Snake Ames

The list of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders identifies the NCAA major college scoring leaders. Beginning with the 1937 college football season, when the NCAA began maintaining official records, the list includes each year's leaders both in total points scored and in points scored per game. The list is limited to players for major college programs, which includes the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (2006–present), NCAA Division I-A (1978–2005), and NCAA University Division (1956–1977).

Scoring leaders since 1937

Year Name Points Name Points/Game[1]
1937 Byron White[2]
(Colorado)		 122 Byron White[3] 15.25
1938 Parker Hall[4][5]
(Ole Miss)		 73
1939 Tom Harmon[6][7]
(Michigan)		 102
1940 Tom Harmon[8][9]
(Michigan)		 117 Tom Harmon 14.63
1941 Bill Dudley[10][11]
(Virginia)		 134 Bill Dudley[3] 14.89
1942 Bob Steuber[12][13]
(Missouri)		 121
1943 Steve Van Buren[14]
(LSU)		 98
1944 Glenn Davis[15][16]
(Army)		 120
1945 Doc Blanchard[17]
(Army)		 115
1946 Gene Roberts[18]
(Chattanooga)		 117
1947 Lu Gambino[19]
(Maryland)		 96
1948 Fred Wendt[3]
(UTEP)		 152 Fred Wendt[3] 15.20
1949 George Thomas[20]
(Oklahoma)		 117
1950 Bobby Reynolds[3]
(Nebraska)		 157 Bobby Reynolds[3] 17.44
1951 Ollie Matson[21]
(San Francisco)		 126
1952 Jackie Parker[22]
(Mississippi State)		 120
1953 Earl Lindley[23]
(Utah State)		 81
1954 Art Luppino[3][24]
(Arizona)		 166 Art Luppino[3] 16.60
1955 Jim Swink[25]
(TCU)		 125
1956 Clendon Thomas[26]
(Oklahoma)		 108
1957 Leon Burton[27]
(Oklahoma)		 96
1958 Dick Bass[28]
(Pacific)		 116
1959 Pervis Atkins[29]
(New Mexico State)		 107
1960 Bob Gaiters[3]
(New Mexico State)		 145 Bob Gaiters[3] 14.50
1961 Preacher Pilot[30]
(New Mexico State)		 138 Preacher Pilot[3] 13.80
1962 Jerry Logan[31]
(West Texas State)		 110
1963 Cosmo Iacavazzi[32]
(Princeton)
Dave Casinelli
(Memphis State)		 84
1964 Brian Piccolo[33]
(Wake Forest)		 111
1965 Howard Twilley[34]
(Tulsa)		 127
1966 Ken Hebert[35]
(Houston)		 113
1967 Leroy Keyes[36]
(Purdue)		 114
1968 Jim O'Brien[37]
(Cincinnati)		 142 Jim O'Brien[3] 14.20
1969 Steve Owens[38]
(Oklahoma)		 138 Steve Owens[3] 13.80
1970 Don McCauley[39]
(North Carolina)		 126 Brian Bream[39]
(Air Force)
Gary Kosins[39]
(Dayton)		 12.0
12.0
1971 Lydell Mitchell[3][40]
(Penn State)		 174 Ed Marinaro[3] 16.44
1972 Harold Henson[39]
(Ohio State)		 120 Harold Henson[39] 12.0
1973 Jim Jennings[41]
(Rutgers)		 128 Jim Jennings[41] 11.6
1974 Keith Barnette[42]
(Boston College)		 134 Billy Marek[42]
(Wisconsin)		 12.7
1975 Pete Johnson[3]
(Ohio State)		 150 Pete Johnson[43] 13.6
1976 Tony Dorsett[44]
(Pittsburgh)		 134 Tony Dorsett[44] 12.2
1977 Earl Campbell[45]
(Texas)		 114 Earl Campbell[45] 10.4
1978 Billy Sims[46]
(Oklahoma)		 120 Billy Sims[46] 10.9
1979 Billy Sims[47]
(Oklahoma)		 132 Billy Sims[47] 12.0
1980 Sammy Winder[48]
(Southern Miss)		 120 Sammy Winder[48] 10.9
1981 Marcus Allen[49]
(USC)		 120 Marcus Allen[49] 12.5
