The NCAA News - News and Features

October 20, 1997

Passing yardage up, rushing down at season midpoint

The 112 Division I-A football teams are on a pace to break the mark for passing yards per game, according to midseason statistical trends, and may be headed toward a record low in rushing attempts. (The record is 81.6 attempts per game, set in both 1938 and 1939).

Rushing yardage could fall below 320 yards per game in Division I-A for the first time since 1976.

The scoring record, established just last year, also may be broken if point production increases the rest of the year as it did in 1996.

A big jump in passing is the big story in Division I-AA at midseason. The 118 teams are averaging 30 more passing yards per game than at the midpoint in 1996, and like Division I-A teams, are on a pace to break the all-time mark.

Also like I-A, the division could be headed toward record lows in both rushing attempts (83.1 in 1995) and rushing yards (305.1 in 1984).

The accompanying tables report Divisions I-A and I-AA midseason trends (through games of October 11).

Division I-A midseason trends

Both Teams Combined

Category -- Mid-1997 -- Mid-1996 -- Final 1996 -- Record (Year)

Games Played -- 341 -- 339 -- 644 -- 849 (1977) --

Rushing

Carries Per Game -- 79.8 -- 81.6 -- 82.9 -- 103.8 (1975)

Yards Per Carry -- 3.90 -- 3.90 -- 3.97 -- 4.05 (1954)

Yards Per Game -- 311.0 -- 318.1 -- 328.7 -- 408.9 (1975)

Passing

Attempts Per Game -- 58.2 -- 58.4 -- 57.8 -- 59.4 (1995)

Completions Per Game -- 31.9 -- 31.5 -- 30.8 -- 32.5 (1995)

Completion Percentage -- 54.8 -- 54.0 -- 53.3 -- 55.1 (1993)

Yards Per Attempt -- 7.11 -- 6.97 -- 6.99 -- 7.13 (1993)

Yards Per Game -- 413.9 -- 407.0 -- 403.9 -- 410.9 (1995)

Total Offense

Plays Per Game -- 138.0 -- 140.0 -- 140.7 -- 150.1 (1968)

Yards Per Play -- 5.25 -- 5.18 -- 5.21 -- 5.27 (1993)

Yards Per Game -- 725.0 -- 725.1 -- 732.6 -- 745.5 (1995)

Scoring

Points Per Game -- 50.2 -- 49.3 -- 51.0 -- 51.0 (1996)

Division I-AA midseason trends

Both Teams Combined

Category -- Mid-1997 -- Mid-1996 -- Final 1996 -- Record (Year)

Games Played -- 390 -- 395 -- 723 -- 736 (1995)

Rushing

Carries Per Game -- 79.4 -- 83.2 -- 83.9 -- 96.7 (1978)

Yards Per Carry -- 3.81 -- 3.82 -- 3.86 -- 3.99 (1992)

Yards Per Game -- 302.5 -- 318.0 -- 323.9 -- 343.5 (1978)

Passing

Attempts Per Game -- 56.8 -- 53.4 -- 53.7 -- 57.7 (1985)

Completions Per Game -- 29.4 -- 27.3 -- 27.4 -- 29.1 (1985)

Completion Percentage -- 51.8 -- 51.1 -- 51.1 -- 51.9 (1991)

Yards Per Attempt -- 6.67 -- 6.53 -- 6.62 -- 6.90 (1993)

Yards Per Game -- 378.7 -- 348.7 -- 355.2 -- 376.1 (1994)

Total Offense

Plays Per Game -- 136.2 -- 136.5 -- 137.6 -- 142.4 (1985)

Yards Per Play -- 5.00 -- 4.88 -- 4.94 -- 5.11 (1993)

Yards Per Game -- 681.2 -- 666.6 -- 679.1 -- 710.5 (1991)

Scoring

Points Per Game -- 47.3 -- 45.9 -- 46.4 -- 48.4 (1993)