The Comprehensive Guide to NCAA Record Books

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) serves as the governing body for college sports in the United States, and its record books are a testament to the incredible achievements of student-athletes across various sports and divisions. These record books contain a wealth of information, ranging from single-game milestones to career accomplishments, offering a detailed look at the history and evolution of college athletics. A deep dive into the NCAA record book reveals not just statistics, but stories of dedication, perseverance, and extraordinary talent.

What are NCAA Record Books?

NCAA record books are comprehensive compilations of athletic achievements across various sports and divisions. They include single-game, season, and career records, as well as coaching records, conference standings, statistical leaders from previous seasons, and award winners. Game schedules are typically excluded. These books are resources for sports fans, historians, and analysts, providing a detailed overview of collegiate athletic accomplishments.

Accessibility of NCAA Records

This information is readily available online through the NCAA's official websites, including NCAAPublications.com, NCAA.com, and NCAA.org. The accessibility of these records caters to a wide audience, from casual fans to seasoned sports analysts.

Key Elements Found in NCAA Record Books

Single-Game Records: These highlight exceptional performances in individual games.
Season Records: These reflect achievements over an entire season.
Career Records: These showcase long-term accomplishments throughout an athlete's collegiate career.
Coaching Records: These acknowledge the success and impact of coaches.
Conference Standings: These provide an overview of team performance within their respective conferences.
Statistical Leaders: These identify the top performers in various statistical categories from previous seasons.
Award Winners: These recognize outstanding athletes and their achievements.

NCAA Football Records: A Detailed Overview

Single-Game Passing Records

The NCAA record books are filled with remarkable passing performances. Here’s a look at some of the most impressive single-game passing records across different divisions:

FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision): The record for most passing yards in a single game is 819, set by Patrick Mahomes of Texas Tech against Oklahoma on October .
FCS (Football Championship Subdivision): Taylor Heinicke of Old Dominion threw for 791 yards against New Hampshire on September .
Division II: J. J. Harp of Eastern New Mexico recorded 681 passing yards against Southeastern Oklahoma on September .
Division III: Sam Durley of Eureka threw for 719 yards against Knox on September .

These records underscore the evolution of passing offenses in college football, highlighting quarterbacks who have achieved extraordinary single-game performances.

Read also: Unbreakable Records

Single-Game Rushing Records

Rushing records reflect the power and athleticism of running backs.

FBS: Samaje Perine of Oklahoma rushed for 427 yards against Kansas on November .
FCS: Maurice Hicks of North Carolina A&T ran for 437 yards against Morgan State on October .
Division II: Connor Silveria of South Dakota Mines rushed for 425 yards against Adams State on October.
Division III: Montie Quinn of Curry rushed for 522 yards against Nichols on October.

Jaleel McLaughlin is noted as the NCAA's all-time leading rusher, an achievement that highlights consistent excellence over his entire career.

Single-Game Rushing Yards by a Quarterback

Quarterbacks who excel in rushing can significantly impact a game.

FBS: Khalil Tate of Arizona rushed for 327 yards against Colorado on October .
FCS: Matthew Sluka of Holy Cross rushed for 330 yards against Lafayette on October.
Division II: Shawn Graves of Wofford rushed for 323 yards against Lenoir-Rhyne on September.
Division III: Matt Roe of Augustana (IL) rushed for 342 yards against Wheaton (IL) on November.

Single-Game Touchdown Records

Scoring touchdowns is the ultimate goal in football, and some players have achieved remarkable feats in single games.

FBS: Howard Griffith of Illinois scored 8 touchdowns against Southern Illinois on September 22, 1990, and Kalen Ballage of Arizona State scored 8 touchdowns against Texas Tech on September 10, 2016; Jaret Patterson, Buffalo vs..
FCS: Omar Cuff of Delaware scored 7 touchdowns against William & Mary on August 30, 2007; Jessie Burton of McNeese State scored 7 touchdowns against Southern Utah on September 19, 1998; Archie Amerson of Northern Arizona scored 7 touchdowns against Weber State on October.
Division II: Paul Zaeske of North Park scored 8 touchdowns against North Central (IL) on October 12, 1968; Junior Wolf of Oklahoma Panhandle scored 8 touchdowns against St. Mary (KS) on November.
Division III: Carey Bender of Coe scored 8 touchdowns against Beloit on November.

Highest Passing Efficiency Rating

Passing efficiency ratings provide a comprehensive measure of a quarterback's performance, considering completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage, and interception percentage.

