College football is basically a fever dream where defense sometimes just decides to stop existing. We've all seen those games where the scoreboard looks more like a high-scoring basketball game than a Saturday afternoon on the gridiron. Honestly, when you look at the top 10 scores ncaa football history has vomited up, it's hard to believe some of these are even real.
I’m not just talking about those weird 222-0 blowouts from the era when players wore leather hats and probably smoked during halftime. We're talking about modern shootouts where two offenses just trade haymakers until everyone’s too tired to stand.
That 222-0 Absurdity (Georgia Tech vs. Cumberland, 1916)
Before we get to the stuff you actually saw on TV, we have to mention the elephant in the room. In 1916, John Heisman—yeah, the guy the trophy is named after—coached Georgia Tech to a 222-0 win over Cumberland.
Why? Pure, unadulterated spite.
Cumberland had beaten Georgia Tech's baseball team 22-0 earlier that year with a bunch of "professional" ringers. Heisman didn't forget. When it came time for the football game, Cumberland had actually disbanded their team, but Heisman threatened to sue them for $3,000 if they didn't show up. They scraped together 12 to 16 random students, jumped on a train, and got absolutely demolished.
Tech scored 32 touchdowns. They didn't throw a single pass.
The Modern FBS Shootouts: When Defenses Take a Nap
Let’s be real, the 1916 game is a trivia fact, not a game. Most fans want to know about the top 10 scores ncaa football produces when both teams are actually trying.
The undisputed king of the modern era is the Texas A&M vs. LSU seven-overtime thriller from 2018. It ended 74-72. That is 146 total points. If you turned that game off at the end of regulation when it was tied at 31, you missed 84 points of overtime chaos. It was the highest-scoring game in FBS history, and honestly, it felt like it was never going to end.
LSU's 72 points still stands as the record for the most points ever scored by a losing team. Imagine scoring 72 points and having to go home with an "L." That’s just cruel.
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The SMU and Houston Track Meet (2022)
In 2022, SMU and Houston decided to play a game where punting was apparently against the law. SMU won 77-63. That’s 140 points in regulation. No overtime. No extra sessions. Just 60 minutes of "you score, then I score."
SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai threw nine touchdown passes. Nine. In one game.
Most quarterbacks are happy with three or four. Mordecai was out there playing Madden on rookie mode. The two teams combined for nearly 1,300 yards of offense. It was beautiful and chaotic and basically everything that makes college football better than the NFL.
Western Michigan vs. Buffalo (2017)
This one is a hidden gem. It was another seven-overtime marathon that finished 71-68 in favor of Western Michigan.
Total points: 139.
The wild thing about this game was how it just refused to die. Every time a team was on the ropes, they’d find a way to scramble into the end zone. By the time it was over, the players looked like they’d just finished a 12-round boxing match in a hurricane.
Ranking the Top 10 Scores NCAA Football (Combined Points)
If we're looking at the highest-scoring FBS games of all time based on the total points from both teams, the list looks something like this:
- Texas A&M 74, LSU 72 (2018) – 146 points (7 OT)
- SMU 77, Houston 63 (2022) – 140 points
- Western Michigan 71, Buffalo 68 (2017) – 139 points (7 OT)
- Pitt 76, Syracuse 61 (2016) – 137 points
- Boise State 69, Nevada 67 (2007) – 136 points (4 OT)
- Navy 74, North Texas 62 (2007) – 136 points
- UNLV 69, Wyoming 66 (2016) – 135 points (3 OT)
- Arkansas 71, Kentucky 63 (2003) – 134 points (7 OT)
- Middle Tennessee 77, FAU 56 (2016) – 133 points
- San Jose State 70, Rice 63 (2004) – 133 points
It’s kinda interesting that 2007 shows up twice here. That year was basically the "Year of Chaos" in college football. If you weren't watching then, you missed out on the sport's peak mid-life crisis.
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Why Pitt and Syracuse Matters More Than You Think
While the overtime games get all the glory because of the sheer volume of points, the Pitt vs. Syracuse game in 2016 is arguably more impressive. Why? They did it in 60 minutes.
They dropped 137 points without needing a single extra period.
Pitt won 76-61. There were 20 touchdowns. Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey wasn't even playing—it was Zack Mahoney throwing for 440 yards and five scores, and they still lost by two touchdowns. It’s the highest-scoring regulation game in FBS history. If you like defense, this game was basically a horror movie.
The "One-Sided" Disasters
Sometimes the top 10 scores ncaa football produces aren't about two teams going back and forth. Sometimes it’s just one team bullying another.
Just this past couple of years, we've seen some lopsided scores that make you wonder why the game wasn't stopped. In 2024, South Alabama hung 87 points on Northwestern State. They actually shortened the fourth quarter to six minutes because everyone just wanted to go home.
Then you've got Western Kentucky who also dropped 87 points back in 2007.
When a team hits the 80s, it’s not really a football game anymore. It’s a track meet where one side is allowed to tackle the other. It's awkward to watch, but for the record books, it's gold.
The Evolution of the Scoreboard
Back in the 90s, scoring 40 points was a "statement" game. Now? If you don't put up 40, people start asking if your offensive coordinator should be fired.
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The rule changes have definitely helped. Faster tempos, more passing, and—let’s be honest—overtime rules that practically guarantee points. Before 1996, there was no overtime in college football. Games could end in a tie. If the Texas A&M/LSU game had happened in 1980, it would have ended 31-31, and we wouldn't even remember it.
The "Top 10" is constantly being rewritten because the game is designed to be faster and higher-scoring.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Games
People usually assume these games are just "bad defense."
Sorta.
But it's also about offensive efficiency. In that Navy vs. North Texas game in 2007, Navy rushed for nearly 600 yards. They didn't even need to pass. They just ran the same three plays over and over, and North Texas couldn't stop it. It wasn't just "bad" defense; it was a schematic nightmare.
Also, turnovers. In the Pitt/Syracuse game, Syracuse turned the ball over a few times deep in their own territory, giving Pitt short fields. High scores are often a cocktail of explosive plays, terrible tackling, and short fields.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re looking to catch (or bet on) the next game that might crack the top 10 scores ncaa football list, look for these markers:
- The Overtime Factor: If a game is tied at 35 going into OT, the "new" rules (where teams must go for 2-point conversions earlier) actually speed up the scoring but also increase the total points quickly.
- The "Air Raid" vs. "Air Raid" Matchup: When two teams run high-tempo, pass-heavy offenses, the clock stops more often, leading to more plays and more points.
- Wacky Conferences: Look at the MAC or Conference USA. For whatever reason, these conferences love 55-52 final scores.
Keep an eye on the schedule for teams like SMU, North Texas, or any team coached by a Mike Leach disciple. These are the factories where high scores are built.
If you want to dive deeper into these records, you should definitely check out the official NCAA record books, specifically the sections on "Combined Points, Two Teams" and "Most Points, One Team." The stats are updated every season, and with the way the game is played now, these records are probably going to fall again sooner rather than later.
Watch the mid-week "MACtion" games if you want to see history. That's usually where the weirdest stuff happens.