It took 15 years for someone to break LaDainian Tomlinson's single-game FBS rushing record. And it took just seven days for someone to break Melvin Gordon's. Oklahoma true freshman **Samaje Perine** ran for 427 yards against Kansas on Saturday to knock Gordon off the top of the record books just a week after he topped Tomlinson.
None of Perine's five touchdown runs started from inside the red zone. The distances: 49, 33, 34, 66 and 27.
Perine has had a knack for some huge performances in his first season at the college level. He's had just four games of 100-plus yards this season, but three of those have been for more than 200. After hanging 213 on Texas Tech last week, Perine has piled up 640 over his last two games. Up next for Perine: Oklahoma State, which entered play Saturday ranked No. 35 in the nation in rush defense (139.5 yards per game).
Notice has been served that the Sooners will return one of college football's most dynamic backfield talents next year.
Here are 15 other things you need to know about the day in college football:
- It was a memorable day for Gordon for other reasons, though. He tied the Big Ten single-season rushing record, held by former Badger Ron Dayne, at 2,109 yards. He also reached the 2,000-yard mark quicker than any back in FBS history. Is 2,500 yards out of reach for Gordon? With 813 yards in his last three games alone, the answer is an emphatic no.
- Game what? College Football Playoff selection committee chairman Jeff Long introduced a new buzzword (well, new for him, anyway) to the playoff discussion last week: game control. By the best of estimations, game control is defined by how well a winning team controls the action from start to finish. And it apparently has a place in the committee's deliberations. Enter Ohio State, which is on the playoff committee's proverbial "bubble" for a playoff spot as of this week. The Buckeyes took on lowly Indiana (3-8, 0-7 Big Ten) Saturday and trailed late in the third quarter before roaring to a 42-27 win. Not exactly the stuff of dominance. Could it hurt the Buckeyes at all? If the selection committee wants credibility, the answer has to be no. The Buckeyes, whether you think they're playoff-worthy or not, have at least earned the right to be judged on a bigger stage -- like the Big Ten title game.
- There can't be much left of FSU fans' fingernails. The Seminoles pulled out yet another nailbiter Saturday, 20-17 over Boston College, this time requiring a field goal with three seconds left to stay unbeaten. Quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 281 yards in rainy conditions. ... Speaking of Winston, he found a way to spark up a new controversy. Of course.
- Marcus Mariota's run at the Heisman Trophy took a record-breaking step. The Oregon quarterback fired three touchdown passes in a rout of Colorado, breaking the Pac-12 single-season mark for touchdowns (42). Mariota has 32 passing and 10 rushing touchdowns on the year. Former USC quarterback Matt Barkley held the previous record, with 41 in 2011 (39 passing, two rushing).
- Nebraska football, brought to you by the number four. The Cornhuskers' hopes of a Big Ten title were ripped away at home by Jerry Kill's Minnesota team, 28-24. One more loss this year would make an incredible seven consecutive four-loss seasons for Bo Pelini. Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers will play Wisconsin next week for Big Ten West crown.
- Speaking of Nebraska ... It was a big day for talented junior defensive end Randy Gregory in the loss. The underclassman notched a sack and blocked a field goal attempt to go with eight tackles.
- It almost seemed like an indirect thumb in the eye to the Biletnikoff Award. Just days after American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco blasted the Bilentikoff folks for dropping East Carolina receiver Justin Hardy from its candidacy list for the award, Hardy broke the FBS record for career receptions.
- Leave it to Deion Sanders Jr. to be the lone bright spot for SMU today. The son of the Hall of Famer broke a kickoff return 64 yards in a 53-7 loss to UCF, but couldn't quite take it to the house. Sanders had another almost-housed return earlier this year against Baylor.
- Did Ole Miss send the junior varsity to Arkansas? Or was that the best the Rebels could muster? The Razorbacks, winless in the SEC going into last week, have not only won two league games in a row but have strung together back-to-back shutouts in league play to become bowl-eligible as well. The final against Ole Miss: 30-0. And that Hugh Freeze offense went into a deep freeze Saturday, rushing for just 63 yards and coughing up half a dozen turnovers.
- Remember these two names: Nick Wilson and Devontae Booker. Two of the most underappreciated backs in the country, they combined for 360 yards on the same field Saturday in Arizona's 42-10 road win. Wilson, a true freshman, racked up 218. Booker, a junior, had 142 and has drawn a scouting comparison to Houston Texans star Arian Foster.
12.Southern Cal might have just missed its last chance to beat Brett Hundley.UCLA improved to 3-0 against its archrival with the fourth-year junior, who has said he plans to enter the NFL draft, under center. Hundley threw for 326 yards and three scores to keep the Bruins in position to reach the Pac-12 title game.**
13.On the subject of division titles ...Missouri maintained the inside track for one just as UCLA did. Quarterback Maty Mauk, inconsistent all season, got hot late at Tennessee and led a 29-21 win that puts the Tigers one win away from reaching the SEC title game for the second year in a row.*
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14.West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White has received plenty of attention this season.But he was upstaged Thursday by Kansas State's Tyler Lockett, a strong draft prospect himself, in the Wildcats' 26-20 win over WVU. Lockett reeled in 10 passes for a season-high 196 yards, giving him 1,074 this season.
15.Roll over? Not these Bulldogs. Mississippi State stayed in contention for the SEC title Saturday with a 51-0 hammering of Vanderbilt, a week after being knocked from its undefeated perch by Alabama. MSU needs to beat rival Ole Miss and have Auburn upset Alabama next week to win the SEC West. Not likely, but not impossible. Your Dak Prescott update: 17-of-24 for 201 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 23 on the year.
- Baylor's slim playoff hopes stayed alive. Quarterback Bryce Petty overcame two interceptions and rising star defensive end Shawn Oakman chipped in a pair of sacks as the Bearsknocked off Oklahoma State 49-28. As much as Baylor needs to win, however, it just as badly needs teams ahead of it in the CFP rankings to lose. On Saturday, not one of them did.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