Read also: Deep Dive into NCAA Basketball

FBS: Tim Clifford, Indiana vs Colorado, 1980 with a rating of 403.4 (min. 12 attempts); Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo vs Buffalo, 2003 with a rating of 317.4 (min. 25 attempts); Geno Smith, West Virginia vs Baylor, 2012 with a rating of 248.0 (min.
FCS: Taryn Christion, South Dakota State vs Arkansas Pine-Bluff, 2018 with a rating of 409.9 (min.

Highest Completion Percentage

Accuracy is key for quarterbacks, and these records highlight the most precise passers in college football history.

FBS: Kyle Allen of Houston completed 93.9% of his passes against Rice on September 16, 2017 (min. 30 completions); Greyson Lambert of Georgia completed 96.0% of his passes against South Carolina, September 18, 2015 (min.. Seth Doege of Texas Tech completed 90.6% of his passes against New Mexico, Sep. 17, 2011 (min. 40 completions).
FCS: Ricky Santos of New Hampshire completed 96.2% of his passes against Northeastern, Oct. 22, 2005 (min.. Taron Dickens, Western Carolina vs. Wofford, Oct. 4, 2025 completed 94.6% of his passes (min. 30 completions).
Division II: Zack Eskridge, Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville, Oct. 17, 2009 completed 96.0% of his passes (min.. Lance Parker of Ouachita Baptist completed 90.0% of his passes against Southwest Baptist, Oct. 25, 2008 (min. 35 completions).
Division III: Mark Petruziello, John Carroll vs. Thomas More, Sep. 6, 2008 completed 95.5% of his passes (min.. Ian Kolste of Whitworth completed 84.9% of his passes against George Fox, Oct. 1, 2016 (min. 35 completions).

Single-Game Passing Attempts

The number of passing attempts in a single game can indicate a team's offensive strategy.

FBS: Connor Halliday of Washington State attempted 89 passes against .
FCS: Jeremy Moses of Stephen F. Austin attempted 85 passes against Sam Houston State on November.
Division II: J. J. Harp of Eastern New Mexico attempted 94 passes against Southeastern Oklahoma on September.
Division III: Evan Jones of Carthage attempted 84 passes against North Central (IL) on Oct. 17, 2009; Mackenzie McGrady of Alma attempted 84 passes against Wisconsin-River Falls on Sep. 26, 2009; McCallum Foote of Middlebury attempted 84 passes against Amherst on October.

Single Game Completions

Completing a high number of passes in a single game demonstrates a quarterback's ability to connect with receivers consistently.

FBS: Connor Halliday, Washington State vs Cal, Oct. 4, 2014 with 58 completions; Andy Schmitt, Eastern Michigan vs. Central Michigan, Nov. 28, 2008; Connor Halliday, Washington State vs. Oregon, Oct.
FCS: Jeremy Moses, Stephen F. Austin vs. Sam Houston State, Nov. with 57 completions.
Division II: J. J. Harp, Eastern New Mexico vs. Southeastern Oklahoma, Sep. with 64 completions.
Division III: Bryan Peterson, Whitworth vs. La Verne, Sep. with 58 completions.

Single-Game Receptions

Making numerous receptions in a single game highlights a receiver's ability to get open and make plays.

FBS: Troy Edwards of Louisiana Tech had 20 receptions vs. Nebraska, Aug.
FCS: Kassim Osgood of Cal Poly had 19 receptions vs. Northern Iowa, Nov.
Division II: Trey McVay of Northeastern State had 20 receptions vs. Harding, Oct.
Division III: Lewis Howes of Principia had 19 receptions vs. Martin Luther, Oct.

Career Statistics

Career statistics provide a comprehensive view of an athlete's accomplishments over their entire college career. These records reflect consistency, longevity, and exceptional performance over multiple seasons.

Career Passing Yardage

Accumulating significant passing yardage over a career requires both talent and durability. The career passing yardage records showcase quarterbacks who have consistently performed at a high level.

Division II: Jeff Williams, Adams State, 2002-2005 with 10,780 passing yards (min.
Division II (Single Season): Luke Jones, New Mexico Highlands, 2016 with 3,686 passing yards (min.

Career Rushing Yardage

Sustained excellence in rushing is a hallmark of great running backs.

FBS (Single Game): Charlie Calhoun, Texas Tech vs. Centenary (LA) Nov. with 1,318 rushing yards.
Division III (Single Game): Drew Shipley, Minnesota Morris vs. with 336 rushing yards.

