I am trying to find the obscure NCAA records that you likely are not aware of and then couple it with the school that set the record, really not celebrating it. You may know about this record, but you likely don’t. If you do know about this record, awesome, but keep it quiet so you don’t spoil it for anyone else. Sometimes the records are ones you may want to forget ever happened too, especially for the team that threw this many picks sixes in one game. Honestly, on this NCAA record, I think more of you may know this one but I am going to count it since neither team involved as it on their Wikipedia pages.

The Southwest Conference was less than a decade from it’s end in 1996 when this NCAA Record was set. If you don’t know about the Southwest Conference, I recommend a Wikipedia dive on it and I think it is worth your time. (Southwest Conference Wiki) The year this record was set was 1987, the same year SMU faced the Death Penalty and their program was suspended for the 1987 and 1998 seasons (find the 30 for 30 Pony Excess to watch too if you haven’t). I also wrote about it here below.

November 7th, 1987

The Houston Cougars were led by first-year Head Coach Jack Pardee (an 8 Man football, Texas A&M legend, also the title name of my fantasy football league ‘Jack Pardee’s Ring of Honor’ and more importantly CFB Hall of Famer) and stumbled into this home game at the Astrodome, losers of five straight games and sitting at a woeful 1-6 on the year. They welcomed their hated rival, the Texas Longhorns, who were sitting at 4-3 with losses to #5 Auburn and #1 Oklahoma. The Longhorns led the all-time series against Houston at that point with a record of 8-3-2.

The Coogs started out the game quickly by forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff. They cashed it in immediately with a touchdown and 7-0 early lead just 23 seconds into the game. The Longhorns bounced back less than 14 seconds later with a 71 yard bomb and the game was tied 7-7, with only 37 seconds off the clock in the first quarter. The Longhorns had 10-7 lead after the first quarter.

I love it when the newspaper gets into the fun describing the game. Thank you Austin-American Statesman for this time.

Houston took a 13-10 lead but Texas immediately answered back in three plays with a 62 yard TD pass for a 17-13 lead.

Sometimes the explosive offense can backfire and Houston’s Johnny Jackson picked off a Bret Stafford pass and took it to the house for the first pick six of the evening.

The Longhhorns lead 24-20 at halftime after another score. However, their starting QB Bret Stafford got hurt late in the second quarter and was out for the rest of the game. No worries for the Longhorns initially, as the Longhorns lead grew to 34-20 midway through the 3rd Quarter…

So here come the pick sixes? Not yet. The Coogs rallied due to Longhorn miscues but not the ones we are talking about. They got a fumble, which resulted in a field goal for the Coogs. Then an 85 yard TD pass and 38 TD pass to take the lead 35-34 with 9:41 left in the game. The Run and Shoot was running and shooting for the Coogs! 

Ok, so we have had the Coogs with one pick six with 9:41 left in the game with a slim one point lead.

The very next Longhorn drive, another pick six, a 17 yard pick six and the Coogs who failed on the two previous 2-point conversions decided to kick the extra point. Well they had trouble with the snap and somehow got the 2-point conversion this time. The Coogs tacked on another field goal and it was now a 46-34 lead for Houston.

Don’t worry, the pick sixes were not done. Houston’s Johnny Jackson got two more on the next two Longhorn drives. A 53-yard pick six and his third and final pick six of the day was a 97-yarder to give the Coogs a 60-34 lead and the NCAA record.

Here is the video of the NCAA record-setting pick six, the 97-yarder by Johnny Jackson. Sponsored by Coast Soap! Because he took it coast to coast for the NCAA Record.

Texas scored a TD with one second left to make the final score a robust 100 points total combined. Here is the scoring summary of the NCAA record setting game.

Here is the statistical breakdown. It’s truly amazing that Texas threw for 476 yards total. However, every single one of their four interceptions was returned for touchdowns by Houston. Texas QBs threw for five touchdowns to their team and four touchdowns to the Coogs! There were 13 total turnovers in this game too. What an insane game to watch!

What a crazy record that still feels like it could be tied or even broken with the way passing happens nowadays.

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