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 and this may just be the case for this NCAA record, maybe for both teams.

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) was founded on May 8th, 1953, a mere 72 years ago. However, this game was a spiritual ACC before it even existed. The game that set the record I am going to tell you about took place between two of the founding members of the ACC, Virginia and NC State. This game seemingly broke all math and was truly an ACC game along the lines of ACC Coastal Chaos or maybe the 2006 ACC Championship game that ended 9-6.

September 30th, 1944

At the time of the game, the Virginia Cavaliers were a part of the Southern Independents, and the NC State Wolfpack were a part of the Southern Conference. The Cavaliers played the majority of their games at home in Charlottesville but played a whopping five neutral site games this year. The game between the Cavs and Wolfpack would take place in Norfolk, VA, at Foreman Field, and after many remodels and some passing of ownership, it’s now the home of Old Dominion football.

Since World War II was ongoing, this game ticket had a special “ENLISTED MEN IN UNIFORM ONLY” printed on it. It makes sense as Norfolk, Virginia, has one of, if not the largest, naval presences in the country. I like to think this game was a special treat for the servicemen. Go see NC State vs. Virginia in full uniform for only 55 cents! What a deal! 

In my mind, the servicemen got to go to this game and see an incredible Sickos NCAA record get set for the fewest yards by a winning team.

NC State was coached by Beattie Feathers in his first season with the team.

Why do I tell you this? Because his name was BEATTIE FEATHERS.

Virginia was coached by Frank Murray. Definitely not as fun name.

MORE BEATTIE FEATHERS POSTING!! Here is his Wikipedia Page as I have gotten too distracted Beattie Feathers posting already.

This is a fun Wikipedia rabbit hole to fall down. I learned so much about a player/coach I didn’t know before and I enjoyed it.

Ok, back to the Seemingly Forgotten NCAA Record.

I nearly forgot it too because of Beattie Feathers. Let’s set the scene for the game and figure out what type of elements led to this Sickos NCAA Record.

The game is played in a driving rainstorm. Like most games that are really Sickos in nature, we had to get a little push from Mother Nature to get this one into full swing. Now, I am just thinking about all the men in uniform soaked watching this game unfold. 3,500 people attend this game in the driving rain while wearing their full uniforms. We salute you who attended this one.

Naturally when you get crazy driving rainstorms you will get some pretty funny writing in the newspaper about the game. This game was no exception. “Fumbles were naturally frequent under the existing conditions.” Exactly, what we like to hear and read about.

Virginia was controlling the ball for the entirety of the game and running up the stats. In fact, Virginia won the first down battle, 12 first downs to 1 first down.

In fact, NC State didn’t even make a first down on their own. Their only first down was due to a Virginia penalty that gave them their only first down of the game.

Now I can only foreshadow so much, and you’re smart. You likely realize that NC State had to win the game because the Cavs were dominating the stats, and the title of this post is about an NCAA record for winning with the fewest yards. So I will quit stalling. But really, there was not any damn scoring in this game until the 4th quarter. We wouldn’t have it any other way. 3,500 rain-soaked fans sitting through three quarters of football, not seeing any points.

Take it away Tom Ferguson of the Virginian Pilot paper.

Hell yeahhhh, oh, he has trouble with the snap! And the snap was over the punter’s head. The punter tried to cover it, and then it bounced crazily into the end zone.

LUM EDWARDS AND MENDEL ZICKEFOOSE GIVE THE WOLFPACK A 7-0 LEAD. WHAT AMAZING NAMES ON THIS TEAM NC STATE!!

NC State wasn’t done scoring on the day. Because 5 plays later…the Wolfpack got another touchdown in basically the same manner! It was so nice it happened twice!!

The last snap was too high, but this time the snap was too low! The long-snapper over-corrected!

NC State won 13-0 and they scored two defensive touchdowns, making one extra point.

Here is the box score, and let’s break it down a little. NC State had the one unearned first down. Both papers I could find with box scores on the game showed NC State with 16 yards of total offense. The NCAA record book lists this at 10 yards total. I am not sure if we got another game with close yardage. So, I am counting it like the NCAA record books do.

Virginia had 201 total yards with 12 first downs. They also had eight fumbles, losing four of them. With 55 penalty yards. Virginia went on to finish the season 6–1–2 with their only loss of the year coming in this game.

The wild thing for me is NC State here which of course the reason for the blog.

The NC State Seemingly Forgotten NCAA record box score performance.  

• NC State had one first down through a penalty.

• NC State had 16 total yards (or, as the NCAA lists, 10 yards), which based on the box scores could be right at 10 yards because it only lists yards gained rushing, not yards lost. Box scores were always different before they became more uniform.

• NC State had 70 yards in penalties.

• NC State attempted two passes and had BOTH intercepted.

• NC State punted the ball 13 times, the same amount as their points in the game and the same amount of total first downs by both teams.

NC State finished the year 7-2, with their two losses coming to Clemson and Wake Forest.

An absolutely incredible Sickos and NCAA record-earning performance by the NC State Wolfpack… and also the Virginia Cavaliers differently. This game, occurring before both of these founding members formed the ACC, planted the seeds of the ACC Coastal Chaos and the glorious ACC we see today.

What a record! Congrats NC State!!

If you don’t mind me, I am going to post more Beattie Feathers stuff and pictures now because I feel like it.

A few more Beattie Feathers facts. His average of 8.44 yards per attempt that same year remains an NFL record (minimum 100 carries). He also, as of 2024, is the only NFL player to have outrun the passing leader in a single season. Apparently he’s not in the NFL Hall of Fame. Feathers is one of ten players named to the National Football League 1930s All-Decade Team who have not been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Beattie’s got my support for the Hall of Fame.

Thanks for reading, I truly appreciate it.