College football has had its share of wild shootouts, but Oklahoma’s 66-59 victory over Texas Tech on Oct. 22, 2016, deserves a spot in a category all its own.
Ten years ago, Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes turned a Saturday night in Lubbock into a video game, except nobody bothered to turn down the difficulty for the defenses.
The wildest part? Both quarterbacks were just getting started.
Mayfield, who started his college career at Texas Tech before transferring to Oklahoma, completed 27 of 36 passes for 545 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions. His 98.1 QBR was about as close to perfection as a quarterback can get.
Seven touchdown passes, going for 56, 49, 23, 23, 43, 34 and 15 yards. No interceptions. A casual 545 yards.
In a word: Ridiculous.
“It was an unbelievable game and unbelievable atmosphere. Just the back and forth is something that I will not forget,” Mayfield told ESPN in 2021.
Mahomes, meanwhile, put together one of the most astonishing performances in college football history, completing 52 of 88 passes for 734 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.
He also ran 12 times for 85 yards and two scores, finishing with seven total touchdowns and a 91.5 QBR.
Yes, 734 passing yards (tied for the most in FBS history, equaling the mark set by Washington State’s Connor Halliday in 2014). His TD passes covered 23, 32, 41, 56 and 3 yards.
Add in his rushing stats and that’s 819 yards of total offense … in one game.
Again, ridiculous.
“I wish we would have won, but it was awesome just to be a part of it. They had a ton of talent. We had a ton of talent. And I wish we’d have come out with the win,” Mahomes told Sports Illustrated in 2018.
Oklahoma finished with 854 yards. Texas Tech finished with 854 yards. The 1,708 combined yards remains an FBS single-game record.
Not to be overlooked on this historic night: Sooners running back Joe Mixon, who ran 31 times for 263 yards and two touchdowns, and caught four passes for 114 yards and three scores.
But back to Mayfield and Mahomes. The two quarterbacks combined for 1,279 passing yards and 12 touchdown passes in a game that featured one punt.
A decade later, the game feels even more remarkable because of what came next.
Mayfield went on to win the Heisman Trophy as a senior in 2017 and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, eventually establishing himself as one of the league’s most entertaining and resilient quarterbacks.
Mahomes, who entered the NFL draft after his junior season, was selected 10th overall in 2017 and became the face of a Kansas City Chiefs dynasty, winning three Super Bowl titles and two league MVP awards.
Two future NFL stars. Two record-book performances. One unforgettable night in Lubbock.
On Oct. 22, 2016, Mayfield and Mahomes gave college football a game that still sounds absurd when you read the box score.
A decade later, the numbers are still staggering, the memories are still vivid, and it’s hard to imagine how anyone in the stands that night had time to catch their breath.
Every campus. Every tradition. Every fan. Sign up for the Student Section Newsletter
READ MORE: Lamar Jackson vs. Deshaun Watson: Relive their instant classic from 10 years ago
READ MORE: Oklahoma ran for a record 768 yards in 1988. No team has come close since
READ MORE: 5 things every Texas Tech football fan needs to experience at least once
READ MORE: Oklahoma football traditions that bring Norman, Memorial Stadium to life
Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.