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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STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 01: A Penn State Nittany Lions helmet sits on the field during warm ups prior to the start of the Nittany Lions game against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium on September 1, 2012 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 01: A Penn State Nittany Lions helmet sits on the field during warm ups prior to the start of the Nittany Lions game against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium on September 1, 2012 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

13. Team rushing yards allowed per game: Penn State, 17

As terrific as Alabama’s rush defense has been during its current dynasty, even Nick Saban can’t construct a unit capable of approaching Penn State’s 1947 unit.

Following a run of eight straight winning seasons under longtime successful head coach Bob Higgins, the Nittany Lions were again expected to be a national contender entering the 1947 campaign. Penn State opened the year with a 27-4 victory over Washington State in what would turn out to be one of the better offensive outputs against the stingy Nittany Lions defense that season.

Three weeks later, Penn State put together one of the more unbelievable defensive box scores in college football history by holding Syracuse to -47 total yards — the worst offensive mark in NCAA history — in a 40-0 win. The Nittany Lions tied No. 4 SMU in the Cotton Bowl to finish the season at 9-0-1 while allowing just four points per game, with only the Mustangs and West Virginia managing to score more than once.

Penn State’s run defense was the driving force behind the legendary unit by surrendering all of 17 yards on the ground per game, still the best mark in NCAA history. For comparison’s sake, Alabama allowed 63.9 rush yards per game in 2016 to lead the nation by a healthy amount, and no run defense has dipped below the 40 yards per game mark in the past decade.

The 1947 unit also set a third record that will likely stand forever by allowing 0.64 yards per rush. As All-American honors were reserved for the offensive side of the ball at the time, no Nittany Lions defender earned any individual accolades.

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