List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders

"Slingin" Sammy Baugh

The list of college football yearly passing and total offense leaders identifies the major college passing leaders for each season from 1937 to the present. It includes yearly leaders in three statistical categories: (1) passing yardage; (2) passing touchdowns; and (3) passer rating.

Overview

The NCAA record for passing yards in a single season has been broken nine times since 1937: by Davey O'Brien in 1938 with 1,457 yards; by Stan Heath in 1948 with 2,005 yards; by Don Trull in 1963 with 2,157 yards; by Jerry Rhome in 1964 with 2,870 yards; by Billy Anderson in 1965 with 3,464 yards; by Jim McMahon in 1980 with 4,571 yards; by Andre Ware in 1989 with 4,699 yards; by Ty Detmer in 1990 with 5,188 yards; and by B. J. Symons in 2003 with 5,833 yards.

Only six players have led the NCAA in passing yardage in multiple seasons. They are: Case Keenum in 2009 and 2011; Graham Harrell in 2007 and 2008; Colt Brennan in 2005 and 2006; Tim Rattay in 1998 and 1999; Ty Detmer in 1990 and 1991; and Jim McMahon in 1980 and 1981.

Leading programs

Case Keenum

Programs with multiple passing leaders (in any of the three categories) include:

Passing leaders

Key
= Winner of that year's Heisman Trophy
* = Winner of that year's Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top college passer
# = Winner of that year's Davey O'Brien Award as the best NCAA quarterback
Bold = Figure established an NCAA major college record

