The Most Unbreakable Records in College Football
Records, by nature, were made to be broken. As time marches on and players get bigger, faster, stronger and smarter, records are threatened. That’s true for college football as well. The NCAA’s FBS record book contains some impressive records, but with each passing season, more and more of them are threatened by better players, as well as a season that continues to expand with the introduction of the College Football Playoff.
However, some records are more secure than others. Certain college football records, whether they’re single-game, single-season or career, stand out as particularly impressive when you scan the record book. Here’s a look at nine of the most unbreakable records in college football.
Career Passing Yardage
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The Air Raid offense has brought prolific passing offenses to the forefront in college football, and Kevin Sumlin is among the foremost practitioners of the system. Before rising to prominence as Texas A&M’s head coach, Sumlin excelled as Houston’s offensive coordinator.
One of his best pupils was quarterback Case Keenum. Keenum thrived in the Air Raid system from 2007-11, throwing for 19,217 yards and smashing Timmy Chang’s previous NCAA career mark by over 2,000 yards. How good was Keenum? He averaged 4,804 passing yards per season.
In 2015, only two quarterbacks (Western Kentucky’s Brandon Doughty and Bowling Green’s Matt Johnson) surpassed 4,800 yards. Both were accomplished fifth-year seniors. It’s hard to imagine a quarterback consistently throwing at this level for four seasons or doing so for three seasons and not becoming a hot NFL draft early-entry prospect.
Career Rushing Yardage
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Ron Dayne is a classic example of a quintessential college tailback. Wisconsin’s burly back was durable, tough and very hard to bring down. He ground out yardage and drug tacklers with him, making the prospect of stopping him a punishing exercise.
He had a very impressive career with the Badgers, rushing for 6,397 yards between 1996 and 1999. He surpassed Ricky Williams for the NCAA career rushing record against Iowa in his final home game and final regular-season game in November 1999.
Dayne averaged 1,599 rushing yards per season. Why is this record unbreakable? While multiple players (including Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon) have surpassed the 2,000-yard mark in a single season, the concept of a four-year star tailback is increasingly rare. Since 1999, only four players have even gained 1,000 yards per season for four consecutive seasons.
The lifespan of an NFL tailback is brief, and many players would prefer to jump following their junior season rather than put extra mileage on their legs without compensation. It’d be surprising if an elite back hung around long enough to break Dayne’s mark.
Most Career Interceptions
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Timmy Chang was a very prolific college quarterback. Working in head coach June Jones’ high-powered Hawaii offense, Chang excelled as a volume thrower. He is second all-time in career passing yardage with 17,072 yards and also leads the FBS in total plays and passing attempts.
With volume, however, comes increased opportunity for disaster. Chang also holds the NCAA career record for interceptions, with 80. He threw a lot, which explains why his interception total was high. But it’s also unlikely that a coach would put up with such extended shenanigans from a less accomplished quarterback. If a quarterback had 40 interceptions through two seasons, it’s unlikely that he’d have the chance to throw 40 more in his final two years.
Most Consecutive Games with Two or More Touchdowns
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From Ron Dayne to Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin has curated a sterling tradition of talented tailbacks. Montee Ball certainly fits in that lineage. In 2011, the Badger back had an excellent season, rushing for 1,948 yards with 33 rushing touchdowns.
His consistency was impressive: Ball scored at least two touchdowns (rushing or receiving) in each of Wisconsin’s first 13 games before scoring just one touchdown in a 45-38 Rose Bowl loss to Oregon. That set an NCAA record for most consecutive games scoring at least two touchdowns. How impressive is that stat? By comparison, he rushed for 1,830 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior in 2012 but had just five multitouchdown games.
Ball’s consistent excellence should be lauded. It was hard to accomplish and it’ll be hard to match or exceed.
Most Passes Attempted Without an Interception
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The life of a college quarterback is tough. You have to make reads at the line of scrimmage, check down through pass progressions and, oh, yeah, throw the ball successfully while avoiding defensive ends and linebackers who are trying to take your head off.