1982 Greg Allen[49]
(Florida State)		 126 Greg Allen[49] 11.5
1983 Mike Rozier[3]
(Nebraska)		 174 Mike Rozier[3] 14.50
1984 Keith Byars[49]
(Ohio State)		 144 Keith Byars[49] 13.1
1985 Bernard White[50]
(Bowling Green)		 114 Bernard White[50] 10.4
1986 Steve Bartalo[51]
(Colorado State)		 114 Steve Bartalo[51] 10.4
1987 Paul Hewitt[52]
(San Diego State)		 144 Paul Hewitt[52] 12.0
1988 Barry Sanders[53]
(Oklahoma State)		 234 Barry Sanders 21.27
1989 Anthony Thompson[3]
(Indiana)		 154 Anthony Thompson[3] 14.20
1990 Stacey Robinson[54]
(Northern Illinois)		 120 Stacey Robinson[54] 10.9
1991 Marshall Faulk[55]
(San Diego State)		 140 Marshall Faulk[3]
(San Diego State)		 15.56
1992 Garrison Hearst[56]
(Georgia)		 126 Garrison Hearst[56] 11.5
1993 Marshall Faulk[57]
(San Diego State)		 144 Bam Morris[57]
(Texas Tech)		 12.2
1994 Rashaan Salaam[58]
(Colorado)		 144 Rashaan Salaam[58] 13.1
1995 Eddie George[59]
(Ohio State)		 144 Eddie George[58] 12.0
1996 Corey Dillon[60]
(Washington)		 138 Corey Dillon[58] 12.6
1997 Randy Moss[3]
(Marshall)
Ricky Williams[3]
(Texas)		 152 Ricky Williams[3] 13.82
1998 Troy Edwards[61]
(Louisiana Tech)		 188 Troy Edwards[61] 15.7
1999 Shaun Alexander[62]
(Alabama)		 144 Shaun Alexander[62] 13.1
2000 Lee Suggs[63]
(Virginia Tech)		 168 Lee Suggs[3] 15.27
2001 Luke Staley[64]
(BYU)		 170 Luke Staley[3] 15.45
2002 Brock Forsey[65]
(Boise State)		 192 Brock Forsey[3] 14.77
2003 Cedric Benson[66]
(Texas)		 134 Patrick Cobbs[67] 11.5
2004 Tyler Jones[68]
(Boise State)		 141 Tyler Jones[69] 11.8
2005 LenDale White[70]
(USC)		 156 Steve Slaton
(West Virginia)		 16.3
2006 Ian Johnson[71]
(Boise State)		 152 Ian Johnson 15.2
2007 Kevin Smith[72]
(UCF)		 180 Kevin Smith 15.0
2008 Jeff Wolfert[73]
(Missouri)		 133 Dez Bryant
(Oklahoma State)		 16.0
2009 Toby Gerhart[74]
(Stanford)		 166 Donald Buckram
(UTEP)		 15.8
2010 Dan Bailey[75]
(Oklahoma State)		 149 Mikel Leshoure
(Illinois)		 13.6
2011 Montee Ball[76]
(Wisconsin)		 236 Montee Ball 16.86
2012 Kenneth Dixon[77]
(Louisiana Tech)		 168 Kenneth Dixon 16.8
2013 Keenan Reynolds[78]
(Navy)		 188 Kapri Bibbs
(Colorado State)		 18.6
2014 Jarvion Franklin[79]
(Western Michigan)		 150 Samaje Perine
(Oklahoma)		 14.0
2015[80] Derrick Henry
(Alabama)		 168 Kenneth Dixon
(Louisiana Tech) 		17.0
2016[81] Anthony Wales
(Western Kentucky)		 174 Ryan Nall
(Oregon State) 		15.0
2017[82] Devin Singletary
(Florida Atlantic)		 198 Royce Freeman
(Oregon) 		16.0
2018[83] Travis Etienne
(Clemson)		 156 Devin Singletary
(Florida Atlantic)
Darrell Henderson
(Memphis)
Jonathan Taylor
(Wisconsin) 		13.0
2019[84] Jonathan Taylor
(Wisconsin)		 156 Jamale Carothers
(Navy) 		16.0
2020 Najee Harris
(Alabama) 		180 Jaret Patterson
(Buffalo) 		19.0
2021 Rasheen Ali
(Marshall) 		150 Rasheen Ali
(Marshall) 		11.54

Pre-1937 unofficial data

Before 1937 the NCAA did not compile official statistics. This chart reflects unofficial scoring statistics for years prior to 1937.

