Who Has The Most Single-Season TD Receptions in College Football History?

Fox Sports

6 days ago

Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith wowed the college football world as a true freshman in 2024, putting up a dominant season from start to finish and helping the Buckeyes win the national championship. For how dominant he was, though, Smith still fell well statistically short of having one of the most dominant seasons of all time for a wideout.
Smith's 15 receiving touchdowns were five short of the 10th-best mark of receiving scores caught by a single player in one season, showing just how tough it is to reach that threshold. Furthermore, Smith played in 16 games, with the introduction of the 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024 leading to teams playing longer seasons than ever before.
The fact that seasons are longer than ever could help Smith and other top receivers rewrite the record books.
That said, let's take a look at who boasts the most touchdown receptions in a single season. Players With The Most Single-Season TD Receptions in CFB History T-10. Jarett Dillard: 20 (2008)
A first-team All-American, Dillard's 1,310 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns helped Rice go 10-3 in 2008. He was also the first player from Rice to earn first-team All-Conference USA three times. Dillard set NCAA career records for most touchdown receptions (60) and games with a touchdown catch (38) as well as the single-season record for games with a touchdown reception and consecutive games with a touchdown reception (13) in 2006.
Dillard, who led the Owls to their first bowl appearance and bowl victory in nearly five decades in 2006, is on the 2026 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. T-10. Justin Blackmon: 20 (2010)
Blackmon was one of the best wide receivers in the early 2010s, recording back-to-back seasons in which he had at least 110 receptions and 1,500 receiving yards. He won both the Biletnikoff Award (the most outstanding WR in college football) and the Warfield Trophy (the nation's top collegiate wide receiver) twice in back-to-back years (2010-11).
Blackmon, who twice earned unanimous All-American honors with Oklahoma State and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2010, went on to become the fifth overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. T-10. Patrick Edwards: 20 (2011)
When Houtson's Case Keenum had the then-best season of all time statistically for a quarterback in 2011, one of his wide receivers stood to benefit from it mightily. Edwards was that guy, logging 1,752 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns that year. Edwards signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2012. T-10. Corey Coleman: 20 (2015)
Coleman was a pivotal piece in Baylor's strong run of play in the mid-2010s. He had 74 receptions for 1,363 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2015, helping him become an All-American. A two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, Coleman won the Biletnikoff Award in 2015 and went on to become the 15th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. T-10. Ja'Marr Chase: 20 (2019)
Chase was the biggest beneficiary of QB Joe Burrow's legendary 2019 season at LSU. Chase, a first-team All-SEC selection, unanimous All-American and Biletnikoff Award winner, led LSU in receiving scores that year. Chase, Burrow and the Tigers went on to win the national championship that year before Chase was drafted fifth overall in 2021. 9. Jarett Dillard: 21 (2006)
Dillard, again! The former Rice star led the nation in receiving touchdowns twice over three years, posting at least 20 receiving scores on two occasions as well. He's the NCAA's all-time leader in receiving touchdowns as well (60). T-6. Manny Hazard: 22 (1989)
Houston quarterback Andre Ware won the Heisman Trophy in 1989 thanks to the help of Hazard. The 5-foot-8 wide receiver recorded a then-record 142 receptions and 22 receiving scores that year. A first-team All-American and two-time first-team All-Southwest Conference selection, Hazard held the single-season record for most receptions until December 2009. T-6. Larry Fitzgerald: 22 (2003)
Fitzgerald's 2003 season at Pitt was nearly enough for him to win the Heisman Trophy. He led the nation in receiving yards (1,672) and receiving touchdowns (22) that year, finishing second to Oklahoma quarterback Jason White. A unanimous All-American, first-team All-Big East selection and Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2003, Fitzgerald went on to win a slew of accolades that same year, including the Biletnikoff Award, Warfield Trophy and Walter Camp Award (most outstanding college football player in the United States), among others.
His No. 1 jersey was officially retired by the University of Pittsburgh in 2013. T-6. Michael Crabtree: 22 (2007)
Many fans might remember Crabtree's 2008 season more as he nearly helped Texas Tech reach the title game that year. However, he was statistically better as a redshirt freshman in 2007, leading the nation in receptions (134), receiving yards (1,962) and receiving touchdowns (22). A two-time Biletnikoff Award winner, two-time Warfield Trophy winner and two-time unanimous All-American, Crabtree went on to be the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. 5. DeVonta Smith: 23 (2020)
History says that it takes a special season for a wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy. Smith did that in 2020, becoming just the fourth wideout to accomplish such a feat after he recorded 20 scores in just 13 games for Alabama.
A two-time CFP national champion with the Crimson Tide, Smith also won the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award and the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player in college football). A two-time first-team All-SEC selection, Smith was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 and SEC Male Athlete of the Year in 2021. 4. Davante Adams: 24 (2013)
There's a reason why Adams is so fond of Derek Carr. The quarterback fed him well during their time together at Fresno State, especially in their final season in 2013. Adams had 131 receptions for 1,719 yards and 24 touchdowns that year en route to his second first-team All-Mountain West selection and winning the Warfield Trophy.
His No. 15 jersey was officially retired by Fresno State in 2022. T-2. Stedman Bailey: 25 (2012)
While Tavon Austin garnered more buzz among West Virginia's wide receivers in the early 2010s, Bailey was statistically superior. His 2012 season was one for the ages, recording 1,622 receiving yards and 25 receiving touchdowns for a Mountaineers team that went 7-6. After a stellar college career, Bailey, a first-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 selection, was taken in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. T-2. Randy Moss: 25 (1997)
In many other seasons, Moss' 1997 campaign might have been enough to win the Heisman Trophy. He recorded 90 receptions for 1,647 yards and 25 touchdowns that year, dominating in an era where the passing game still wasn't as prevalent. Marshall went 10-3 as a result of Moss' play, while he finished fourth in Heisman voting in one of the greatest all-time races for the award. 1. Troy Edwards: 27 (1998)
A year after Moss put up monster stats at Marshall, Edwards had slightly superior numbers at Louisiana Tech. He recorded an astonishing 140 receptions for 1,996 yards and 27 touchdowns in 1998, putting up arguably the greatest statistical season for a wide receiver in college football history.
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