This page lists the top individual passing performances in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), including career passing yards and touchdowns, single-season passing yards and touchdowns, and single-game passing yards and touchdowns.
FCS quarterbacks such as Devlin Hodges, Taylor Heinicke, Bruce Eugene, and Willie Totten have set notable records at multiple levels. Eugene holds the career passing touchdowns record, surpassing Totten, who played alongside NFL legend Jerry Rice in the 1980s. Lindsey Scott holds the single-season passing touchdowns record, while Ren Hefley set the single-game passing touchdowns mark. Taylor Heinicke holds the single-game passing yards record. The lists below include both career and single-season leaders, as well as single-game performances, reflecting the most prolific passing achievements in FCS history. Statistics reflect official FCS games and are current through the end of the 2025 season.
Passing yards Samford's Devlin Hodges is the NCAA FCS career passing yards leader with 14,584 yards, surpassing Steve McNair of Alcorn State and Bruce Eugene of Grambling State. Hodges is one of only four FCS players to exceed 13,500 career passing yards, joining McNair, Eric Barriere of Eastern Washington, and Eugene. Many of the top FCS passers maximized their eligibility, with several playing five seasons, allowing them to challenge long-standing records. While slightly below the all-time FBS leader Case Keenum of Houston (19,217 yards), multiple FCS quarterbacks have surpassed 12,000 career yards, ranking among the most prolific passers in NCAA history.
Career
# Player Yards Seasons 1 Devlin Hodges14,584 2015 2016 2017 2018 Samford 2 Steve McNair14,496 1991 1992 1993 1994 Alcorn State 3 Eric Barriere 13,803 2017 2018 2019 2021 Eastern Washington 4 Bruce Eugene 13,513 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Grambling State 5 Tim DeMorat 13,461 2018 2019 2021 2022 Fordham 6 Dominic Randolph 13,455 2006 2007 2008 2009 Holy Cross 7 Jeremy Moses 13,401 2007 2008 2009 2010 Stephen F. Austin 8 Scott Riddle 13,264 2007 2008 2009 2010 Elon 9 Ricky Santos 13,212 2004 2005 2006 2007 New Hampshire 10 Jimmy Garoppolo 13,156 2010 2011 2012 2013 Eastern Illinois 11 Parker McKinney 12,760 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Eastern Kentucky 12 Willie Totten 12,711 1982 1983 1984 1985 Mississippi Valley State 13 Anthony Lawrence 12,638 2015 2016 2017 2018 San Diego 14 Matt Nichols 12,616 2006 2007 2008 2009 Eastern Washington 15 Marcus Brady 12,479 1998 1999 2000 2001 Cal State Northridge 16 Cameron Higgins 12,252 2007 2008 2009 2010 Weber State 17 Jamie Martin 12,207 1989 1990 1991 1992 Weber State 18 Aqeel Glass 12,136 2017 2018 2019 2021 Alabama A&M 19 Case Cookus 12,092 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Northern Arizona 20 Austin Gahafer 11,918 2013 2014 2015 2016 Morehead State 21 Robert Kent 11,784 2000 2001 2002 2003 Jackson State 22 Peter Pujals 11,695 2013 2014 2015 2017 Holy Cross 23 Sean Schaefer 11,644 2005 2006 2007 2008 Towson 24 Neil Lomax 11,550 1978 1979 1980 Portland State 25 Taryn Christion 11,535 2015 2016 2017 2018 South Dakota State
Single season
Eastern Washington's Gage Gubrud holds the FCS single-season passing yards record with 5,160 yards in 2016. He is one of only six FCS players to throw for over 5,000 yards in a season, joining Cole Kelley (Southeastern Louisiana, 2021), Taylor Heinicke (Old Dominion, 2012), Eric Barriere (Eastern Washington, 2021), Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois, 2013), and Jeremiah Briscoe (Sam Houston, 2017).
