Fansided

25 college football records that will never be broken

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Oct 4, 2014; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Connor Halliday (12) gives the students high fives prior to a game against the California Golden Bears at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2014; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Connor Halliday (12) gives the students high fives prior to a game against the California Golden Bears at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 29, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Texas Tech Red Raiders helmet before the game between the Baylor Bears and the Red Raiders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Texas Tech Red Raiders helmet before the game between the Baylor Bears and the Red Raiders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

And you thought they punted a lot in the Big Ten.

In 1939, Texas Tech and Centenary College met in Shreveport, Louisiana in weather conditions that would likely result in the cancellation of the game were it to be played today. Heavy storms left the field at Centenary a muddy mess, and both teams quickly abandoned plans to move the ball on offense, and the 0-0 tie became legendary as the game “when punts rained from the sky.”

The Red Raiders and Gents took turns punting  77 times hoping that they would be able to recover the ball after the return man touched it. Tech punter Charlie Calhoun punted 36 times, including 33 times on first down, which are some of the 13 NCAA records that still stand today – for a staggering 1,318 punt yards. That figure actually includes negative yards from one punt that was blocked, as the rules dictated at the time, so Calhoun would have been credited with even more yardage under today’s rules.

For comparison’s sake, Georgia Tech punted 32 times for 1,285 yards in all of 2014. Texas Tech punted 54 times for 2,303 yards last season.

Other records set that day include 20 punt returns by Texas Tech’s Milton Hill, which also stands as a record for the most combined punt returns and kick returns in one game. Texas Tech returned 22 punts and the teams combined for 42 returns. The Red Raiders set a record for the fewest offensive plays run in one game (12) and Centenary is credited for allowing the fewest number of offensive plays. The teams combined for 33 total plays, 28 rushing plays, and 30 total yards, all of which still stand as official NCAA records. Needless to say, more records were set in this one game than any other in history.

Next: 222-0

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