October 18, 2005

21 points in 60 seconds nets Miami Redhawks an NCAA scoring record

Score 21 points in just 60 seconds? Sounds improbable, if not impossible, because after all, we're not talking about racking up some quickie TDs on NCAA Football 2006 here. But Miami of Ohio did just that on Saturday in a 51-23 win over Akron, and in the process set an NCAA record for the fastest time ever to score three touchdowns and kick three extra points.

And if Irony is your cup of tea, the previous record holder was Kent State, who racked up their 21 points in 64 seconds during a 1996 matchup against none other than the Akron Zips.

More on the wild minute of end zone action from WKRC-TV in Cincinnati.

Miami's remarkable minute began at 6:46 in the fourth quarter, when junior running back Jimmy Murray capped a 73-yard RedHawk scoring drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge that put Miami in front 37-23. Place kicker Todd Soderquist added the PAT.

After a touchback on the ensuing kickoff, Akron completed a five-yard pass before RedHawk cornerback Ryan Redd intercepted the next Luke Getsy pass at the 50-yard line. On the very next play, Miami junior quarterback Josh Betts connected with a wide-open Martin Nance on a 50-yard touchdown pass to complete an eight-second scoring drive. Soderquist once again converted the PAT.

Akron returned the ensuing kickoff to its 21-yard line but gave up the ball on its next play from scrimmage, when Getsy was sacked and stripped of the ball by Miami senior defensive end Marcus Johnson. Otto Linwood recovered the fumble to give Miami the ball at the Akron 15-yard line. Murray responded on the next play by dashing 15 yards up the middle for his second touchdown run in a minute, crossing the goal line at 5:46 to cap the five-second scoring drive. Soderquist tacked on the PAT to complete the record-breaking minute for the RedHawks.

Per the NCAA, scoring three touchdowns alone has actually been done quicker, by Colorado State against San Jose State in 1997. However, the Rams missed one of their PAT attempts leaving them with only 20 points in that time span.

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