Year Name Points Name Points/Game
1883 Alex Moffat[85]
(Princeton)		 136
1884
1885
1886 Harry Beecher[86]
(Yale)		 132
1887 Snake Ames[85]
(Princeton)		 219 Snake Ames 24.3
1888 Snake Ames[85]
(Princeton)		 234 Snake Ames 19.5
1889 Bum McClung
(Yale)		 176
1890 Philip King
(Princeton)		 145
1891 Bernard Trafford[85]
(Harvard)		 270
1892 Philip King
(Princeton)		 105
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
1901 Bruce Shorts
(Michigan)		 123
1902 Al Herrnstein[85]
(Michigan)		 130
1903 Thomas S. Hammond
(Michigan)		 163
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908 Doc Fenton[85]
(LSU)		 132
1909
1910
1911
1912 Jim Thorpe[85]
(Carlisle)		 224
1913 Johnny Spiegel (Washington & Jefferson)[87] 127
1914 Buck Mayer
(Virginia)		 142
1915 Neno DaPrato
(Michigan Aggies)		 185 Neno Daprato 30.8
1916 Johnny Gilroy
(Georgetown)		 160
1917 Bill Ingram
(Navy)		 162 Bill Ingram 20.25
1918
1919 Ira Rodgers
(West Virginia)		 147
1920 Jimmy Leech[88]
(VMI)		 210 Jimmy Leech 23.3
1921
1922 "Bots" Brunner[89]
(Lafayette)		 86
1923 George Pfann[90]
(Cornell)		 98
1924 Heinie Benkert[91]
(Rutgers)		 100
1925 Peggy Flournoy[92][93]
(Tulane)		 128
1926 Mayes McLain (Haskell) or Fred Koster[92]
(Louisville)		 253[94] or 124 Mayes McLain 23.0
1927 Jimmy Armistead[95]
(Vanderbilt)		 138
1928 Ken Strong[96][97]
(NYU)		 161 Ken Strong 16.1
1929 Gene McEver[98]
(Tennessee)		 130
1930 Leonard Macaluso[99]
(Colgate)		 145
1931 Bob Campiglio[100]
(West Liberty)		 145
1932 Lou Bush[101]
(Mass. St.)		 114
1933 Beattie Feathers[102]
(Tennessee)		 78
1934 Bill Shepherd[103]
(Western Maryland)		 133
1935 Ray Zeh[104]
(Western Reserve)		 112
1936 Norm Schoen[105]
Baldwin-Wallace		 117