Career Interceptions

Defensive players who consistently intercept passes are invaluable to their teams.

FBS (Single Game): Oklahoma St. vs. Detroit, Nov. 28, 1942 and UCLA vs. California, Oct. with 10 interceptions.
NCAA (Single Game): St. Cloud State College vs Bemidji, Oct. 31, 1970 with 11 interceptions.
FBS (Individual Single Game): Lee Cook, Oklahoma St. vs. Detroit, Nov. 28, 1942; Walt Pastuszak, Brown vs. Rhode Island, Oct. 8, 1949; Byron Beaver, Houston vs. Baylor, Sep. 22, 1962; Dan Rebsch, Miami (OH) vs. Western Mich., Nov. with 5 interceptions.
FCS (Individual Single Game): Mark Cordes, Eastern Washington vs. Boise State, Sep. 6, 1986; Michael Richardson, Northwestern State vs. Southeastern Louisiana, Nov. 12, 1983; Karl Johnson, Jackson State vs. Grambling, Oct. with 5 interceptions.
NCAA (Individual Single Game): Bill Trewick, St. Cloud State vs. Bemidji, Oct. and Gary Evans, Truman vs. Missouri S&T, Oct. with 5 interceptions.
Division III (Individual Single Game): 11 players with 5 interceptions. Most recent: James Patrick, Stillman vs. Edward Waters, Nov. Oct.

Career Tackles

Making a high number of tackles over a career demonstrates a player's consistent defensive impact.

FBS (Single Game): West Texas State vs, Wichita State , Oct. with 32 tackles.
FCS (Single Game): Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham vs. Nebraska, Sep. with 31 tackles.
Division II (Single Game): Kevin Kilroy, Missouri Western vs. with 30 tackles and Shaun Maloney, Minnesota-Morris vs. Minnesota State Moorhead, Oct. with 30 tackles.
Division III (Single Game): Keith LaDu, Oberlin vs. with 31 tackles.

Punting Records

Punting is a crucial aspect of field position, and these records highlight the best punters in college football history.

Punting Average

Achieving a high punting average requires a combination of power and precision.

FBS (Career): Todd Sauerbrun, West Virginia, 1991-94 with 46.3 average (150-199 punts); Ryan Stonehouse, Colorado State, 2017-21 with 47.8 average (200-249 punts); Tory Taylor, Iowa, 2020-23 with 46.3 average (min.
FCS (Career): Mark Gould, Northern Arizona, 2000-03 with 44.8 average (min.
Division III (Career): Jeff Shea, Cal Lutheran, 1994-97 with 43.4 average (min.
FBS (Season): Matt Araiza, San Diego State, 2021 with 51.19 average (min.
FCS (Season): Mark Gould, Northern Arizona, 2002 with 48.2 average (min.
Division II (Season): Taylor Accardi, Colorado School of Mines, 2012 with 51.1 average (min. 30 punts); Taylor Accardi, Colorado School of Mines, 2011 with 48.5 average (min.
Division III (Season): Ryan Anderson, Olivet, 2016 with 46.2 average (min.
FBS (Single Game): Braden Mann, Texas A&M vs. Alabama, Sep. 22, 2018 with 60.8 average (5-9 punts); Jim Benien, Oklahoma State vs. Colorado, Nov. 13, 1971 with 53.6 average (min.
FCS (Single Game): Eddie Johnson, Idaho State vs. Cal Poly, Nov. 16, 2002 with 61.5 average (5-9 punts); Stuart Dodds, Montana State vs. Northern Arizona, Oct. 20, 1979 with 52.2 average (min.
Division II (Single Game): Tim Baer, Colorado Mines vs. Fort Lewis, Oct. 25, 1986 with 57.5 average (min.
Division III (Single Game): Danny Breslow, Kumeyaay vs. Tierrasanta, Nov. 1, 1999 with 58.4 average (min.

Kick and Punt Return Records

Returning kicks and punts for touchdowns requires speed, agility, and vision.

