immediate Jan 3, 2026
Season Move Context
2026 Iowa State -> Wisconsin 3-star | 0.8800 | Immediate

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#1308Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#1080Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★☆☆

to Iowa State

Composite

0.8756

#711 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Abu Sama III

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

50

Mixed Sentiment

Sample 1 mentions
Confidence BELOW-FLOOR

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 1 mentions · belief +0 · "Farmageddon in Dublin is HERE! 🇮🇪 Kansas State and Iowa State collide on the int"Own fans
  • Own fans · n=1

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Abu Sama III

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

2025 Signature · 2025 season

Rushing WEPA per carry

+0.130

EPA

P4 + Notre Dame RBs, min 80 carries

National rank #36 of 66
Percentile vs P4 + Notre Dame RBs, min 80 carries 46th

Why it matters

#36 of 66 P4 + Notre Dame RBs by rushing weighted- EPA per carry — +0.130 EPA/carry on 92 carries.

Vs cohort

This player +0.130 (46th)

MODERATE · n=92 cohort 66

  • Also strong
  • Yards per carry#27 / 69
  • Rushing yards (total)#30 / 69

Signature Moment

Week 7 at Colorado — 177 ypc

Result L 17-24

The week the volume broke through — put up 177 yds at Colorado.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the rushing totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 12g
732Rush yards
141Carries
5Rush TDs
Per game
61Rush yards
12Carries
0Rush TDs
Projected (13g)
793Rush yards
153Carries
5Rush TDs

To hit 750-yard season (currently 732): needs 18/game over remaining 1.

To hit 1,000-yard season (currently 732): needs 268/game over remaining 1.

To hit 1,500-yard season (currently 732): needs 768/game over remaining 1.

To hit 10 rushing TDs (currently 5): needs 5/game over remaining 1.

To hit 15 rushing TDs (currently 5): needs 10/game over remaining 1.

To hit 20 rushing TDs (currently 5): needs 15/game over remaining 1.

What made this player interesting

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Abu Sama III's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Iowa State, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.

Current place #1308 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 20.5% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Development arc The card should explain why this profile stands out

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

RB season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Scrimmage yards 751 732 rush | 19 rec | #82/735 (89th pct)
Rush TD 5 141 carries | #115/739 (85th pct)
Yards/carry 5.2 Per-rush efficiency | #240/735 (67th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Workhorse against FBS RB peers.

Workhorse

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Rushing

CAR
141 89th
YDS
732 89th
YPC
5.2 67th
TD
5 85th

Receiving

REC
5 43rd
YDS
19 29th
YPR
3.8 14th
TD
0 70th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 12 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppCARYDSAVGTDLONGNote
Wk 1W 24-21@ Kansas State14433.1014
Wk 1W 55-7vs South Dakota3237.7115
Wk 2W 16-13vs Iowa12473.9011
Wk 3W 24-16@ Arkansas State9697.7144
Wk 5W 39-14vs Arizona12262.209
Wk 6L 30-38@ Cincinnati18965.3020
Wk 7L 17-24@ Colorado241777.4238Season-high 177 yds
Wk 9L 27-41vs BYU9637.0028
Wk 10L 19-24vs Arizona State2147.0011
Wk 11W 20-17@ TCU7304.308
Wk 13W 38-14vs Kansas19573.0014
Wk 14W 20-13@ Oklahoma State12877.3140
Total1417325.5544
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2023Iowa State7-6HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Iowa State8-4HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
SeasonTeam
2025Iowa State1417325.25--
2023Iowa State846147.36--
Career2 loaded seasons2251,3466.011--
SeasonTeam
2025Iowa State5193.80--
2023Iowa State7517.30--
Career2 loaded seasons12705.80--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Rushing WEPA

Opponent-adjusted rushing value. It helps separate empty volume from carries that actually move the scoreboard.

Role share

How much of the team's offense flows through this back once rushing work and receiving work are combined.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Receiving work 5 19 rec yds | #315/552 (43rd pct)
Usage 20.5% 35.0% rush share | #84/738 (89th pct)
Rushing WEPA +0.13 Opponent-adjusted rush value | #156/362 (57th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Rushing Rushing yards 732 #82/735 89th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing Rush TD 5 #115/739 85th pct Scoringvs FBS RB
Rushing Yards / carry 5.2 #240/735 67th pct Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving Receptions 5 #315/552 43rd pct Volumevs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving yards 19 #388/548 29th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Value Rushing WEPA +0.13 #156/362 57th pct Opponent-adjusted rushing value | 92 weighted playsvs FBS RB
Usage Role share 20.5% #84/738 89th pct Share of team offensevs FBS RB
Rushing Carries 141 #80/739 89th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing Rushing LONG 44 #207/733 72nd pct Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving LONG 5 #482/540 11th pct Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving Yards / catch 3.8 #471/548 14th pct Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving TD 0 #169/552 70th pct Scoringvs FBS RB
Usage Rush share 35.0% #91/738 88th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS RB
Usage 1st-down usage 24.5% #89/738 88th pct Early-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Standard-down usage 24.3% #86/738 88th pct Base-situation sharevs FBS RB
Usage 2nd-down usage 22.7% #71/738 91st pct Middle-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Passing-down usage 11.3% #150/738 80th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS RB
Usage 3rd-down usage 8.9% #246/738 67th pct Money-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Pass share 3.2% #287/738 61st pct Air-game usagevs FBS RB
Ball Security Fumbles lost 1 #78/256 70th pct Turnoversvs FBS RB