References

  1. ^ Minimum 100 points scored
  2. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1172.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. p. 39.
  4. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1175.
  5. ^ "Parker Halls Ends Season As Leading Scorer". The Delta Democrat-Times. December 5, 1938. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1179.
  7. ^ "Lloyd Madden Has Scoring Crown". The Ludington Daily News. December 4, 1939. p. 6.(Some contemporaneous sources list LLoyd Madden of the Colorado Mines Orediggers as the 1939 scoring champion. Madden scored 141 points in 1939. The ESPN College Football Encyclopedia excludes Madden, as Colorado Mines is not considered a major college. Even the contemporaneous newspaper accounts cite Harmon as the scoring champion from "the bigger schools".)
  8. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1182.
  9. ^ "West Texas State College Back Ranks 4th In Scoring". Pampa Daily News (Texas). December 2, 1940. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(Some contemporaneous sources list Jackie Hunt of Marshall College as the 1949 scoring champion. Hunt scored 162 points on 27 touchdowns in 1940. The ESPN College Football Encyclopedia excludes Madden, as Marshall College was not considered a major college in 1940. Accordingly, Hunt was selected for the Little All-America team in 1940.)
  10. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1185.
  11. ^ "Bullet Bill Dudley Is Leading Point Make For Past Season". The Index-Journal. December 1, 1941. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1188.
  13. ^ "Bob Stueber Sets Up Conference Scoring Mark". The Gazette and Daily. December 8, 1942. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1193.
  15. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1197.
  16. ^ "Glenn Davis Leader In Scoring Ratings". The Evening Sun. November 28, 1944. p. 3.(listing Davis' point total as 114)
  17. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1201.
  18. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1205.
  19. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1209.
  20. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1217.
  21. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1225.
  22. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1229.
  23. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1233.
  24. ^ "Arizona's Luppino Top Collegiate Grid Scorer". Monroe (La) News-Star. December 8, 1954. p. 21.(breaking Reynold's modern-day scoring record; 4th all time behind Kim Leech in 1920 (210), Jim Thorpe in 1912 (198 points), and Neno dePrato in 1915 (188 points))
  25. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1241.
  26. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1245.
  27. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1249.
  28. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1253.
  29. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1257.
  30. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1265.
  31. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1267.
  32. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1270.
  33. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1273.
  34. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1276.
  35. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1279.
  36. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1282.
  37. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1287.
  38. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1291.
  39. ^ a b c d e ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1295.
  40. ^ "Mitchell Top Scorer Ever". Hazleton (PA) Standard-Speaker. November 26, 1971. p. 40 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  41. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1307.
  42. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1311.
  43. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1315.
  44. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1319.
  45. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1323.
  46. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1327.
  47. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1331.
  48. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1335.
  49. ^ a b c d e f ESPN College Football Encyclopedia (2005), p. 1339.
  50. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1355.
  51. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1359.
  52. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1363.
  53. ^ "The record-breaking 1988 season of Barry Sanders". Tulsa World. June 18, 2014.
  54. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1375.
  55. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1379.
  56. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p 1383.
  57. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p 1387.
  58. ^ a b c d ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1391.
  59. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1395.
  60. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1399.
  61. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1407.
  62. ^ a b ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1411.
  63. ^ "2000 Leaders". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  64. ^ "2001 Leaders". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  65. ^ "2002 Leaders". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  66. ^ "2003 Leaders". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  67. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1427.
  68. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2004". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  69. ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1431.
  70. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2005". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  71. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2006". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  72. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2007". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  73. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2008". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  74. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2009". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  75. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2010". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  76. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2011". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  77. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2012". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  78. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2013". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  79. ^ "FBS (I-A) Player Scoring Statistics - 2014". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  80. ^ "2015 Scoring Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  81. ^ "2016 Scoring Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  82. ^ "2017 Scoring Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  83. ^ "2018 Scoring Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  84. ^ "2019 Scoring Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  85. ^ a b c d e f g http://www.secsportsfan.com/support-files/pre-1937cfbleaders.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  86. ^ Bob Barton (August 2008). "Yale's Beecher: A Forgotten Mr Touchdown" (PDF). College Football Historical Society. 21 (4).
  87. ^ "Richmond Times-Dispatch 9 December 1917 — Virginia Chronicle: Digital Newspaper Archive".
  88. ^ "Jimmie Leach Leads 1920 Grid Scorers". The Washington Herald. December 4, 1920. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  89. ^ "Brunner of Lafayette Leading Football Scorer in the East". The Evening World. December 4, 1922. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  90. ^ "Eastern Gridiron Scoring Honors Fall To Geo. Pfann". Altoona Tribune. December 7, 1923. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  91. ^ "Benkert, Rutgers Star, Holds Lead in Scoring Race". The Reading Times. December 1, 1924. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  92. ^ a b "Kentucky Player Is Best Football Scorer In Country: Fred Koster, Louisville, Finishes With 124 Total". Reading Times. December 1, 1926. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(listing McLain with 111 points)
  93. ^ "Deserves the Place". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 12, 1925. p. 13. Retrieved November 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  94. ^ "CONTENTdm" (PDF).
  95. ^ "Armistead Leads High Scorers on Nation's Football Armies". Rosebur News-Review (Oregon). December 8, 1927. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  96. ^ "Strong, N.Y.U., Leads Eastern Scoring Race". The Decatur Herald. December 3, 1928. p. 4.(161 points)
  97. ^ "Grid Topics". The Olean Evening Times. December 3, 1928. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(160 points)
  98. ^ "McEver Takes Scoring Lead". The Evening Herald. December 9, 1929.
  99. ^ "Scoring Laurels to Len Macaluso With 145 Point". The Springfield Leader. December 8, 1930. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  100. ^ "Campiglio Continues To Lead Scorers". The Manitwoc Herald-News. December 7, 1931. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  101. ^ "Leads Scorers". Miami Daily News-Record. December 8, 1932. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  102. ^ "Young of Bluefield Wins Scoring Honors". Manitowoc Herald-Times. December 4, 1933. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(Pete Young of Bluefield scored 108 points, and Kent of Murray State scored 90. Feathers ranked third overall but was the leader among major college teams)
  103. ^ "133 Points for Leading Back: Shepherd, Western Maryland". The Charleston Daily Mail. December 3, 1934. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  104. ^ "Leading Scorer in 1935 Shines as Forward Passer". The Evening Independent=October 20, 1936. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  105. ^ "Weisgerber Falls 19 Points Short of Scoring Lead". The Evening Herald (Oregon). November 30, 1936. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
Category