# Player Yards Season 1 Gage Gubrud5,160 2016 Eastern Washington 2 Cole Kelley 5,124 2021 Southeastern Louisiana 3 Taylor Heinicke 5,076 2012 Old Dominion 4 Eric Barriere 5,055 2021 Eastern Washington 5 Jimmy Garoppolo 5,050 2013 Eastern Illinois 6 Jeremiah Briscoe 5,003 2017 Sam Houston 7 Vernon Adams 4,994 2013 Eastern Washington 8 Tim DeMorat 4,891 2022 Fordham 9 Steve McNair 4,863 1994 Alcorn State 10 Lindsey Scott Jr. 4,686 2022 UIW 11 Cam Ward 4,648 2021 UIW 12 Jeremiah Briscoe 4,602 2016 Sam Houston 13 Dustin Long 4,588 2004 Sam Houston 14 Willie Totten 4,557 1984 Mississippi Valley State 15 Miles Hastings 4,493 2024 UC Davis 16 Bruce Eugene 4,483 2002 Grambling State 17 Cameron Higgins 4,460 2008 Weber State 18 Michael Nebrich 4,380 2013 Fordham 19 Chris Lum 4,378 2011 Lehigh 20 Bruce Eugene 4,360 2005 Grambling State 21 Brett Gordon 4,305 2002 Villanova 22 Devlin Hodges 4,283 2018 Samford 23 Brady Attaway 4,268 2013 Stephen F. Austin 24 Joe Flacco 4,263 2007 Delaware 25 Martin Hankins 4,240 2004 Southeastern Louisiana
Single game
The FCS single-game passing yards record is held by Taylor Heinicke of Old Dominion, who threw for 730 yards against New Hampshire on September 22, 2012. Many other FCS quarterbacks have surpassed 500 yards in a game, highlighting the prolific passing offenses in the subdivision.
# Yards Player Team / Opponent Date 1 730 Taylor Heinicke Old Dominion vs. New Hampshire Sept. 22, 2012 2 662 Brady Attaway SFA vs. Prairie View Sept. 28, 2013 3 660 Braden Hanson North Dakota vs. Montana Oct. 20, 2012 4 647 Cole Kelley Southeastern Louisiana vs. UIW Nov. 6, 2021 5 624 Jamie Martin Weber State vs. Idaho State Nov. 23, 1991 6 623 Drew Hubel Portland State vs. Eastern Washington Oct. 4, 2008 7 620 Cole Gonzales Western Carolina vs. Furman Oct. 19, 2024 8 619 Doug Pederson Northeast Louisiana vs. SFA Nov. 11, 1989 9 618 Bruce Eugene Grambling vs. Prairie View Oct. 1, 2005 10 610 Cameron Ward UIW vs. Southeastern Louisiana Nov. 6, 2021 11 600 Casey Brockman Murray State vs. Tennessee State Sept. 17, 2011 600 Eric Barriere Eastern Washington vs. Idaho Oct. 16, 2021 13 599 Willie Totten Mississippi Valley State vs. Prairie View Oct. 27, 1984 14 595 Robert Kent Jackson State vs. Alabama State Oct. 6, 2001 15 589 Vern Harris Idaho State vs. Montana Oct. 12, 1985 16 588 Martin Hankins Southeastern Louisiana vs. Ark.-Monticello Sept. 2, 2004 17 587 Steve McNair Alcorn vs. Southern U. Oct. 22, 1994 18 582 Liam Welch Samford vs. ETSU Sept. 25, 2021 19 577 Dustin Long Sam Houston vs. McNeese Nov. 6, 2004 20 576 Ren Hefley Presbyterian vs. St. Andrews Sept. 4, 2021 21 574 Michael Herrick Northern Arizona vs. Eastern Washington Nov. 21, 2009 22 571 Todd Hammel SFA vs. Northeast Louisiana Nov. 11, 1989 23 570 Casey Brockman Murray State vs. Missouri State Oct. 9, 2010 570 Liam Welch Samford vs. VMI March 20, 2021 25 567 Joe Lee Towson vs. Lehigh Oct. 30, 1999 567 Bailey Zappe Houston Baptist vs. Texas Tech Sept. 12, 2020 567 Paxton DeLaurent Southeast Missouri State vs. Illinois State Nov. 30, 2024
Passing touchdowns Career The FCS career passing touchdowns record is held by Bruce Eugene of Grambling State, who threw 140 touchdowns from 2001 to 2005, surpassing the previous mark set by Willie Totten of Mississippi Valley State. Totten had originally set the record while playing alongside future NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in the 1980s.
