Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-39@ USC | 6 | 15 | 2.5 | 0 | 5 | |
| Wk 2 | W 49-3vs Sacramento State | 13 | 102 | 7.8 | 3 | 56 | Season-high 102 yds |
| Total | 19 | 117 | 5.2 | 3 | 56 |
#6
Bryson Donelson
Junior running back for Fresno State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 205 lb · Visalia, CA · Central Valley Christian HS
CFB Index 33 · #291 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Fresno State 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
117
rushing yards · 2026
3 TD · 6.2 per carry · 1 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 13 car · 102 yds · 3 TD -- top 1% rushing TDs game. -- Best game: 102 rush yds, 3 TD, -1 rec yds, vs Sacramento State
The play that turned itSwung Fresno State from 63% to 97% to win.Colorado State at Fresno State · 28-22
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for Fresno State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Fresno State in 2024.
Bryson Donelson
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Three seasons at Fresno State, two different head coaches: Tim Skipper and Matt Entz. In 2024 the league put his name on paper for the first time: Mountain West Freshman Player of the Week. One game to point at: 102 rush yds, 3 rush TD against Sacramento State — Week 2, 2026.
117 RUSH YDS · 3 RUSH TD · 19 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.
202411 games
- Signed with Fresno State3-star out of Central Valley Christian
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Fresno State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎓
FRESHMAN HONORS
Freshman recognition (2024)
1 mention(s)
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Tim Skipper
Fresno State
2025–2026era →
Matt Entz
Fresno State
Coaching transition mid-career: Tim Skipper → Matt Entz. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Fresno State6-7HC: Tim Skipper · Balanced
2025Fresno State9-4HC: Matt Entz · Run-leaning
2026Fresno State1-1HC: Matt Entz · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: yards / carry (87th percentile). Strength: rush tds (80th 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: 58.5 YDS/g, 5.2 YPC, 1.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Entz
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.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Pac-12
Based on 2025: #33 of 34 Mountain West RBs — his program moves to the Pac-12 for 2026
How the All-Pac-12 estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player. The base rate was measured on players who stayed in the same conference; this estimate is not adjusted for the move to the Pac-12.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fresno State | 19 | 117 | 6.2 | 3 | -- |
| 2025 | Fresno State | 142 | 583 | 4.1 | 5 | -- |
| 2024 | Fresno State | 78 | 472 | 6.1 | 3 | -- |
| Career | 239 | 1,172 | 4.9 | 11 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fresno State | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Fresno State | 17 | 107 | 6.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Fresno State | 21 | 94 | 4.5 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 39 | 200 | 5.1 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–3
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Sacramento State · 2&6 · Q3 · EPA +4.92(03:07) Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush right for 56 yards gain to the SACST00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 02:43, 1ST DOWN #38 M.Watanabe kick attempt good (H: #41 N.Verdugo, LS: #52 E.Rossetti)
- Week 2 · Sacramento State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +2.52Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush middle for 11 yards gain to the SACST00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:28, 1ST DOWN #38 M.Watanabe kick attempt good (H: #41 N.Verdugo, LS: #52 E.Rossetti)
- Week 2 · Sacramento State · 1&5 · Q3 · EPA +1.88Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush right for 5 yards gain to the SACST00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 09:02, 1ST DOWN #38 M.Watanabe kick attempt good (H: #41 N.Verdugo, LS: #52 E.Rossetti)
- Week 2 · Sacramento State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -1.13Shotgun #7 J.Mandal pass complete short right to #6 B.Donelson caught at SACST43, for 1 yard loss to the SACST43 QB hurried by #9 M.Tullis (#33 A.Rocha)
- Week 1 · USC · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -1.01(08:08) Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush left for 0 yards to the FST35 (#8 D.Stephens II; #94 L.Wafle)
- Week 1 · USC · 2&3 · Q2 · EPA -0.99(11:53) Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush right for 0 yards to the FST32 (#94 L.Wafle), out of bounds
- Week 2 · Sacramento State · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.67Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush middle for 2 yards gain to the FRES48 (#52 I.Chala Jr.)
- Week 1 · USC · 2&6 · Q3 · EPA -0.54(14:19) Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush middle for 1 yard gain to the FST30 (#17 D.Bryant; #18 Z.Fisher)
- Week 2 · Sacramento State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.47Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush middle for 0 yards to the SACST26 (#33 A.Rocha)
- Week 2 · Sacramento State · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.40Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush left for 6 yards gain to the FRES44, out of bounds at FRES44
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Fresno State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Fresno State
Returning around him
- 38% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- Transfer portal: +3 net (13 in / 10 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Fresno State · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #88 · 2026 recruiting class #70
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Andrew Henry’s 2021 season.
Matches Andrew on
Rush TD rate
Weight
Height
Differs from Andrew on
Class year (lower)
Recruiting rating (lower)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Garrett Groshek’s path through Wisconsin.
99%match
#3
Narii Gaither
96%
Matches Garrett on
Yards per carry
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Kirby Vorhees's sophomore season at Washington State (2025).
Matches Kirby on
Yards / carry
Weight
Receiving share
Player DNA
Players who play like Bryson Donelson
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #243
Peaked at #243 this season.
Background
2025 (SOPHOMORE): Started all 13 games this season … was Fresno State’s second-leading rusher with 600 yards on 140 carries … added five touchdowns on the ground … added 17 receptions for 107 yards … finished the season with 600 all-purpose yards … had Fresno State’s only 100 yard rushing perform...
The backfield · Fresno State
- #2Rayshon Luke699 rushing yards · 2025
- #6Bryson Donelson583 rushing yards · 2025
- #31Brandon Ramirez271 rushing yards · 2025
- #24Julius Gillick16 rushing yards · 2025
- #27Tariq Thomas2 games · 2026
5 more on the roster · Fresno State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology