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, I don’t think this is the case for this NCAA record though but let’s try to figure out how it became forgotten.

First, I want to preface this by saying one likely reason for this NCAA record to get forgotten: it’s for kick return yards. Really, in most play-by-play summaries, kick returns are not always listed, but thankfully for this one, it was recent enough to happen to have a full play-by-play.

Also, another reason it is likely forgotten is that, improbably, they didn’t return one single kick for a touchdown! It was just a solid amount of kick returns with a really high average per return. To break down this record and how it was set, I am going to breakdown what occurred before the next kickoff to Rice. 

Time to set the scene.

November 13, 2010 - Welcome to the Louisiana Superdome, where Tulane played their games before Yulman Stadium opened in 2014. They listed the attendance for this one at 16,698. The Superdome now fits 83,000 and the next door Smoothie King Center holds 17,791. This game’s attendance would not have sold out the Smoothie King Center. I’m very happy, Tulane finally got an on campus stadium, as they desperately needed it.

This game between Rice and Tulane would have been on our Sickos Committee Radar and likely in the Top 5, potentially Sickos Committee Game of the Week material too. Tulane entered the game 3-6 and Rice entered at 2-8. Both Tulane and Rice would finish the year with identical 4–8 records, too.

Does this seem like a recipe for an NCAA record? Probably Not. We got two teams well below .500 and neither team has scored more than 34 points in a game till this point in the season. But hey, that’s why we watch (at least our damnedest try to) all the games!

To set this record, we either needed a few long kick off returns or a ton of points with a ton of kickoff returns for a really high average return. We got the ton of points version here and a pretty wild game.

The Game Begins

Rice wins the toss and defers to the second half. Tulane drives down to take a 7-0 lead. Rice has a pretty normal kickoff return and starts on their own 26-yard line.

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 65 yards returned by Charles Ross, tackled by Alex Wacha for 21 yards to the Rice 26, tackled by Alex Wacha. (I don’t know why the play by play repeats the tackler but I will just list it anyway.)

They both exchange possessions, and Rice ties it at 7-7. Then Tulane takes the lead again at 14-7. Rice then starts at their own 26-yard line again.

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 64 yards returned by Denzel Wells, tackled by Alex Wacha for 20 yards to the Rice 26, tackled by Alex Wacha

So far, not many crazy returns for Rice—just a 21-yarder and 20-yarder. Don’t worry, they have 8 more kick returns to go. Tulane gets a field goal to lead 17-7. The cracks of the Green Wave’s return coverage begin to show.

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 69 yards (nice) returned by Charles Ross, tackled by Dominique Robertson for 51 yards to the Tulane 48, tackled by Dominique Robertson.

Rice takes advantage of the good field position to make it 17-14. However, Tulane answers right back to take a 24-14 lead. That means they have to kick off again though…

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 69 yards (nice) returned by Denzel Wells, tackled by Cairo Santos for 41 yards to the Rice 42, tackled by Cairo Santos, always great when the kicker has to make the tackle.

Another great return for Rice, and they cash in the good field position again to make it a 24-21 Tulane lead. The Green Wave gets a Rice interception, and they take it in a few plays later for a 31-21 lead.

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 67 yards returned by Charles Ross, tackled by Dezman Moses for 23 yards to the Rice 26, tackled by Dezman Moses.

Somehow, Rice either gets a great kick return or they start on Tulane’s 26-yard line so far. Rice throws another interception, and Tulane drives down for another touchdown and a 38-21 lead. There were 23 seconds left in the half. Rice had another kick return.

• Ryan Rome kickoff for 63 yards returned by Charles Ross, tackled by Taylor Echols for 37 yards to the Rice 44, tackled by Taylor Echols.

Another fantastic kick return; however, Rice cannot cash in for points before the half.

You remember Rice deferred to the second half, right?

Oh no, Tulane has got to kick off to the Owls.

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 66 yards returned by Charles Ross, tackled by Kyle Davis for 64 yards to the Tulane 32, tackled by Kyle Davis.

A four play 32 yard drive, and the game is now 38-28. The Owls force a punt, and Rice gets another TD. It’s now a slim three point lead for the Wave, 38-35. Tulane answers back with a touchdown, and it’s 45-35. Oh No, they got to kick off again.

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 65 yards returned by Charles Ross, tackled by Devin Williams for 26 yards to the Rice 31, tackled by Devin Williams. (Whew, for the Wave, pretty good coverage this time.)

Rice punts, then Tulane punts, then Rice breaks a 36-yard run for a TD, and it’s 45-42. Tulane then goes 11 plays for 48 yards, but has to settle for a field goal and a six point lead at 48-42.

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 64 yards returned by Charles Ross, tackled by Devon Walker for 39 yards to the Rice 45, tackled by Devon Walker.

Rice then hits on a 29 yard touchdown pass, and a Chris Boswell extra point gives the Owls their first lead of the game, 49-48, with 2:02 left in the game! What drama in the Superdome.

ON THE VERY NEXT PLAY FROM SCRIMMAGE, TULANE HITS A 73 YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS!!! THE WAVE LEAD 54-49 AS THE 2 POINT CONVERSION FAILS.

OH NO!! NOW THEY HAVE TO KICK OFF TO RICE!!!

SQUIB IT!

POOCH KICK IT!!

KICK IT OUT OF BOUNDS!!!

TULANE HEAD COACH BOB TOLEDO PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON’T YOU DARE KICK IT DEEP TO THE OWLS…

• Cairo Santos kickoff for 45 yards returned by Turner Petersen, tackled by Devon Walker for 22 yards to the Rice 47, tackled by Devon Walker out-of-bounds.

THEY POOCH KICKED IT….. IT KINDA OF WORKED, BUT RICE IS AT THEIR OWN 47.

Rice is driving, and they get all the way down to the Tulane 14-yard line with about 41 seconds remaining.

2-yard QB rush to the Tulane 12, 1 yard completion to the Tulane 11, Taylor Cook pass incomplete to Patrick Randolph, broken up by Shakiel Smith, Taylor Cook pass incomplete to Vance McDonald, broken up by Justin Adams on 4th down.

Turnover on downs.

The Wave survive and kneel it out for a 54-49 win over Rice. What a wild one in the Superdome.

Now let’s breakdown the NCAA Record for Kick Return Yardage in a Single game.

1. Charles Ross for 21 yards

2. Denzel Wells for 20 yards

3. Charles Ross for 51 yards

4. Denzel Wells for 41 yards (Bonus for Kicker tackle)

5. Charles Ross for 23 yards 

6. Charles Ross for 37 yards

7. Charles Ross for 64 yards 

8. Charles Ross for 26 yards

9. Charles Ross for 39 yards

10. Turner Petersen for 22 yards 

Ten total Kick Returns for 344 Yards for an NCAA Record.

Congrats to Rice for the NCAA Record. Congrats to Running Back Charles Ross, Cornerback Denzel Wells, and Running Back Turner Peterson for combining on this NCAA Record in an absolutely wild game.

The team stats for this game were insane too. Over 1,000 yards of combined offense and 502 total kickoff return yards combined.

Thank you for reading!