Year Name Passing yards Name Passing TDs Name Passer rating
1937Billy Patterson[2]
(Baylor)
1109
1938Davey O'Brien[3]
(TCU)
1457 Davey O'Brien19[4]
1939Kay Eakin[5]
(Arkansas)
962
1940Johnny Supulski[6]
(Manhattan)
1190 Paul Christman
(Missouri)
13
1941Bud Schwenk[7]
(Wash. U.-MO)
1457
1942Paul Governali[8]
(Columbia)
1442
1943R. Hoernschemeyer[9]
(Indiana)
1133
1944Paul Rickards[10]
(Pittsburgh)
997
1945Al Dekdebrun[11]
(Texas)
1227
1946Bobby Layne[12]
(Texas)
1122Bill Mackrides[12]
(Nevada)
17Bill Mackrides[13]176.9
1947[14]Fred Enke
(Arizona)
1406Charlie Conerly
(Ole Miss)
18Bobby Layne[13]
(Texas)
138.9
1948[15]Stan Heath
(Nevada)
2005Stan Heath22Stan Heath157.2
1949[16]Tom O'Malley
(Cincinnati)
1617Buddy Lox
(Wm. & Mary)
18Bob Williams[13]
(Notre Dame)
159.1
1950[17]Don Heinrich
(Washington)
1846Babe Parilli
(Kentucky)
23Claude Arnold[13]
(Oklahoma)
157.3
1951[18]Don Klosterman
(Loyola-LA)
1843Babe Parilli
(Kentucky)
19Dick Kazmaier[13]
(Princeton)
155.3
1952[19]Zeke Bratkowski
(Georgia)
1824Johnny Borton
(Ohio State)
15Ron Morris[13]
(Tulsa)
177.4
1953[20]Bobby Garrett
(Stanford)
1637Bobby Garrett17Bobby Garrett[13]142.2
1954[21]Paul Larson
(California)
1537Len Dawson
(Purdue)
15Pete Vann[13]
(Army)
166.5
1955George Welsh
(Navy)[22]
1319Tie8George Welsh[13]146.1
1956[23]John Brodie
(Stanford)
1633John Brodie12Tom Flores[13]
(Pacific)
147.5
1957[24]Lee Grosscup
(Utah)
1398Ken Ford
(Hardin-Simmons)
14Lee Grosscup[13]175.5
1958[25]Randy Duncan
(Iowa)
1397Randy Duncan12John Hangartner[13]
(Arizona St.)
150.1
1959[26]Dick Norman*
(Stanford)
1963Charley Johnson
(New Mexico St.)
18Charley Johnson[13]135.7
1960[27]Norm Snead
(Wake Forest)
1676Charley Johnson
(New Mexico St.)
13Eddie Wilson[13]
(Arizona)
140.8
1961[28]Ron Miller
(Wisconsin)
1487Chon Gallegos
(San Jose St.)
14Ron DiGravio[13]
(Purdue)
140.1
1962[29]George Mira
(Miami-FL)
1893Tie15John Jacobs[13]
(Arizona St.)
153.9
1963[30]Don Trull*
(Baylor)
2157Tie16Bob Berry[13]
(Oregon)
164.0
1964[31]Jerry Rhome*
(Tulsa)
2870Jerry Rhome32Jerry Rhome[13]172.6
1965[32]Billy Anderson
(Tulsa)
3464Bill Anderson30Steve Sloan*[33]
(Alabama)
153.8
1966[34]Mark Reed
(Arizona)
2368Bo Burris
(Houston)
22Dewey Warren[33]
(Tennessee)
142.2
1967[35]Sal Olivas
(New Mexico St.)
2225Steve Ramsey
(N. Texas)
21Bill Andrejko[33][36]
(Villanova)
140.6
1968[37]Greg Cook
(Cincinnati)
3272Greg Cook25Brian Dowling[33]
(Yale)
165.8
1969[38]Dennis Shaw
(San Diego St.)
3185Dennis Shaw39Dennis Shaw[33]162.2
1970[39]Jim Plunkett
(Stanford)
2980Brian Sipe
(San Diego St.)
23Jerry Tagge[33]
(Nebraska)
149.0
1971[40]Gary Huff
(Florida St.)
2736Gary Huff23Jerry Tagge
(Nebraska)
150.9
1972[41]Don Strock*
(Va. Tech)
3243Gary Huff
(Florida St.)
25John Hufnagel[33]
(Penn St.)
148.0
1973[42]Jesse Freitas*
(San Diego St.)
2993Danny White
(Ariz. St.)
23Danny White[33]157.4
1974[43]Steve Bartkowski
(California)
2580Tie23Steve Joachim[33]
(Temple)
150.1
1975[44]Craig Penrose
(San Diego St.)
2660Steve Myer
(New Mexico)
21Jim Kubacki[33]
(Harvard)
147.6
1976[45]Gifford Nielsen
(BYU)
3401Gifford Nielsen30Steve Haynes[33]
(La. Tech)
146.9
1977[46]Doug Williams
(Grambling)
3286Doug Williams38Dave Wilson[33]
(Ball St.)
164.2
1978[47]Mike Ford
(SMU)
3007Steve Dils*
(Stanford)
22Paul McDonald[33]
(USC)
152.8
1979[48]Marc Wilson*
(BYU)
3720Marc Wilson29Turk Schonert[49]
(Stanford)
163.0
1980[50]Jim McMahon
(BYU)
4571Jim McMahon47Jim McMahon[49]176.9
1981[51]Sam King
(UNLV)
3778Dan Marino
(Pittsburgh)
37Jim McMahon*#[49]
(BYU)
155.0
1982[52]Todd Dillon
(Long Beach St.)
3517John Elway*
(Stanford)
Jeff Tedford
(Fresno St.)
24Tom Ramsey[49]
(UCLA)
153.5
1983[53]Steve Young*#
(BYU)
3902Steve Young33Steve Young[49]168.5
1984[54]Robbie Bosco*
(BYU)
3875Robbie Bosco33Doug Flutie[49]
(Boston College)
152.9
1985[55] Robbie Bosco
(BYU)
4273Robbie Bosco30Jim Harbaugh[49]
(Michigan)
163.7
1986[56]Mike Perez
(San Jose St.)
3225Vinny Testaverde*#
(Miami-FL)
26Vinny Testaverde[49]165.8
1987[57]Todd Santos
(San Diego St.)
3932Todd Santos26Don McPherson*#[49]
(Syracuse)
164.3
1988[58]Scott Mitchell
(Utah)
4322Scott Mitchell
Steve Walsh*
(Miami-FL)
29Timm Rosenbach
(Washington St.)
162.0
1989[59]Andre Ware#
(Houston)
4699Andre Ware46Ty Detmer[49]
(BYU)
175.6
1990[60]Ty Detmer#
(BYU)
5188David Klingler*
(Houston)
54Shawn Moore[49]
(Virginia)
160.7
1991[61]Ty Detmer*#
(BYU)
4031Troy Kopp
(Pacific)
37Elvis Grbac[49]
(Michigan)
169.0
1992[62]Jimmy Klingler
(Houston)
3818Jimmy Klingler32Elvis Grbac*[49]
(Michigan)
154.2
1993[63]Chris Vargas
(Nevada)
4265Chris Vargas34Trent Dilfer*[49]
(Fresno St.)
173.1
1994[64]John Walsh
(BYU)
3712John Walsh
Mike Maxwell
29Kerry Collins*#[49]
(Penn St.)
172.9
1995[65]Mike Maxwell
(Nevada)
3611Danny Wuerffel*#
(Florida)
35Danny Wuerffel[49]
(Florida)
178.4
1996[66]Josh Wallwork
(Wyoming)
4090Danny Wuerffel#
(Florida)
39Steve Sarkisian*[49]
(BYU)
173.6
1997[67]Ryan Leaf*
(Wash. St.)
3868Chad Pennington
(Marshall)
42Cade McNown[49]
(UCLA)
168.6
1998[68]Tim Rattay
(La. Tech)
4943Tim Rattay46Shaun King
Tulane
183.3
1999[69]Tim Rattay
(La. Tech)
3922Chad Pennington*
(Marshall)
37Michael Vick[49]
(Virginia Tech)
180.4
2000[70]Chris Weinke*#
(Florida St.)
4167Chris Weinke35Bart Hendricks[49]
(Boise St.)
170.6
2001[71]David Carr*
(Fresno St.)
4839David Carr46Rex Grossman[49]
(Florida)
170.8
2002[72]Kliff Kingsbury*
(Texas Tech)
5017Kliff Kingsbury45Brad Banks[49]
(Iowa)
157.1
2003[73]B. J. Symons*
(Texas Tech)
5833B. J. Symons52Philip Rivers[49]
(NC State)
170.5
2004[74]Sonny Cumbie
(Texas Tech)
4742Omar Jacobs
(Bowling Green)
41Stefan LeFors*[49]
(Louisville)
181.7
2005[75]Colt Brennan
(Hawaii)
4301Colt Brennan35Rudy Carpenter[49]
(Arizona St.)
175.0
2006[76]Colt Brennan*
(Hawaii)
5549Colt Brennan58Colt Brennan[49]186.0
2007[77]Graham Harrell*
(Texas Tech)
5705Graham Harrell48Sam Bradford[49]
(Oklahoma)
176.5
2008[78]Graham Harrell
(Texas Tech)
5111Sam Bradford*#
(Oklahoma)
50Sam Bradford[49]180.8
2009[79]Case Keenum*
(Houston)
5671Case Keenum44Tim Tebow[49]
(Florida)
164.2
2010[80]Bryant Moniz
(Hawaii)
5040Bryant Moniz49Kellen Moore[49]
(Boise St.)
182.6
2011[81]Case Keenum*
(Houston)
5631Case Keenum48Russell Wilson[49]
(Wisconsin)
191.8
2012[82]Nick Florence
(Baylor)
4309Geno Smith
(West Virginia)
42AJ McCarron[49]
(Alabama)
175.3
2013[83]Derek Carr*
(Fresno St.)
5083Derek Carr50Jameis Winston#[49]
(Florida St.)
184.8
2014[84]Brandon Doughty*
(W. Kentucky)
4830Brandon Doughty
(W. Kentucky)
49Marcus Mariota#[49]
Oregon
181.7
2015[85]Brandon Doughty
(W. Kentucky)
5055Brandon Doughty
(W. Kentucky)
48Seth Russell[49]
Baylor
189.7

