This past Sunday, the sporting world turned to the ice to witness 'The Great 8' surpass 'The Great One' as the NHL's all-time leading scorer.
When Wayne Gretzky retired in 1999, it was a foregone conclusion that his 894 career goals would never be topped. Some even considered it the greatest and most unbeatable record in all of sports. That was until Sunday, when Alexander Ovechkin roofed a wrister for career goal 895.
As the saying goes, records are meant to be broken. But as we shift our focus to the gridiron, there are several that will likely stand forever.
Join me as we visit the college football records that are least likely to be broken.
Most Combined Punts in a Single Game - 77
November 11th, 1939 produced one the most incredible games in college football history. Amidst a torrential downpour in Shreveport, Louisiana, Texas Tech and Centenary College combined for 77 punts and a total of zero points.
Why this will never be broken: This hard-to-believe record was not only a product of the weather, but more importantly the style of play at the time. Offenses relied almost entirely on the run, and given the weather, these teams decided it was safer to simply punt the ball away rather than handing it off. This resulted in an incredible 67 punts occurring on first down.
Largest Margin of Victory - 222 Points
There's several records we could highlight from the infamous 222-0 Georgia Tech win over Cumberland College in 1916, but let's go with margin of victory.
Why will this never be broken: It's been over 20 years since a team at any level of college football has scored 100 points in a single game, much less 200+ while also pitching a shutout. Congratulations Yellow Jackets, your record will stand for eternity.
Rushing Yards Per Game (FBS) - 238.9
Barry Sanders' junior season at Oklahoma State is considered by many to be the single greatest season in college football history. Barry rushed for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in just 11 games, running away with the Heisman Trophy.
Why this will never be broken: For comparison, Ashton Jeanty just completed one the greatest seasons for a running back the sport has even seen. In 14 games, Jeanty eclipsed Barry's average mark of 238 yards just twice. An incredible season, yet miles away from Barry's record.
Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game (FBS) - 15.3
Over 10 games in 1947, Penn State's historic defense allowed a remarkable 153 total yards rushing, for an average of 15.3 per game. No team has, nor will likely ever come close to eclipsing this mark.
Why this will never be broken: In today's game, allowing under 100 yards rushing per game puts you in the 'elite defense' category. The leader in this category over the past 10 seasons is the 2021 Wisconsin Badgers, who allowed only 65.4 yards / game. That is still lightyears away from the record.
Longest Touchdown - 109 Yards
This one may be cheating. The most notable 109-yard touchdown goes to Chris Davis and Auburn, during the 'Kick Six'. One of the most amazing plays in college football history is also the longest.
Why this will never be broken: Math.