Over The Pylon

A record breaker

The resident Muncie Star Press beat writer for the Cards, Doug Zaleski, posted this in his blog online regarding the great day Saturday for Quale Lewis and Cory Sykes…

Jim Wright, NCAA director of statistics, just e-mailed me a note saying the rushing performance by Quale Lewis (301) and Cory Sykes (203) on Saturday against Eastern Michigan represented a first in the history of NCAA football. Here’s Jim’s information:

Upon further review…thanks to our crack staff, we now are able to confirm this is a first in NCAA football history!

I didn’t look closely enough at our FCS records, and we have a mark for most combined rushing yards by two players…483…so that obviously means no possible 300/200.

The guys who do the II and III stats have found that DIII has had just one 200/200 in their history and II had five. After checking those games, we found none of those six contests had a 300-yard guy. The closest before Lewis and Sykes (and it WAS close) was a DIII game in 2007. Jarvis Thrasher (324) and Quincy Daniels (199!!) of Mary Hardin-Baylor vs. Mississippi College on Oct. 20, 2007.

Lewis and Sykes also set the FBS record for most combined rushing yards by two players. Old record was 487 by Darren McFadden (321) and Felix Jones (166), Arkansas vs. South Carolina on Oct. 4, 2007. No FCS combo exceeds your mark, but both II and III (as noted above) have better combined totals, but again, no one ever has had a 300/200 combo in one game.

Lewis’ 301 also is the best single-game rushing mark in FBS so far this year.

It was truly a great day for both these guys. You know… aside from winning their first game of 2009.Tip of the hat to Doug for seeking out the info!

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