Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 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 |
| Wk 3 | W 26-10@ San José State | 9 | 57 | 6.3 | 1 | 36 | |
| Total | 28 | 174 | 5.5 | 4 | 56 |
#6
Bryson Donelson
Junior running back for Fresno State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 205 lb · Visalia, CA · Central Valley Christian HS
CFB Index 33 · #291 of 326 RBsHigh confidence
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
174
rushing yards · 2026 · through week 3
3 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
Junior running back for Fresno State. 2026: 3 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.
174 RUSH YDS · 4 RUSH TD · 28 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.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fresno State | 28 | 174 | 6.2 | 4 | -- |
| 2025 | Fresno State | 142 | 583 | 4.1 | 5 | -- |
| 2024 | Fresno State | 78 | 472 | 6.1 | 3 | -- |
| Career | 248 | 1,229 | 5.0 | 12 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fresno State | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Fresno State | 17 | 107 | 6.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Fresno State | 21 | 94 | 4.5 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 40 | 204 | 5.1 | 1 | -- |
Game log
Game by game
Bryson Donelson's 2026 production
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 26–10
57 rush yds (9 car) · 1 TD
With N. Verdugo — 40.9 yards per punt · 7 punts · 4 inside the 20 · J. Mandal — 186 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 52.3 · 46 rush yds (9 car)
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 3 · San José State · 2&7 · Q4 · EPA +3.40(01:17) Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush left for 36 yards gain to the SJSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:09, 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 3 · San José State · 3&1 · Q1 · EPA -0.88(13:45) Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush middle for 2 yards loss to the FS32 (#45 J.Tuiileila)
- Week 3 · San José State · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.73(06:19) Shotgun #6 B.Donelson rush middle for 1 yard loss to the SJSU32 (#45 J.Tuiileila)
- 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.)
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +57 rushing yards, +1 rushing TD, +1 catch.
Season context · Team result + system
2024Fresno State6-7HC: Tim Skipper · Balanced
2025Fresno State9-4HC: Matt Entz · Run-leaning
2026Fresno State2-1HC: Matt Entz · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: rush tds (88th percentile). Strength: long run (85th percentile). Concern: carries (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
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 102 | 7.8 | 3.0 |
| Road2g | 36.0 | 4.4 | 0.5 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 58.0 | 5.5 | 1.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Entz
Pass share
42.7%
73 pass / 98 run
Plays / game
57.0
3 games
Team sack rate
4.9%
81 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
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.
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
Starter
The No. 2,651 recruit in the country is carrying the ball in the Pac-12 as a junior.
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 #194
Peaked at #194 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…
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