20 college football records that will never be broken

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 /

15 of 20

DETROIT, MI – OCTOBER 18: Barry Sanders during the Pro Football Hall of Fame half time show during the Chicago Bears v Detroit Lions game at Ford Field on October 18, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

6. Individual rushing yards per game in a single season: Barry Sanders, 238.9

As perhaps the most explosive running back in both college and pro football history, Sanders amassed some incredible numbers during his legendary 1988 season that will never be duplicated.

Sanders did not start at running back until the fourth game of his senior year at Wichita North High School, and did not receive many Division I offers as a result. Oklahoma State was the only major program to recruit Sanders, and he joined the Cowboys ahead of the 1986 season.

All-American Thurman Thomas was ahead of Sanders on the depth chart for his first two collegiate seasons, although he did rack up nine touchdowns in 1987. Sanders was finally given the chance to start in 1988 and responded with the most legendary season for a running back in NCAA football history, racking up 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in the regular season alone.

Among the 34 records Sanders set that year, the mark of 238.9 rushing yards per game remains the most unbreakable. Melvin Gordon owns the second-best rushing total in history with 2.587 yards, although he did so in 14 games for an average of 184.8 per contest.

Sanders went on to become a Hall of Famer at the next level and likely could have owned the NFL rushing record had he chosen not to retire just 10 years into his career.

Home/College Football