CFB Zeitgeist Score
44
Mid-pack in the position cohort. Carried by yards / carry at the 74th percentile.
James Peoples
One of Usas of 2026-06-22
James Peoples arrives at Ohio State with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.
344RUSH YDS3RUSH TD61CARRIES
RUSHING VALUE · WEPA
+0.07
via your WEPA model · 2025 · 50 plays
Ohio State fans claim him as family first and a player second.
low confidence1 source
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI narrative · updated 2026-06-22 · compiled from CFB Zeitgeist data
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Penn State
2025Ohio State
2026Penn State
RB · OHIO STATE · BIG TEN
James Peoples
- 2
- #20
- 5-10 | 206 lb
- San Antonio, TX
Heisman Heat
#1196
<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 · StarterR07 · Impact starter
Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Ohio State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Identity & Role
The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.
Recruiting Pedigree
How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.
| Class | Profile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4-star | 0.9484 | No. 115 recruit | HighSchool | Ohio State |
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| Season | Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ohio State -> Penn State | 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 16Heisman 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 Ohio State
Composite
0.9484
#115 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
PENDINGThe 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 James Peoples
Fan sentiment ·
Belief Meter
58
Mixed Sentiment
Top Take
“”
Trajectory
Per-cohort trajectory lands when historical bucket data is aggregated.
Cohort divergence map
- Own fans · n=20
- National · n=2
Rival Radar
How rival fanbases talk about James Peoples
No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.
Signature Story
Awaiting candidate metric
He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.
Signature Moment
No signature moment on the ledger yet.
Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the rushing totals stand
Through 12g
344Rush yards
61Carries
3Rush TDs
Per game
28.7Rush yards
5Carries
0Rush TDs
Projected (13g)
372.7Rush yards
66Carries
3Rush TDs
To hit 750-yard season (currently 344): needs 406/game over remaining 1.
To hit 1,000-yard season (currently 344): needs 656/game over remaining 1.
To hit 1,500-yard season (currently 344): needs 1,156/game over remaining 1.
To hit 10 rushing TDs (currently 3): needs 7/game over remaining 1.
To hit 15 rushing TDs (currently 3): needs 12/game over remaining 1.
To hit 20 rushing TDs (currently 3): needs 17/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.
James Peoples's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Ohio 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.
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
Player identity What kind of player is this?
30-second read
What kind of player is this?
Backfield contributor against FBS RB peers.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Rushing
CAR
61 63rd
YDS
344 68th
YPC
5.6 77th
TD
3 73rd
Receiving
REC
10 61st
YDS
50 49th
YPR
5.0 26th
TD
0 70th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 12 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 14-7vs Texas | 10 | 20 | 2.0 | 0 | 6 | |
| Wk 2 | W 70-0vs Grambling | 8 | 59 | 7.4 | 0 | 12 | Season-high 59 yds |
| Wk 3 | W 37-9vs Ohio | 7 | 47 | 6.7 | 0 | 17 | |
| Wk 5 | W 24-6@ Washington | 3 | 10 | 3.3 | 0 | 5 | |
| Wk 6 | W 42-3vs Minnesota | 7 | 59 | 8.4 | 0 | 33 | |
| Wk 7 | W 34-16@ Illinois | 5 | 7 | 1.4 | 0 | 3 | |
| Wk 8 | W 34-0@ Wisconsin | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 10 | W 38-14vs Penn State | 4 | 19 | 4.8 | 0 | 11 | |
| Wk 11 | W 34-10@ Purdue | 8 | 26 | 3.3 | 0 | 7 | |
| Wk 12 | W 48-10vs UCLA | 6 | 42 | 7.0 | 2 | 19 | |
| Wk 13 | W 42-9vs Rutgers | 3 | 55 | 18.3 | 1 | 49 | |
| Bowl | L 14-24vs Miami | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | 61 | 344 | 6.3 | 3 | 49 |
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score
Traditional history
Traditional Stats
Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.
Season context · Team result + system
2025Ohio State12-2HC: Ryan Day · Run-leaning
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ohio State | 61 | 344 | 5.6 | 3 | -- |
| Career | 1 loaded season | 61 | 344 | 5.6 | 3 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ohio State | 10 | 50 | 5.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 1 loaded season | 10 | 50 | 5.0 | 0 | -- |
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
Opponent-adjusted rushing value. It helps separate empty volume from carries that actually move the scoreboard.
How much of the team's offense flows through this back once rushing work and receiving work are combined.
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.
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.
