The way Fordham’s offense and Jackson State’s defense have begun the 2022 FCS college football season is jaw-dropping.

Fordham, which sits two spots outside the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, is off to a 4-1 start, losing only to an FBS opponent, while boasting the FCS’ most prolific offense with No. 1 rankings in points per game (51.8) and yards per game (630).

Eighth-ranked Jackson State has a 4-0 record behind the nation’s stingiest defense, which is allowing just 9.3 points per game and 185.5 yards per game.

Given their elite averages, it’s interesting to see where the two units would rank in FCS history if the numbers held up over the entire season.

Fordham Offense

Coach Joe Conlin’s Patriot League squad is off to its best start since 2015. The Rams’ season averages under offensive coordinator Kevin Decker for both points and yards per game would rank second all-time to the 1984 Mississippi Valley State offense over a full season.

With his linemen providing solid protection, quarterback Tim DeMorat is the FCS’ leading passer, and his favorite target, Fotis Koksioulis, is the nation’s leading receiver. The passing exploits are so high that they may be overshadowing the Rams have a top-15 rushing offense.

The Rams’ 48 points and 547 yards against Wagner won’t be matched by many teams in a game, yet they are the offense’s season lows. Their highs are 59 points against Georgetown and 706 yards against Monmouth.

FCS All-Time Team Highest Points Per Game
1. 1984 Mississippi Valley State: 60.9 (609 points/10 games)
2. 1999 Georgia Southern: 50.0 (550/11)
3. 1998 Florida A&M: 49.6 (546/11)
4. 2016 Sam Houston: 49.5 (644/13)
5. 1980 Portland State: 49.2 (541/11)
6. 2013 Eastern Illinois: 48.2 (675/14)
7. 1993 Idaho: 47.5 (522/11)
T8. 2014 Georgia Southern: 47.0 (564/12)
T8. 2018 Princeton: 47.0 (470/10)
10. 2016 James Madison: 46.7 (700/15)

FCS All-Time Team Highest Offensive Yards Per Game
1. 1984 Mississippi Valley State: 640.1 (6,401 yards/10 games)
2. 1994 Alcorn State: 597.9 (6,577/11)
3. 2013 Eastern Illinois: 589.5 (8,253/14)
4. 1991 Weber State: 581.4 (6,395/11)
5. 2013 Stephen F. Austin: 572.0 (6,864/12)
6. 2014 Yale: 571.5 (5,715/10)
7. 2014 Idaho State: 562.0 (6,744/12)
8. 2021 Eastern Washington: 554.5 (7,209/13)
9. 1987 Holy Cross: 552.5 (6,074/11)
10. 2021 Southeastern Louisiana: 551.8 (7,173/13)

Jackson State Defense

The Tigers won the 2021 Southwestern Athletic Conference title while ranking second nationally in total defense (256.8) and fourth in scoring defense (14.8). This season, coach Deion Sanders and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman have pushed the right buttons in the program’s best start since 1996.

The Tigers have allowed points in only six of the 16 quarters, surrendering just a field goal against both Florida A&M and Tennessee State, with a season-low 139 yards versus Tennessee State. Their overall yardage average would rank eighth-best in FCS history and the scoring average 17th – rankings that surely reflect how football is more offensive today than in years’ past (the first FCS season was 1978).

Aubrey Miller Jr. leads the team in total tackles and fellow linebacker Nyles Gaddy has been the key pass rusher for a unit that is tied for fifth nationally in sacks per game. Safety Cam’Ron Simon-Craig leads in solo tackles and takeaways.

FCS All-Time Team Fewest Points Allowed Per Game
1. 1978 South Carolina State: 6.55 (72 points/11 games)
2. 1978 Nevada: 7.00 (84/12)
3. 1982 Western Michigan: 7.09 (78/11)
4. 1979 Lehigh: 7.18 (79/11)
5. 1994 Penn: 7.56 (68/9)
6. 1978 Florida A&M: 7.92 (103/13)
7. 2001 Saint Peter’s: 8.18 (90/11)
8. 1986 Tennessee State: 8.27 (91/11)
9. 2003 Monmouth: 8.50 (102/12)
10. 1994 Youngstown State: 8.55 (94/11)

FCS All-Time Team Fewest Offensive Yards Allowed Per Game
1. 1978 Florida A&M: 149.9 (1,649 yards/11 games)
2. 2001 Saint Peter’s: 157.7 (1,735/11)
3. 1979 Alcorn State: 166.4 (1,664/10)
4. 1979 Lehigh: 166.9 (1,836/11)
5. 1979 South Carolina State: 167.1 (1,671/10)
6. 1986 Tennessee State: 178.5 (1,963/11)
7. 1979 Southern U.: 181.6 (1,998/11)
8. 1979 Grambling State: 186.8 (2,055/11)
9. 1984 Tennessee State: 187.0 (2,057/11)
10. 2002 Duquesne: 188.0 (2,256/12)

Historical data source: NCAA.org