Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 13-41@ Notre Dame | 15 | 49 | 3.3 | 0 | 7 | |
| Wk 2 | W 36-9vs Western Illinois | 8 | 107 | 13.4 | 1 | 72 | Season-high 107 yds |
| Total | 23 | 156 | 8.3 | 1 | 72 |
#3
Abu Sama III
Senior running back for Wisconsin. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 211 lb · Des Moines, IA · Southeast Polk
CFB Index 49 · #134 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceTransferred Iowa State → Wisconsin for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
156
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 6.8 per carry · 1 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 107 rush yds, 1 TD, 5 rec yds, vs Western Illinois
Statement game16 car · 276 yds · 3 TDat Kansas State (FBS) · W 42-35
Top 0.1% rushing yards game since 2021.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for Wisconsin. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Iowa State in 2023.
- Transferred from Iowa State to Wisconsin in 2026.
Abu Sama III
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Two head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. In 2023 the league put his name on paper for the first time: Big 12 Newcomer Player of the Week. One game to point at: 107 rush yds, 5 rec yds against Western Illinois — Week 2, 2026.
156 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 23 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
He was winning awards before he was old enough to be a story.
The week the volume broke through — put up 177 yds at Colorado.Colorado · L 17-242025
202311 games
- Signed with Iowa State3-star out of Southeast Polk
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Wisconsin
Played his entire career under Luke Fickell.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Wisconsin
2025Iowa State
2026Wisconsin
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Iowa State7-6HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Iowa State11-3HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced
2025Iowa State8-4HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
2026Wisconsin1-1HC: Luke Fickell · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: yards / carry (93rd percentile). Strength: long run (90th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 78.0 YDS/g, 8.3 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Luke Fickell
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wisconsin | 23 | 156 | 6.8 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Iowa State | 141 | 732 | 5.2 | 5 | -- |
| 2024 | Iowa State | 124 | 587 | 4.7 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 84 | 614 | 7.3 | 6 | -- |
| Career | 372 | 2,089 | 5.6 | 14 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wisconsin | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Iowa State | 5 | 19 | 3.8 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Iowa State | 8 | 58 | 7.2 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 7 | 51 | 7.3 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 21 | 133 | 6.3 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 36–9
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Western Illinois · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +5.86(14:50) Shotgun #3 A.Sama III rush middle for 72 yards gain to the WIL00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 14:47, 1ST DOWN #97 G.Lahm kick attempt good (H: #91 S.West, LS: #56 J.Roe)
- Week 1 · Notre Dame · 4&1 · Q3 · EPA +2.13(06:42) #3 A.Sama rush left for 2 yards gain to the WIS46 (#0 T.Gray), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Western Illinois · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +1.52(12:57) Shotgun #3 A.Sama III rush middle for 31 yards gain to the WIL23 (#18 C.Garrett), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Notre Dame · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -1.38(09:26) Shotgun #3 A.Sama rush middle for 1 yard loss to the WIS46 (#0 T.Gray; #44 R.Dunham)
- Week 1 · Notre Dame · 3&6 · Q1 · EPA +1.21(10:08) Shotgun #3 A.Sama rush left for 7 yards gain to the UND26 (#0 T.Gray; #8 A.Shuler), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Western Illinois · 2&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.96(13:41) Shotgun #3 A.Sama III rush left for 1 yard loss to the WIL31 (#4 A.Dobbins)
- Week 2 · Western Illinois · 1&20 · Q3 · EPA -0.84(01:25) Shotgun #3 A.Sama III rush middle for 1 yard loss to the WIS41 (#53 C.Moss)
- Week 1 · Notre Dame · 2&4 · Q2 · EPA +0.74(02:00) Shotgun #3 A.Sama rush middle for 6 yards gain to the Wis40 (#95 B.Young), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Notre Dame · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.59(15:00) Shotgun #3 A.Sama rush middle for 1 yard gain to the Wis26 (#95 B.Young; #34 D.Bowen)
- Week 1 · Notre Dame · 3&3 · Q3 · EPA -0.52(07:26) Shotgun #3 A.Sama rush right for 2 yards gain to the WIS44 (#8 A.Shuler)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
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.
84%match
Matches Harrison on
Receiving share
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Class year
Differs from Harrison on
Recruiting rating (higher)
Through 4 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Isaiah West’s path through Ohio State.
Matches Isaiah on
Weight
Yards per carry
Recruiting rating
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jaziun Patterson's junior season at Iowa (2024).
Matches Jaziun on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Rush TD rate
Receiving share
Player DNA
Players who play like Abu Sama III
Background
Pronounced: uh-BOO SAH-muh Honors and Awards 2025: Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll 2024: Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll 2023: True Freshman All-American (247Sports), Big 12 Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Week (Nov. 27, 2023) 2025 season (Junior at Iowa State): Played in 12 games, making...
The backfield · Wisconsin
- #3Abu Sama III732 rushing yards · 2025
- #6Darrion Dupree363 rushing yards · 2025
- #10Gideon Ituka255 rushing yards · 2025
- #15Nate Palmer139 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Bryan Jackson123 rushing yards · 2025
4 more on the roster · Wisconsin team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology