| Oklahoma Sooners–No. 2 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Running back |
| Class | Junior |
| Major | Human Relations |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 25, 2003 [1] Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 207 lb (94 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Desert Pines (NV) |
Jovantae Barnes (born June 25, 2003) [1] is an American college football running back for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Barnes grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, and attended Desert Pines High School. As a senior in 2021, he rushed for 567 yards and 11 touchdowns in six games. [2]
Barnes enrolled at the University of Oklahoma in January 2022. As a true freshman, he was a backup to Eric Gray. He appeared in 11 games and rushed for 519 yards and five touchdowns on 116 carries, an average of 4.5 yards per carry. [2] In the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State, he rushed for a season-high 108 rushing yards on 27 carries. [3]
Barnes entered the 2023 season as Oklahoma's lead running back. [4] [5] He was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list, [6] and Bleacher Report correspondent Brad Shepard picked him as one of his 12 college football players who will break out in 2023. [7]