Hawkeye junior running back Tyler Goodson is good at his job.

Goodson has become the focal point of Iowa’s run game and has NFL aspirations after his junior season. And he is well on his way to a 1,000-plus yard season, notching 99 rushing yards in Iowa’s season-opener against Indiana on Saturday.

But in the nation — in the state, even — there’s someone better.

And that’s Cyclone running back Breece Hall.

Hall and Goodson have lived similar collegiate football careers since arriving on their respective campuses in 2019.

Goodson was the leading rusher for the Hawkeyes with 648 yards as a true freshman. Hall was the leading rusher for the Cyclones with 897 yards as a true freshman.

Preceding the 2020 season, it seemed like Goodson and Hall were neck-and-neck in who could become the best running back out of the state of Iowa.

Not anymore.

Goodson had an impressive year in 2020 — he garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors from multiple media outlets, and led the Hawkeyes in rushing with 762 yards for the second consecutive year

But while Goodson only had the opportunity to appear in eight games in the Big Ten’s abridged conference-only schedule, Hall had a breakout season in 2020 during the Cyclones’ 12-game slate.

Hall rushed for 1,572 yards in 2020 — first in the nation. He became Iowa State’s first-ever unanimous first-team All-American and was the runner-up for the Doak Walker Award.

While Goodson will only continue to get better, Hall will improve as well. And Hall will bring the Doak Walker Award home to Iowa State.

Tyler Goodson believes he is the best running back in the country, and I don’t want to doubt that guy.

If the Week 1 win over Indiana was any indication, he’s on his way to at least being in the conversation for the Doak Walker award by season’s end — that is, if he doesn’t win it.

His 56-yard touchdown scamper on Iowa’s fourth offensive snap against Indiana Sept. 4 at Kinnick Stadium electrified fans and provided momentum that the Hawkeyes would never relinquish.

Goodson finished Saturday with 99 yards on 19 carries, his fourth straight game with at least 90 rushing yards dating back to last season. Since the beginning of the 2020 schedule, Goodson has eight touchdowns in nine games, averaging 96 yards per game over that span. And he shows no signs of slowing down.

If Goodson continues to put up numbers like these in the Big Ten — a conference known for solid, smashmouth, run-stopping defenses — it will be hard for anyone to overlook him.

Of course, it also helps if Iowa keeps winning.

Perhaps Goodson himself summed it up best when he met with the media last week.

“I’m gonna do everything I can to put myself in a position to help myself and help my team win, that’s really all I can ask out of myself,” Goodson said. “Once I do that and just let the game come to me, the sky’s the limit.”