STAT WATCH: Sama’s 276-yard rushing night in 1st start for Iowa St. highlighted by long touchdowns

By ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

Abu Sama made his first start for Iowa State a memorable one.

Sama’s 276 yards rushing in the snow in a 42-35 win at Kansas State were the fourth-most in the Football Bowl Subdivision this season. His big night was highlighted by touchdown runs of 71, 77 and 60 yards.

He became the second FBS player since 1996 with three or more rushing touchdowns of at least 60 yards against a ranked opponent and the first player in the Big 12 with two 70-plus-yard rushing TDs in a game since Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson in 2005.

Sama joined Troy Davis (1995) and Breece Hall (2020-21) as the only ISU players with multiple runs of at least 50 yards in a game.

Three other players went over 200 yards rushing.

Notre Dame’s Audric Estime had 25 carries for 238 yards against Stanford; New Mexico’s Jacory Croskey-Merritt had 31 runs for 233 yards against Utah State in his second straight 200-yard game; and Missouri’s Cody Schrader ran 27 times for 217 yards against Arkansas.

RUNNING BACKWARDS

Penn State owns the top two defensive performances against the run after Michigan State netted minus-35 yards on 27 attempts.

Three weeks ago, Maryland netted minus-49 yards on 16 attempts against the Nittany Lions.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS

There were four 100-yard kick returns on the same day for the first time in two years.

California’s Jaydn Ott went the distance against UCLA; Texas State’s Kole Wilson did it against South Alabama; Georgia Southern’s DeAndre Buchannon against Appalachian State; and Kentucky’s Barion Brown against Louisville.

FLINGING FIFITA

Arizona’s Noah Fifita set the national season high for passing yards, throwing for a school-record 527 and five touchdowns in a 59-23 win over Arizona State.

BY GOLLY, OLLIE

Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II matched the national season high with five rushing touchdowns against BYU. Avery Johnson of Kansas State had five against Texas Tech on Oct. 14.

NATIONAL LEADERS

With the regular season over except for the Army-Navy game Dec. 9, here is a look at the national statistical leaders:

Team scoring, LSU, 46.8 ppg; rushing, Liberty, 282.2 ypg; passing, Washington, 358.4 ypg; total offense, LSU, 562.2 ypg; scoring defense, Michigan, 9.0 ppg; rushing defense, James Madison, 60.4 ypg; passing defense, Ohio State, 144.3 ypg; total defense, Penn State, 233.3 ypg.

Individual rushing, Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State, 128.6 ypg; passing, Michael Penix Jr., Washington, 335.9 ypg; receiving, Malik Nabers, LSU, 129.5 ypg.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football