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CATCH UP ON THE COUNTDOWN BY VISITING: ARIZONA’S TOP 100 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
Only 59 days separate us from the start of Rich Rodriguez’s fifth season, when the Arizona Wildcats football team plays Brigham Young on Sept. 3 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
As is customary on this Web site, we will count down the days with an interesting element associated with each day. This year the topic is the top 100 individual records in Arizona’s storied football past.
Compiling the list was no easy task, but it was feasible to do with the information provided in the record books by the Arizona media relations department, and we appreciate that.
In past years, we have counted down the top games and highlighted players and some of the top plays in Arizona Wildcats football history. A couple of years ago in our top 100 countdown, we showcased the 1914 team that was responsible for Arizona becoming the “Wildcats”.
Back to this year’s countdown of the top 100 individual records in the 117 years of Arizona football:
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Running backs Art Luppino (top) and Ka’Deem Carey share more than one Arizona record, including the most overall touchdowns scored in a game at five.
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No. 59
Most Touchdowns, Game: 5, Art Luppino, vs. New Mexico State, Sept. 18, 1954 (four by rushing and one by kickoff return); Ka’Deem Carey, vs. Colorado, 2012 (all five by rushing)
NCAA record: 8, Howard Griffith, Illinois vs. Southern Illinois, Sept. 22, 1990 (all eight by rushing)
Art Luppino established an Arizona record with five touchdowns scored against New Mexico State in 1954 (University of Arizona photo)
Arizona’s record book lists most touchdowns scored in a game overall and most touchdowns rushing, among other scoring marks. This entry in the countdown takes into account the most touchdowns overall. The record-holders are Art Luppino and Ka’Deem Carey.
The most rushing touchdowns in a game will be ranked higher at a later time in this countdown.
Luppino — the “Cactus Comet” — had touchdown runs of 37, 48, 74 and 53 yards against New Mexico State (then New Mexico A&M) in a 58-0 victory for Arizona in the 1954 season opener (Sept. 18, 1954). He also scored on an 88-yard kick return and set up another score with a 43-yard punt return against the beleaguered Aggies. He carried the ball only two other times in the game, finishing with 228 yards rushing on only six carries. He reportedly played only 20 minutes in the rout.
Ka’Deem Carey ‘s five touchdowns against Colorado in 2012 matched Luppino’s record
Carey scored on five touchdown runs against Colorado on Nov. 10, 2012 — 10, 13, 30, 8 and 3 yards — which tied a conference record. It was part of his record-shattering 366 yards rushing, which will be detailed later in this countdown.
Other Carey records at Arizona listed before in this countdown:
60. All-Purpose Yards Gained, Career: 5,483, 2011-13
73. All-Purpose Yards Gained, Game: 400, vs. Colorado, Nov. 10, 2012
80. Most Rushing Attempts, Game: 48, vs. Oregon, Nov. 23, 2013
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
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