In his first college start, on a snow-covered field against No. 19 Kansas State, an 18-year-old Abu Sama III ran for 276 yards and three touchdowns, the most by any freshman in Iowa State history. But his legacy began long before his commitment to Iowa State and transfer to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and even before he became the 2022-23 Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year.
Sama told The Daily Cardinal his motivation starts with recognizing the struggles his parents went through to get to the United States.
Born to a Sierra Leonean father and a Liberian mother who both escaped the cruel conditions of war-torn countries, he grew up to become a Badger leading Wisconsin to re-establish its reputation as the running back university.
Sama’s father, Abu Sama Sr., was among the 2 million displaced during Sierra Leone’s civil war. His mother, Irene Sama, lost her father and was displaced during Liberia’s civil wars, according to the Des Moines Register.
“I don’t think about pressure,” Sama said. “I think about what my parents have been through in Africa, everything they had to suffer and go through, through the war. So, they brought me here to have a better life …So shoot, I’m just doing all the easy stuff.”
Sama was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, after his parents met through a mutual friend in the United States.
“Des Moines is definitely not the biggest city…I kind of like that, for it being kind of small,” Sama said. “But yeah, it’s a great place to be at.”
Sama said his family extended well beyond his own household growing up, surrounded by neighbors and friends at cookouts and local community events. His mother is a wedding planner, and he often helped her with decorations at parties and weddings.
About 33,000 Iowa residents were born in Africa, roughly one in six of the state’s immigrants, according to the Migration Policy Institute. About 7,000 were born in West Africa, the region that includes Liberia and Sierra Leone, where Sama’s parents are from.
Sama attributes the African culture he grew up around as a major influence. It became a foundation that followed Sama from Des Moines to Ames and now Madison.
“Just the African culture, just the family, and everybody’s loving on each other and wanting to come together,” Sama said. “I feel like that’s what made everything and helped me become the person I am now.”
Sama gave back to his community in high school, volunteering with the Genesis Youth Foundation. The Des Moines-based nonprofit was founded by a Liberian couple who came to Iowa as children after fleeing their country’s civil war, and helps children of African refugees adjust to life in the United States, according to Voice of America.
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He committed to Iowa State right out of high school and spent three seasons with the Cyclones.
He had a breakout freshman season as a Cyclone, rushing for 614 yards and six touchdowns. He scored on runs of 60, 71 and 77 yards, leading Iowa State to a 42-35 win during his first ever college start.
He rushed for 587 yards and recorded two touchdowns as a sophomore and 732 yards and five touchdowns as a junior before entering the transfer portal in December 2025.
Sama’s decision to come to Madison for his final year came down to the coaching and the “family feeling” Wisconsin has to offer.
He credited Running Backs Coach Jayden Everett, Offensive Coordinator Jeff Grimes and his teammates for fostering that environment and building a brotherhood among the players.
“It was kind of easy when I just came here,” Sama said. “Everything just felt fine. Like I was already at home.”
Sama pointed to Wisconsin’s history of elite running backs, a list that boasts Heisman Trophy winners Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne, along with Melvin Gordon and Jonathan Taylor.
“The history of this place is a bunch of great running backs,” he said. “I feel like they all played a part in me coming here.”
That brotherhood showed on his first carry at Camp Randall.
On the first play of Wisconsin’s home opener against Western Illinois Sept. 12, Sama broke free for a 72-yard touchdown, his first as a Badger. He finished with 107 yards on eight carries in the 36-9 win.
Asked who was on his mind after the first score, Sama pointed to his teammates.
“Just my running back room,” he told the Cardinal. “As soon as I scored, I went to the whole running back area, and I was celebrating with them…I just can’t wait to make more touchdowns!”
Sama has missed time this season with an upper-body injury, but has run for 318 yards and one touchdown on 57 carries, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. After opening the season with a 41-13 loss to Notre Dame, Wisconsin is 5-3 and 3-2 in the Big Ten, with upsets of No. 13 Penn State and No. 16 USC. Sama led the Badgers with 71 rushing yards on 17 carries in the 24-7 win over USC on Oct. 24.
Sama returned to his home state when Wisconsin played at Iowa Oct. 31.
“It’s honestly great and different for me to go back home and play,” Sama told reporters Oct. 27. “I have a lot of my family there.”
In Sama’s previous game at Kinnick Stadium, he ran for 58 yards in Iowa State’s 20-19 win in 2024. This time, Iowa shut out No. 25 Wisconsin 30-0 and held the Badgers to 52 rushing yards. In the second quarter, he was stopped for a 1-yard loss on fourth down at the Iowa 1-yard line when Wisconsin came close to scoring.
The Badgers left Kinnick with another loss, but the drive Sama brings to every game never changed.
“Just carrying on with life every day, I just think about them to do my best for them and make sure they’re good,” Sama said.
Three years after the night at Kansas State, the 18-year-old who ran through the snow runs on with the same purpose his parents gifted him with.
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