FBS (Kick Return): Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma vs. UCLA, Sep. with 3 kick return touchdowns.
FCS (Kick Return): Zuriel Smith, Hampton vs. Virginia State, Sep. 22, 2001; Aaron Fix, Canisius vs. Siena, Sep. with 3 kick return touchdowns.
Division II (Kick Return): Virgil Seay, Troy vs. West Alabama, Sep. 29, 1979; Billy Johnson, Widener vs. St. John's (NY), Sep. 23, 1972; Bobby Ahu, Hawaii vs. Linfield, Nov. 15, 1969; Tom Shockley, Adams State vs. Colo Mines, Nov. with 3 kick return touchdowns.
Division III (Kick Return): John Conroy, Otterbein vs. Heidelberg, Nov. with 3 kick return touchdowns.
FBS (Punt Return): Victor Bolden, Oregon State vs. Washington, Nov. with 12 punt returns.
FCS (Punt Return): Eric Slenk, Valparaiso vs. Jacksonville, Oct. with 12 punt returns.
Division II (Punt Return): Johnny Cox, Fort Lewis vs. Mesa State, Nov. with 12 punt returns.
Division III (Punt Return): Arlie Myers, Nebraska Wesleyan vs. Morningside, Sep. with 14 punt returns.

Interception Return Yardage

Gaining significant yardage on interception returns can change the momentum of a game.

FBS: Ashley Lee, Virginia Tech vs. Vanderbilt, Nov. with 182 interception return yards.
FCS: Keiron Bigby, Brown vs. Yale, Sep. with 216 interception return yards.
Division II: Quintez Smith, Shaw vs. Elizabeth City State, Aug. with 194 interception return yards.
Division III: Rick Conner, McDaniel vs. Dickinson, Oct. with 164 interception return yards.

Additional NCAA Records and Information

Consecutive Games with a Reception

FBS: C. J. with 7 consecutive games.
FCS: Lindsey Scott Jr. with 71 consecutive games.

Fewest Interceptions Thrown

Protecting the ball is crucial for quarterbacks.

FBS: Matt Blundin, Virginia, 1991 with 0.0% interception rate (150-349 attempts); Kellen Moore, Boise State, 2009 with 0.70% interception rate (min.
FCS: Trey Lance, North Dakota State, 2019 with 0.00% interception rate (150-349 attempts); Pat Devlin, Delaware, 2010 with 0.78% interception rate (min.
Division II: Billy Cundiff, Ashland, 2009 with 0.32% interception rate (min.
Division III: Matt Behrendt, Wisconsin-Whitewater, 2013 with 0.2% interception rate (min.

Consecutive Pass Completions

Completing a high number of passes in a row demonstrates a quarterback's accuracy and consistency.

FBS: Dominique Davis, East Carolina, last 10 attempts vs. Memphis, Oct. 15, 2011 and first 26 vs. Navy, Oct. with 36 consecutive completions.
Division II: Mike Ganey, Allegheny, last 16 attempts vs. Carnegie Mellon, Oct. 9, 1967 and first seven attempts vs. Oberlin, Oct. with 23 consecutive completions.
Division III: Chris Edwards, Washington & Jefferson. last eight attempts vs. Hanover, Sep. 10, 2005 and first 21 attempts vs. Allegheny, Sep. with 29 consecutive completions.

Longest Field Goals

Kicking long field goals requires exceptional leg strength and accuracy.

FBS: Milton Hill, Texas Tech vs. with 20 yards.
FCS: Peter Athans, Sacred Heart vs. with 11 yards.
Division II: David Nelson, Ferris State vs. with 12 yards.
Division III: Ellis Wangelin, Wisconsin-River Falls vs. with 10 yards.

USTFCCCA Collegiate All-Time Lists

The USTFCCCA (United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) maintains comprehensive lists of the best performances in collegiate history. These lists include marks achieved by eligible student-athletes who attended NCAA or NAIA four-year colleges and universities.

Criteria for Inclusion

Performances must occur prior to the end of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in a given year to be considered in-season and listed as official bests.
Performances from outside the collegiate season are included on a supplemental list, provided the athlete used a year of eligibility for the sport within the calendar year or has eligibility remaining.
Indoor performances on oversized tracks are placed on a supplemental list.
Wind-aided performances are also placed on a supplemental list.

Key Details

The top 10 performers and performances are tracked.
Mistakes and omissions can occur, and corrections and additions are welcome.
Various sources aid in building these lists.

NCAA Publications

The NCAA offers a variety of publications that appeal to both novice and experienced sports fans. These include:

Record Books: Contain single-game, season, and career records, coaching records, conference standings, statistical leaders from previous seasons, and award winners.
Men's Lacrosse Records: A compilation of men's lacrosse records updated with the most current facts.
All-Time Tournament Brackets: Includes tournament milestones, all-time Final Four rosters, coaches' records, team and individual records, and other interesting facts about the nation's premier sporting events.

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