Samaje Perine Breaks FBS Single-Game Rushing Record vs. Kansas

Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine had a game to remember Saturday. Against the Kansas Jayhawks, the freshman broke the single-game FBS rushing record, as ESPN's Brett McMurphy noted: 

It's been an incredible debut season for Perine, who ran for more than 200 yards against West Virginia and Texas Tech and had 14 rushing touchdowns before Saturday's game. But what happened against Kansas was one of the best performances in NCAA history and came just one week after Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon established a new FBS single-game record with 408 rushing yards, which he accomplished in just three quarters.     

Here was the record-breaking 42-yard run by Perine, via Anthony Slater on Vine:

Ryan Gerbosi of The Dallas Morning News provides post-game comments from Perine:

"

I really can’t [put my feelings into words] right now. It’s still so real, and I still feel like we just played a great game and I just did whatever I had to do to help my team. I’m not really feeling special in any type of way. I just look at it as doing what I have to do under certain conditions to just help my team win."

[...]

On what was going through his mind during the record-breaking run:

Perine: “Try to score.”

“To be honest, I didn’t realize it until I heard my teammates clapping and everything. Once I knew that, it was a great feeling, I guess. I really didn’t think much of it. It was obviously a great thing for them. I’m going to try to embrace it as best I can and try to get ready for Oklahoma State.

"

As hard as it is to believe, Perine's performance looks even better when you put it into context. First, as noted by ESPN's Jake Trotter, the freshman running back wasn't the starter for Oklahoma in this game: 

Second, weather conditions in Norman were terrible with heavy rain. Oklahoma quarterback Cody Thomas had two completions on 11 attempts through three quarters. 

So even though Kansas knew Bob Stoops was going to call a lot of running plays, the Jayhawks were powerless to stop them.

Perine broke the Big 12 record for rushing yards in a game late in the third quarter when a three-yard run pushed his total to 378, via Mark Followill of Fox Sports Southwest:

Former Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray offered his congratulations: 

Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World also made an observation about Perine's all-around efforts before he broke Gordon's record:

Paul Myerberg of USA Today explained that 400 yards is becoming a new norm in college football based on the last two weeks:

Following the game, Perine spoke about the record to Fox Sports 1, via Graham Watson of Yahoo Sports:

"

I really didn’t have [the record] at the forefront of my mind. I just went out there, played the game and we did a really good job up front and on the perimeter with our blocking. And, you know, it just so happens that I came up with the record.

"

The Sooners haven't had the season they expected to after starting the year ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll, losing three games in the Big 12. But Perine's performance all season and a young nucleus give Stoops a lot to build around. 

We saw how well Oklahoma finished last season, defeating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. It couldn't carry that over into this season, but things can change quickly in college football. All it takes is one dynamic talent to make everyone else better. 

It's safe to say that Perine falls into that category with his incredible performance against Kansas and exceptional effort all year.