The Top 20 Single-Game Performances in College Football of 2014

Understandably, the theme of 2014 will be the first College Football Playoff.

The new postseason format represented a seismic shift in the sport, and even if the playoff expands beyond four teams, college football won’t be the same again.

Thanks to 2014, the record books won’t be the same either.

The single game rushing record that stood for 15 years fell — twice. So did the single-game passing record. Same with school records both offensively and defensively.

Make no mistake, the 2014 season will be memorable for reasons beyond the first final four in the sport.

Here are the 20 individual performances we’ll remember most.

1. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

Nov. 15 vs. Nebraska 59-24

Records in college football fall seemingly every couple of weeks. School records, conference records, streaks, passing and receiving numbers. Every now and then, though, some records are more special than others. TCU’s LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 406 yards against UTEP in a game in 1999. For all of the offensive explosions in the ensuing 15 years, no one broke that mark. When Melvin Gordon did it, he needed only three quarters and against a storied program to boot. Gordon rushed for 408 yards and four touchdowns on only 25 carries in three quarters against Nebraska. Though Gordon never touched Barry Sanders’ single season rushing record — which seemed a possibility for a time — Gordon put together a game and a season for the ages.

2. Samaje Perine, Oklahoma

Nov. 22 vs. Kansas

LaDainian Tomlinson’s rushing record got its learner’s permit. Gordon’s record never got a stroller. A week after Gordon broke LT’s single-game record, a freshman from Oklahoma broke Gordon’s. Perine became the first back to rush for 200 yards in each half against an opponent with a new record of 427 yards and five touchdowns on 34 carries against Kansas. Perine’s game will stand as the record, but his nine more carries against a lesser opponent will keep him as No. 2 to Gordon in the eye test.

3. Marcus Mariota, Oregon

Sept. 6 vs. Michigan State

Mariota’s Heisman moment occurred early, though he added plenty more as the season went along. After falling behind 27-18 to the reigning Big Ten champions, Mariota took over in the second half for 28 unanswered points in a 46-27 win. Mariota completed 17-of-28 passes for 318 yards with three touchdowns, numbers that don’t often occur against the Spartans’ defense. Mariota put up the second-highest passing total against Michigan State since 2010 and the fourth-highest efficiency rating.

4. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State

Sept. 20 vs. LSU

Although LSU did not have a vintage season, wins over the Tigers, especially on the road at night still carry considerable weight. In a 34-29 win that wasn’t as close as the score indicated, Prescott led Mississippi State to a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter that put the Bulldogs on the national scene and the quarterback in the Heisman race. Prescott completed 15-of-24 passes for 268 yards with two touchdowns while rushing for 105 yards and a score on 22 carries.

5. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State

Nov. 8 vs. Michigan State

When Ohio State looks back at its 2014 season, the win over Michigan State will be the turning point. Before Nov. 8, the Buckeyes’ loss to Virginia Tech seemed too much to overcome for a playoff bid, and J.T. Barrett was still a precocious redshirt freshman who had done an admirable job stepping in for Braxton Miller. Barrett, though, became a Heisman candidate and Ohio State became a playoff possibility after a 49-37 win in East Lansing. Barrett completed 16-of-26 passes for 300 yards with three touchdowns for the third-best efficiency rating against the Spartans’ D since 2010. Barrett also rushed for 86 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.

6. Amari Cooper, Alabama

Nov. 29 vs. Auburn

How much of a sure thing was Amari Cooper in 2014? Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin started celebrating his touchdown before he even caught the pass. That’s how automatic Cooper is in single coverage. In an unprecedented Iron Bowl shootout, Cooper caught 13 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns, including the 75-yard score that spurred Kiffin’s celebration.

7. Bryce Petty, Baylor

Oct. 11 vs. TCU

Hard to believe, but at one point this season, Bryce Petty looked like a shadow of last season’s Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. That changed with a shootout with TCU, a shootout that became one-sided after Baylor scored 24 unanswered points in the fourth quarter in a 61-58 win. Petty completed 28-of-55 passes for 510 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions and led Baylor to the highest yardage total (782) against a Gary Patterson-coached team.

8. Jalen Ramsey, Florida State

Nov. 15 vs. Miami 30-26

Could the best performance by a Florida State player in 2014 have come from a safety? In our eyes, yes. Sophomore Jalen Ramsey was Florida State’s top playmaker in a 30-26 win over Miami, the closest the Seminoles came to losing this season. Ramsey had a forced fumble, an interception, a tackle for a loss and four pass breakups in the 30-26 win. Perhaps most important, his blocked extra point in the fourth quarter came in handy as Miami tried to drive in the fourth quarter for a game-winning TD rather than a game-tying field goal.

