HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Forget Colt McCoy and Graham Harrell. Neither of those Texas quarterbacks — nor anyone else — ever put up numbers like Stephen F. Austin’s Jeremy Moses did Saturday.
In just his 14th career start, Moses threw an NCAA record-breaking 57 completions and 85 pass attempts, finishing with 501 yards and four touchdowns, in a 34-31 double-overtime loss to Sam Houston State.
Moses, a sophomore, surpassed Drew Brees’ former college football record of 83 attempts for Purdue in a 1998 loss to Wisconsin. He also broke the former record of 56 completions set in 1996 by Wayne State’s Jarrod DeGeorgia.
“I guess if you’re going to lose, you might as well set some records,” said Moses, who completed passes to 11 different receivers.
Moses is only the fourth NCAA quarterback to surpass 80 pass attempts in a game. His final attempt fell incomplete on fourth-and-20 in the second overtime, and Sam Houston State kicked the winning field goal on the next possession.
Stephen F. Austin ran 116 plays, nearly double the number of snaps by the Bearkats. But Sam Houston State scored quickly on three long touchdown passes by former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar.
Moses said he never realized during the game he was on a record-setting pace.
“I’m pretty tired,” said Moses, who is 6-foot and about 200 pounds. “I’m pretty sore now.”
His feat is even more incredible considering SFA installed the spread offense just this season. The Lumberjacks switched to what Moses calls a “Texas Tech” offense after using a one-receiver, two-fullback power running set last year.
Moses forced overtime for SFA (4-5) with 18 seconds left in regulation, when he found Duane Brooks for a 21-yard touchdown. The extra point tied the game at 24.
Moses, who played high school football near Houston, called his prolific night bittersweet because of the loss. But he said he was thrilled “to hear my name in the same sentence as Drew Brees,” who was also a Texas high school star.
“Coach made me a guarantee,” Moses said. “As long as I’m here, this is the offense we’ve run.”
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