Melvin Gordon only played three quarters today, because his Wisconsin Badgers no longer needed him when they went up 52-17 over Nebraska. But that's okay, because in that three-fourths of a game, Melvin Gordon broke LaDainian Tomlinson's all-time FBS single game rushing record with 408 ground yards. Tomlinson's old record was 406.
Noteworthy, even of top of that: Melvin Gordon did this against the Nebraska defense, which, coming into today, was giving up 123.8 rushing yards per game — good for 19th in the country. This is the nation's 16th-ranked team. Other opponents only got 3.7 yards per carry against them. Melvin Gordon did a little better than that, getting 16.3 per on 25 carries today.
To recap:
Tomlinson: four quarters, 43 carries, vs. UTEP, 406 yards
Gordon: three quarters, 25 carries, vs. #16 Nebraska, 408 yards
It looks like Gordon is done for the day, as we've yet to see him in the fourth quarter (though his Wisconsin teammates continue to mudhole Nebraska). The all-time NCAA record of 465 yards - set last year by Cartel Brooks at Heidelberg University - will remain standing. But not because of anything you did, Nebraska.
[Photo credit: AP]