9. Todd Gurley, Georgia

Aug. 30 vs. Clemson

Gurley’s season may be more remembered for the misfortune that surrounded him this season — the suspension related to NCAA rules and the torn ACL. Yet when he played, Gurley was arguably the top player in the country, or at least the top player East of Eugene. Gurley flashed that in the opener with 198 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries in a 45-21 win. By adding a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Gurley set a personal best with 293 all-purpose yards, a mark he nearly matched with 285 yards on Sept. 27 against Tennessee.

10. Scooby Wright, Arizona

Nov. 28 vs. Arizona State

Like many players on this list, Scooby Wright has a number of performances in the discussion for his best of the year. Our pick is the linebacker’s effort in a 42-35 win over Arizona State that, thanks to UCLA’s loss to Stanford, clinched a trip to the Pac-12 title game. Wright finished that game with 13 tackles, five tackles for a loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.

11. Cardale Jones, Ohio State

Dec. 6 vs. Wisconsin

Other performances were more prolific and more dramatic, but arguably no performance was more important that Cardale Jones’ first start. The chair of the selection committee indicated that Jones’ performance against Wisconsin in place of injured starter J.T. Barrett would be watched closely for playoff consideration. Jones was near perfect, completing 12-of-17 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns in a 59-0 rout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game to clinch a playoff spot for the Buckeyes.

12. Connor Halliday, Washington State

Oct. 4 vs. Cal

Here’s a scary thought: Connor Halliday played only eight games from start to finish and still had three of the top eight single-game passing totals this season. None was more prolific this season — or any season in college football history — than his record 734 passing yards and six touchdowns in a 60-59 loss to Cal.

13. Josh Dobbs, Tennessee

Nov. 1 vs. South Carolina 

Tennessee fans will be forever grateful for Josh Dobbs being the quarterback who finally got the Volunteers over the hump. After many close calls and bizarre finishes, Tennessee was finally on the winning end in a 45-42 overtime win over South Carolina. Dobbs completed 23-of-40 passes for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while rushing for 166 yards and three touchdowns against the Gamecocks. He led scoring drives of 75 and 85 yards in the final 1:50 to send the game to overtime.

14. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska

Oct. 25 vs. Rutgers 

It takes a significant effort for a Nebraska running back to set new school records. Abdullah did that in a 42-24 win over Rutgers with 341 all-purpose yards, a school record and the fifth-highest total of the season. Abdullah rushed for 225 yards on only 19 carries and returned a kickoff 76 yards. Abdullah rushed for touchdowns of 53, 48 and 23 yards in the rout.

15. Shaq Thompson, Washington

Sept. 13 vs. Illinois

Before Thompson became a full-time running back, he was content to score touchdowns on the defensive side of the ball. He still rushed for 16 yards in this game, but he added a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 52-yard fumble return for a score in the 31-7 win.

16. Clint Trickett, West Virginia

Sept. 13 vs. Maryland 

West Virginia had trouble staying in the conversation of Big 12 turnarounds with what happened at TCU this season, but the Mountaineers' return to the postseason was impressive, too. Trickett got things started by completing 37-of-49 passes for 511 yards with an interception in a 40-37 win over Maryland.

17. Marcus Mariota, Oregon

Dec. 5 vs. Arizona

Mariota wrapped up his Heisman campaign with the kind of performance that’s pretty much the norm for him. In a 51-13 win over Arizona, avenging the Ducks’ only loss of the season, Mariota completed 25-of-38 passes for 313 yards, two touchdowns, and, of course, no interceptions. He also rushed for three touchdowns.

18. Kenny Hill, Texas A&M

Aug. 28 vs. South Carolina 

The Aggies flipped the script on the SEC before the first Saturday of the season. Kenny Hill was the star of September, completing 44-of-60 passes for 511 yards with three touchdowns in a 52-28 rout of South Carolina. Alas, he and A&M didn’t stay on top all year.

19. Brandon Doughty, Western Kentucky

Nov. 28 vs. Marshall

Credit goes to Western Kentucky coach Jeff Brohm for the guts to go for 2 in the first overtime, but credit Brandon Doughty for converting in a 67-66 win over Marshall to spoil the Thundering Herd’s undefeated season. Doughty went toe-to-toe with Rakeem Cato, completing 34-of-50 passes for 481 yards with eight touchdown passes and two interceptions.

20. Tevin Coleman, Indiana

Nov. 22 vs Ohio State 

Indiana would have had yet another forgettable season if not for a herculean effort from Tevin Coleman, who topped 2,000 rushing yards this season. His finest performance may have been his 228 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries against Ohio State. Without its first-string quarterback, Indiana still gave Ohio State all it could handle thanks to Coleman before the Buckeyes pulled away for a 42-27 win.