PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 15: Barry Sanders #20 of the Detroit Lions carries the ball against the Philadelphia Eangles during an NFL football game September 15, 1996 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sanders played for the Lions from 1989-98.(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
In an honor that feels way overdue, former Lions running back Barry Sanders is being inducted to Oklahoma State’s Ring of Honor on Saturday.
Before his Hall of Fame career with the Lions, Barry Sanders was a college football star for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. As a junior in 1988, he rushed for 2,850 yards and 44 touchdowns in 12 games on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy.
Bowl game numbers weren’t counted toward season records by the NCAA before 2002, but Sander’s 2,628 rushing yards, 39 total touchdowns and 3,249 all-purpose yards in 1988 still stand as single-season records.
Sanders, who is fourth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list (15,269 yards in 10 seasons) pending Adrian Peterson’s meandering pursuit to pass him, has taken his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2004), the College Football Hall of Fame (2003) and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame (2003).
Yet somehow, Sanders had avoided any immortalized lofty honor from Oklahoma State. Until Saturday anyway. The Lions released a video to acknowledge the best running back in franchise history (all due respect to Billy Sims) going into his alma mater’s Ring of Honor.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew also took time to congratulate Sanders.
Sanders will join former Cowboys’ backfield mate, and fellow Pro Football Famer, Thurman Thomas in Oklahoma State’s Ring of Honor. A statue will also be unveiled before the 8-1, 10th-ranked Cowboys take on TCU. Cowboys’ head coach Mike Gundy was the Cowboys’ quarterback when Sanders was setting records in 1988.
Sanders’ No. 21 is one of just four numbers effectively retired by Oklahoma State, and his No. 20 is of course retired by the Lions.