Every sport has its so-called “Unbreakable Records,” whether it’s Australia’s 13 goals against Samoa in the Soccer World Cup or getting all 10 wickets in a cricket test match. While these records are definitely impressive and hard to come by, they’re only unbreakable until that one gifted athlete comes in.
Today, we’re talking about those exact possibilities, but in video games. College football has its fair share of remarkable records over the years. From win streaks to most sacks in a season, there’s a plethora of iconic moments as you go back in time. But can those records be broken inside video games like EA Sports’ College Football? That’s what we’ll be talking about today, so stick around.
Guidelines For Record Breaking
Before we begin, it is essential to establish some basic rules. First off, we’re looking at real-time records that can be broken in-game. This means playing the game on a normal difficulty under normal circumstances. Since several records required extraordinary situations or were made under different rules, they clearly cannot be broken, whether in-game or in real life.
It should also be noted that the list is limited to college football, so no NFL records will be included. We went back as far as 1950 to find some of these records, so let’s see how they’ve fared the test of time.
Oklahoma’s 47-Game Winning Streak (1953-1957)
We’ve seen win streaks, sure. But nothing like Oklahoma’s dominating performance throughout an impressive five seasons. In 1953, Bud Wilkinson led the Oklahoma Sooners to a whopping 47-game win streak. Defeating any team that stood in their way, this record still stands 75 years later.
Now, how hard is it to get a 47-game win streak in College Football? The answer to this depends on your difficulty level. Playing on Freshman difficulty, players might be able to get a 100-game win streak. But bump up the difficulty to Varsity, All-American, or Heisman, and we wouldn’t bet on it. Getting a 47-game win streak means making no major mistakes in a single match, and even after that, a lot has to go your way to make it work.
In our opinion, while the 47-game win streak record can technically be broken, we believe it’s highly unlikely to be broken at higher difficulties.
Florida’s Consecutive Top-5 Finishes (1987-2000)
Having a good season is one thing. Florida State took it one step further and made that into 14 good seasons in a row. From 1987 to 2000, Florida State consistently ranked in the top 5 teams without fail. Under the leadership of Bobby Bowden, they also won the National Championship twice during that tenure and made a name for themselves in college football.
If you’re wondering whether this is replicable, we don’t think it is. Ranking in the top 5 out of 25 teams for 14 seasons straight is near-impossible. Assuming you’re playing on Varsity or higher difficulty, this might be one record that’s going to remain unbroken. A few bad games could leave you just below the 5th spot, or maybe a bad transfer window.
With so many variables in place, we don’t think it’s a likely possibility that players can break this record in-game.
John Reaves’ Interception Record
By the title, you might think this is about a player who intercepted a record number of passes. If that’s what you’re thinking, you’d be partially correct. John Reaves, ex-QB for Florida, was a highly praised athlete. He was the all-time leading passer with 7,549 yards and a first-round draft pick in the NFL. However, one fateful day, Reaves threw a record-breaking nine interceptions in the game against Auburn.
Because this is a record for most mistakes made in a game, we believe it’s pretty easy to pull off. Funnily enough, this is one record that is harder to break on lower difficulties like Freshman, since your mistakes aren’t punished as much. But if you’re trying this on Varsity or higher, you’ll probably get it in a few games.
For those trying out Heisman, this might even happen without you trying, so get ready. The record for most intercepted passes is one any player can easily break.
Derrick Thomas’ Sack Parade
Our final record is for the most sacks in a single season, and is held by Alabama’s PR Derrick Thomas. Thomas had 27 sacks in the 1988 season, with seven sacks in a single game (a record in itself). The interesting part is, he doesn’t hold the current record for most sacks in a season. This is because, at the time, sacks weren’t counted as an official statistic. The record is currently held by Arizona State’s Terrell Suggs at 24 sacks.
Regardless of the record discrepancies, is this a breakable record? If you ask us, no. 27 sacks in a single season, or 7 sacks in a game, is not probable, especially at Varsity and higher difficulty. AI tends to read and counter your plays, meaning while you might win, you won’t be able to consistently sack the opposing QB. It would even be difficult at Sophomore difficulty, since you’d need a miracle to have a sack opportunity multiple times.
Derrick Thomas’ sack record will probably pass the test of time, both in real-time as well as in-game. This unbreakable record will possibly remain unbroken, at least for the near future.
