Fansided

20 college football records that will never be broken

By Nathaniel Reeves

7 Nov 1998: Head coach Bobby Bowden of the Florida State Seminoles looks on as players celebrate during the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at the Doak Campell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Cavaliers 45-14. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Allsport
7 Nov 1998: Head coach Bobby Bowden of the Florida State Seminoles looks on as players celebrate during the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at the Doak Campell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Cavaliers 45-14. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Allsport /
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NORMAN, OK – DECEMBER 3: A member of the Oklahoma Sooners spirit squad waves a wet flag after a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys December 3, 2016 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 38-20 to become Big XII champions. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK – DECEMBER 3: A member of the Oklahoma Sooners spirit squad waves a wet flag after a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys December 3, 2016 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 38-20 to become Big XII champions. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

10. Team rushing yards per game: Oklahoma, 472.4

While passing records are constantly falling every year in college football, Oklahoma’s decades-old team rushing record appears to be quite safe.

Oklahoma hadn’t quite returned to glory of the Bud Wilkinson days by the early 1970s, but were quickly perfecting the wishbone offense under coordinator Barry Switzer. With terrific option quarterback Jack Mildren set to enter his senior year, Oklahoma offered plenty of promise heading into the 1971 season.

The Sooners shattered expectations by piling up an eye-popping 472.4 yards per contest en route to an 11-1 record and No. 2 AP ranking at the end of the season, their highest since 1956. Nebraska was the only opponent to keep Oklahoma under 300 yards on the ground, while a Sooners rusher eclipsed the 100-yard mark 18 different times.

Greg Pruitt led Oklahoma with 1,760 yards and 18 touchdowns on just 196 attempts, while Mildren piled up 1,298 yards and 20 scores himself. Even option teams like the service academies and Georgia Tech can’t come anywhere close to that number, as the 1971 Sooners gained nearly 50 yards per game more on the ground then the 1987 Oklahoma squad. the second-best rushing team in history.

Mildren played three years in the NFL as a defensive back, while Pruitt stared at the next level with five Pro Bowl nods between the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Raiders.

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