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Home6g38.35.10.2
Road6g83.75.90.7

Win vs Loss

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Wins8g47.84.90.4
Losses4g87.56.70.5

First half vs Second half

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Weeks 1-77g68.75.30.6
Weeks 8+5g50.25.70.2

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

55Solid starter
8 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: rec yards (11th).

Carries#80 / 349 · 77th pct
141rush
Rush yards#82 / 349 · 77th pct
732rush
Yards / carry#127 / 349 · 62nd pct
5.2rush
Rush TDs#115 / 349 · 62nd pct
5rush
Fumbles lost#55 / 201 · 49th pct
1fumb
Long run#181 / 349 · 48th pct
44rush
Receptions#269 / 338 · 18th pct
5rece
Rec yards#297 / 338 · 12th pct
19rece

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · RB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

wepa_rushing0.13Low (p25–p50) (n=178)

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 8 metrics
Abu Sama IIIIowa StateChavon WrightNorthern Illinois· 87% simJordan BrunsonMiami (OH)· 86% simJordan GantAkron· 86% sim
Carries
77
III
92
Wright
85
Brunson
95
Gant
Rush yards
77
III
84
Wright
80
Brunson
90
Gant
Yards / carry
62
III
33
Wright
41
Brunson
45
Gant
Rush TDs
62
III
62
Wright
50
Brunson
72
Gant
Fumbles lost
49
III
49
Wright
49
Brunson
49
Gant
Long run
48
III
49
Wright
73
Brunson
35
Gant
Receptions
18
III
32
Wright
2
Brunson
35
Gant
Rec yards
12
III
10
Wright
3
Brunson
27
Gant

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Balanced Back

Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.

RB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Harrison Waylee’s 2021 season.

Harrison Waylee

83%match

Northern Illinois · 2021

#2

Ikaika Ragsdale

North Texas · 2021

79%
#3

Bryson Kuzdzal

Michigan · 2025

79%
#4

Jaziun Patterson

Iowa · 2024

79%
#5

Jabari Small

Tennessee · 2023

79%

Matches Harrison on

Yards / carry
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Class year

Differs from Harrison on

Recruiting rating (higher)

Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Rhamondre Stevenson’s path through Oklahoma.

Rhamondre Stevenson

96%match

Oklahoma · 2020

NFL Rd 4
#2

Mekhi Sargent

Iowa · 2020

95%
#3

Percy Agyei-Obese

James Madison · 2022

All-Sun Belt
92%
#4

Chase Brown

Illinois · 2022

91%
#5

Reynaldo Flores

UTEP · 2022

91%

Matches Rhamondre on

Yards per carry
Recruiting rating

As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jaziun Patterson's junior season at Iowa (2024).

Jaziun Patterson

88%match

Iowa · 2024

#2

Ja'shon Benjamin

Rutgers · 2025

76%
#3

Christian Turner

Indiana · 2023

76%
#4

Kaelon Black

Indiana · 2024

NFL Rd 3 · Pk 26
75%
#5

Jordan Nubin

Minnesota · 2023

75%

Matches Jaziun on

Yards / carry
Rush TD rate
Receiving share

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Matt Campbell

Pass share

42.4%

345 pass / 469 run

Plays / game

67.8

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

6.8%

296 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-leaning.

Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025

1 coach
2023
Matt Campbell
Iowa State
2025
Matt Campbell
Iowa State

Played his entire career under Matt Campbell.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownDes Moines, IA
Height5'11"
Weight210 lb
Class3
PositionRB
Jersey24

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Iowa State RB3 #1308 #1080 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Big 12
2023 Iowa State RB3 #300 #367 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Big 12

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Iowa State Big 12 RB 3 No. 24 | 5-11 | 210 lb | Des Moines, IA
2024 Iowa State Big 12 RB 3 No. 24 | 5-11 | 210 lb | Des Moines, IA
2023 Iowa State Big 12 RB 3 No. 24 | 5-11 | 210 lb | Des Moines, IA