# Player TDs Seasons 1 Bruce Eugene140 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Grambling State 2 Willie Totten139 1982 1983 1984 1985 Mississippi Valley State3 Ricky Santos 123 2004 2005 2006 2007 New Hampshire Tim DeMorat 123 2018 2019 2021 2022 Fordham5 Eric Barriere 121 2017 2018 2019 2021 Eastern Washington Jeremy Moses 121 2007 2008 2009 2010 Stephen F. Austin 7 Anthony Lawrence 120 2015 2016 2017 2018 San Diego 8 Steve McNair 119 1991 1992 1993 1994 Alcorn State 9 Jimmy Garoppolo 118 2010 2011 2012 2013 Eastern Illinois 10 Dominic Randolph 117 2006 2007 2008 2009 Holy Cross11 Josh McGregor 116 2008 2009 2010 2011 Jacksonville Jeremiah Briscoe 116 2014 2015 2016 2017 Sam Houston 13 Josh Johnson 113 2004 2005 2006 2007 San Diego 14 Devlin Hodges 111 2015 2016 2017 2018 Samford15 Marcus Brady 109 1998 1999 2000 2001 Cal State Northridge Aqeel Glass 109 2017 2018 2019 2021 Alabama A&M 17 Scott Riddle 106 2007 2008 2009 2010 Elon 18 Case Cookus 105 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Northern Arizona19 Robert Kent 104 2000 2001 2002 2003 Jackson State Taryn Christion 104 2015 2016 2017 2018 South Dakota State 21 Niel Loebig 103 2001 2002 2003 2004 Duquesne 22 Cameron Higgins 98 2007 2008 2009 2010 Weber State23 Dave Dickenson 96 1992 1993 1994 1995 Montana Matt Nichols 96 2006 2007 2008 2009 Eastern Washington 25 Mason Mills 95 2010 2011 2012 2013 San Diego
Single season The FCS single-season passing touchdowns record is held by Lindsey Scott of UIW (University of the Incarnate Word), who threw 60 touchdowns in 2022. Other quarterbacks who have surpassed 50 in a season include Jeremiah Briscoe of Sam Houston and Bruce Eugene of Grambling State.
# Player TDs Season 1 Lindsey Scott60 2022 UIW 2 Jeremiah Briscoe 57 2016 Sam Houston3 Willie Totten 56 1984 Mississippi Valley State Bruce Eugene 56 2005 Grambling State Tim DeMorat 56 2022 Fordham 6 Vernon Adams 55 2013 Eastern Washington 7 Jimmy Garoppolo 53 2013 Eastern Illinois 8 Gage Gubrud 48 2016 Eastern Washington 9 Cam Ward 47 2021 UIW 10 Eric Barriere 46 2021 Eastern Washington 11 Jeremiah Briscoe 45 2017 Sam Houston12 Steve McNair 44 1994 Alcorn State Taylor Heinicke 44 2012 Old Dominion Cole Kelley 44 2021 Southeastern Louisiana15 Bruce Eugene 43 2002 Grambling State Josh Johnson 43 2007 San Diego 17 Brian Ah Yat 42 1996 Montana18 Jeremy Moses 41 2008 Stephen F. Austin Jeff Undercuffler 41 2019 UAlbany Cole Johnson 41 2021 James Madison21 Jeremy Moses 40 2009 Stephen F. Austin Shedeur Sanders 40 2022 Jackson State Tommy Rittenhouse 40 2025 Illinois State24 Johnathan Williams 39 2015 Grambling State Willie Totten 39 1985 Mississippi Valley State Dustin Long 39 2004 Sam Houston Ricky Santos 39 2005 New Hampshire Anthony Lawrence 39 2018 San Diego Ren Hefley 39 2021 Presbyterian
Single game In the 84–43 season opener on September 4, 2021, Ren Hefley of Presbyterian set the FCS single‑game touchdown record with 10 touchdown passes against St. Andrews.
# Player TDs Game Date 1 Ren Hefley10 Presbyterian vs. St. Andrews Sept. 4, 20212 Willie Totten 9 Mississippi Valley State vs. Kentucky State Sept 1, 1984 Drew Hubel 9 Portland State vs. Eastern Washington Oct. 27, 2007
Passing efficiency Passing efficiency is a measure of quarterback performance based on the following formula:
Only passing statistics are included in the formula. Any yards or touchdowns gained rushing or by any other method are not a factor in the formula, and neither are fumbles. Players tend to rank highly on the list when they have a high completion percentage, high yards per completion, and many touchdowns to few interceptions. Career The FCS career passing efficiency record (minimum 425 completions; player must have concluded his career) is held by Josh Johnson of the San Diego Toreros, who recorded a career passer efficiency rating of 176.7 from 2004 to 2007. He finished his career with 1,065 passing attempts, 724 completions, 15 interceptions, 9,699 passing yards, and 113 touchdown passes.