It's been an eventful NCAA football season already. As we get ready for the final push down the home stretch, it's the perfect time to take a peek at the current NCAA stat leaders. There are some guys out there putting up truly massive numbers week-in and week-out.
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We start in the passing category where Washington State's Anthony Gordon leads the nation in passing yards by an overwhelming margin. His 4,314 yards are well ahead of LSU's Joe Burrow - who ranks 2nd in the country with 3,687 yards. Gordon also leads the nation in passing yards per game and TD passes. His 39 scores through the air are 1 ahead of - you guessed it - Joe Burrow's 38.
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Burrow does have Gordon beat for the nation's lead in one category though - completion %. Burrow's 78.6% is well ahead of anybody else and is on-pace to smash Colt McCoy's single-season record of 76.7% from 2008.
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It's not just Gordon & Burrow that have had a big year so far, as several backs & receivers are enjoying standout seasons as well. None more so than Oklahoma State HB Chuba Hubbard, who leads the nation in rushing with 1,726 yards. He also leads the nation in rushing TDs per game with 2.0 per contest, and is second in the nation with 20 rushing TDs, trailing only Western Michigan's Levante Bellamy, whose 21 leads the nation. He's also played 11 games versus Hubbard's 10.
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When it comes to the receiving category stat leaders, it's been two elite wideouts that have emerged as the standouts. Arkansas State's Omar Bayless leads the nation in both receiving yards (1262) & touchdowns (14). Joining Bayless is SMU WR James Proche, who leads the nation in both receptions (88) & receptions per game (8.8).
We can't forget about the defense of course, where Cal LB Evan Weaver has been a one-man wrecking crew all season long, piling up a NCAA-leading 151 total tackles. The tackling machine also leads the nation in tackles per game (15.1) & solo tackles with 83. Weaver is on pace to finish with a whopping 182 tackles - not including a potential Bowl game - that is if the 5-5 Bears can get to one. Could Weaver even hit the 200 mark? That would be absolutely mind-boggling.
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In addition to Weaver, one player you might not have heard of is atop the NCAA in some other important defensive stat categories. Oregon State LB Hamilcar Rashed Jr leads the nation in both sacks (14.0) & tackles for loss (22.5). He leads Ohio State DL standout Chase Young by just a 0.5 sack, although he's played in 2 more games, making Young the nation's leader in sacks per game at with 1.69 per contest.
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When it comes to fumbles, it's actually a pair of Illinois defenders that find themselves atop the leader board. Illini LB Jake Hansen leads the nation in forced fumbles with a whopping 7 already, and teammate DB Stanley Green leads the country in fumble recoveries with 4. They are a big part of the Illini's sudden resurgence, as they are bowl-eligible for the first time in five years.
Finally, defensive back Douglas Coleman has been outstanding and leads the nation in interceptions with 8. Right behind him is Minnesota standout DB Antoine Winfield Jr, with 7 - who had a pair of huge picks in the Gophers' win over Penn State a couple of weeks ago.
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2019 NCAA Football Stat Leaders:
(Updated through November 20, 2019; Statistics courtesy of NCAA.com)
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Anthony Gordon
Washington State
Passing Yards* (4314)
Passing TDs* (39)
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Jalen Hurts
Oklahoma
Passing Efficiency* (209.10)
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Joe Burrow
LSU
Completion %* (78.6)
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Chuba Hubbard
Oklahoma State
Rushing Yards* (1726)
Rush TDs per game* (2.0)
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Levante Bellamy
Western Michigan
Rushing TDs* (21)
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Omar Bayless
Arkansas State
Receiving Yards* (1262)
Receiving TDs* (14)
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James Proche
SMU
Receptions* (88)
Rec per game* (8.8)
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Evan Weaver
California
Total Tackles* (151)
Tkls per game* (15.1)
Solo Tkls* (83)
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Hamilcar Rashed Jr.
Oregon State
Sacks* (14.0) C. Young (13.5) (1.69)*
Tkls for loss* (22.5)
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Jake Hansen
Illinois
Forced Fumbles* (7)
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Stanley Green
Illinois
Fumbles Recovered* (4)
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Douglas Coleman
Texas Tech
Interceptions* (8) A. Winfield Jr. (7)
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