Pre-1937 unofficial data

Before 1937 the NCAA did not compile official statistics. This chart reflects unofficial passing statistics compiled by historians mostly from newspapers accounts.

Year Name Passing yards Name Passing TDs Name Passer rating
1936Sammy Baugh[86]
(TCU)
1261
1935Sammy Baugh[86][87]
(TCU)
1241Sammy Baugh 18
1934
1933 Doug Nott[86]
(Detroit)
1092
1932
1931
1930 Ray Forsberg[88]
(Utah)
11
1929
1928Lloyd Brazil[86]
(Detroit)
997
1927 Bill Spears[89][90][91]
(Vanderbilt)
1207 Bill Spears9
1926 Benny Friedman
(Michigan)
562 Benny Friedman 9
1925Benny Friedman
(Michigan)
760 Swede Oberlander[92][93]
(Dartmouth)
14
1924
1923
1922
1921John Mohardt[86][94]
(Notre Dame)
995 John Mohardt 9
1920George Gipp[86][94]
(Notre Dame)
709
1919George Gipp[86][90]
(Notre Dame)
727 Ira Rodgers
(West Virginia)
11
1918
1917
1916Pudge Wyman
(Minnesota)
1915Pudge Wyman
(Minnesota)
1914
1913Gus Dorais[95]
(Notre Dame)
510+
1912
1911
1910
1909
1908
1907
1906

References

  1. All eight BYU passing leaders were during LaVell Edwards' tenure as head coach. Edwards' quarterbacks led the NCAA in one or more passing categories for a record 12 seasons: Sarkisian in 1996; Walsh in 1994; Detmer in 1989, 1990 and 1991; Bosco in 1984 and 1985; Young in 1983; McMahon in 1980 and 1981; Wilson in 1979, and Nielsen in 1976
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  3. ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1175.
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