Mistakes are inevitable. That’s what makes Colby Cameron’s mark so impressive. In 2012, Cameron threw 428 passes without an interception for Louisiana Tech. In a 12-game season, that works out to 35.6 passes per game. It’s a remarkably efficient stat and one that will be difficult to top by another quarterback.
Most Receiving Yards in a Single Game
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Troy Edwards had a solid, if unspectacular NFL career, making 203 catches for 2,404 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven seasons with four teams. He never reached the heights that he scaled as a Louisiana Tech receiver in 1998. He made 140 catches for 1,996 yards and 27 touchdowns, winning the Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top receiver and earning consensus All-America honors.
His best day came in a big spotlight against Nebraska. On August 28, 1998, the Bulldogs traveled to Lincoln to face off against the Cornhuskers. Louisiana Tech lost 56-27, but Edwards and quarterback Tim Rattay had a special connection. Edwards made 21 catches for 405 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage was a single-game NCAA record, and it has stood for 18 years. Modern college offenses love to throw, but it’s hard to see this mark falling.
Most Rushing Touchdowns in a Single Game
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Illinois’ recent football history has been checkered, at best, although the recent hiring of veteran NFL coach Lovie Smith shows that the Fighting Illini are serious about gridiron success. Illinois does have some football glory to draw on from its past, however.
Tailback Howard Griffith was a star in the Illinois backfield. On September 22, 1990 against Southern Illinois, he ran wild. Griffith scored an NCAA single-game record eight touchdowns, scoring from 3, 5, 5, 5, 7, 18, 41 and 57 yards out. That record has stood for 25 seasons, and it wouldn’t be stunning if it stood for 25 more, given college coaches’ reluctance to keep star players in games that are totally out of hand.
Most Touchdown Passes in a Game
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The Air Raid passing offense has blossomed across college football in recent years, but it is hardly the first high-profile system to make waves in the game. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Run and Shoot, popularized by coach Mouse Davis, spread across the game and terrorized defenses.
The four-wide receiver, one-back system used receiver motion, moved fast and passed a lot. That passing excess was exemplified on the collegiate level with Houston, which excelled with David Klingler and helped Andre Ware win a Heisman Trophy.
Klingler’s best day came on November 17, 1990 against an overmatched Eastern Washington squad. That day, Houston rolled to an 84-21 win, and Klingler was the star. He threw for 11 touchdowns, an NCAA single-game record. He threw touchdown passes on Houston’s first six drives and was still throwing in the fourth quarter, notching his final touchdown with 12:40 left.
The number alone is eye-popping, but it’s hard to imagine any coach leaving his quarterback in that long and still throwing against a lesser foe. Klingler’s record will stand for a long time.
Single-Season Rushing Yardage
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We all know what a special player Barry Sanders is. The diminutive tailback mystified opposing tacklers and fans during a truncated Hall of Fame career with the Detroit Lions that saw him walk away from the game healthy at 31 years old. But before Sanders wowed NFL fans, he did the same with Oklahoma State.
Sanders claimed the 1988 Heisman Trophy with a season for the ages. In 11 games, he rushed for 2,628 yards with 37 touchdowns, both NCAA single-season records. The most remarkable part of those numbers? They don’t include Sanders’ bowl game stats, which was NCAA protocol during that era. With them, Sanders would have 2,850 yards and 42 rushing scores.
The record has stood for 28 years. In 2014, Melvin Gordon flirted with the record, rushing for 2,587 yards. However, it’s important to note that Gordon did so in 14 games (a 12-game season, the Big Ten title game and the Outback Bowl) while rushing 343 times, one short of Sanders’ 11-game total. As ESPN.com's Jake Trotter wrote, his season stands alone.
"It's obviously the greatest season any individual has had," Oklahoma State coach Pat Jones said. "Maybe in any sport."
In 2015, only two players, Alabama’s Derrick Henry and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey, surpassed the 2000-yard mark. Henry rushed for 2,219 yards but played in 15 games and made 394 rushing attempts. It’s hard to fathom any player touching Sanders’ record, especially if the NCAA ever retroactively adds bowl game stats to his resume.
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