Open full stat explorer
| Group | Metric | Value | Rank | Pct | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing | Rushing yards | 344 | #237/735 | 68th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Rushing | Rush TD | 3 | #204/739 | 73rd pct | Scoringvs FBS RB |
| Rushing | Yards / carry | 5.6 | #172/735 | 77th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Receptions | 10 | #217/552 | 61st pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Receiving yards | 50 | #281/548 | 49th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Value | Rushing WEPA | +0.07 | #263/362 | 28th pct | Opponent-adjusted rushing value | 50 weighted playsvs FBS RB |
| Usage | Role share | 9.8% | #323/738 | 56th pct | Share of team offensevs FBS RB |
| Rushing | Carries | 61 | #274/739 | 63rd pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Rushing | Rushing LONG | 49 | #173/733 | 77th pct | Metricvs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Receiving LONG | 12 | #365/540 | 33rd pct | Metricvs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Yards / catch | 5.0 | #406/548 | 26th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS RB |
| Receiving | Receiving TD | 0 | #169/552 | 70th pct | Scoringvs FBS RB |
| Returns | Kick return yards | 20 | #149/200 | 26th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Returns | Kick return avg | 10.0 | #171/199 | 15th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS RB |
| Returns | Kick returns | 2 | #109/206 | 48th pct | Volumevs FBS RB |
| Usage | Rush share | 15.6% | #335/738 | 55th pct | Ground-game usagevs FBS RB |
| Usage | 2nd-down usage | 11.4% | #294/738 | 60th pct | Middle-down loadvs FBS RB |
| Usage | 1st-down usage | 10.9% | #329/738 | 56th pct | Early-down loadvs FBS RB |
| Usage | Standard-down usage | 10.6% | #332/738 | 55th pct | Base-situation sharevs FBS RB |
| Usage | Passing-down usage | 6.7% | #365/738 | 51st pct | Known-passing sharevs FBS RB |
| Usage | 3rd-down usage | 4.4% | #468/738 | 37th pct | Money-down loadvs FBS RB |
| Usage | Pass share | 3.4% | #273/738 | 63rd pct | Air-game usagevs 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
Status—Awaiting 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 vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home8g | 37.6 | 7.8 | 0.4 |
| Road4g | 10.8 | 2.7 | 0.0 |
Win vs Loss
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wins11g | 31.3 | 6.3 | 0.3 |
| Losses1g | — | — | — |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-77g | 28.9 | 4.9 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+5g | 28.4 | 8.3 | 0.6 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
44Mid-pack
Concern: carries (21st).
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
Advanced Savant
Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.
wepa_rushing0.07Below (<p25) (n=178)
Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match
Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile
James PeoplesOhio StateJeremiah CobbAuburn· 65% simTae MeadowsTroy· 64% simSire GainesBoise State· 64% sim
Yards / carry
Long run
Receptions
Rush TDs
Rush yards
Rec yards
Carries
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 Nelson Smith’s 2020 season.
Nelson Smith
78%match
#2
Parker Jenkins
77%
#3
Isaiah Johnson
77%
#4
Omiri Wiggins
76%
#5
Brandon Campbell
77%
Matches Nelson on
Yards / carry
Weight
Rush TD rate
Differs from Nelson on
Class year (lower)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Andrew Body’s path through Alabama State.
Andrew Body
99%match
#2
Jerrick Gibson
99%
#3
Scottre Humphrey
All-Mountain West
94%
#4
Narii Gaither
93%
#5
Caleb Ramseur
92%
Matches Andrew on
Yards per carry
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Kirby Vorhees's sophomore season at Washington State (2025).
Kirby Vorhees
81%match
#2
Caden Durham
80%
#3
Omiri Wiggins
78%
#4
Brandon Campbell
78%
#5
Gi'Bran Payne
76%
Matches Kirby on
Receiving share
Yards / carry
Height
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Ryan Day
Pass share
47.0%
408 pass / 461 run
Plays / game
62.1
14 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
4.9%
267 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Coaching Lineage · 2025
1 coach2025
Ryan Day
Ohio State
Played his entire career under Ryan Day.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownSan Antonio, TX
Height5'10"
Weight206 lb
Class2
PositionRB
Jersey20
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamOhio State
ConferenceBig Ten
Joined2025
Career arc2 season(s)
Trophy Case · Detail
Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.
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 | Ohio State | RB2 | #1196 | #883 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W16 snapshot | Big Ten |
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.
| Season | Team | Conference | Pos | Class | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ohio State | Big Ten | RB | 2 | No. 20 | 5-10 | 206 lb | San Antonio, TX |
| 2024 | Ohio State | Big Ten | RB | 2 | No. 20 | 5-10 | 206 lb | San Antonio, TX |