The eyes of the nation descend upon Super Bowl LVIII, fans from all walks of life will get a close-up glimpse of two of the most polarizing quarterbacks in the sport. As Brock Purdy and Patrick Mahomes lead their respective teams onto the NFL’s grandest stage, it’s fair to wonder how these two compared in college.
Brock Purdy vs. Patrick Mahomes College Record
Separated by more than four years in age, Mahomes and Purdy missed each other in college by mere semesters. Mahomes jumped from Texas Tech to the NFL during the 2017 NFL Draft, while Purdy’s first season at Iowa State was in 2018.
Still, their resumes on the college stage are similar. However, Purdy has a large advantage over Mahomes in terms of collegiate legacy.
MORE: Where Did Christian McCaffrey Go to School?
Among his many records at Iowa State, Purdy was as decorated as any quarterback in recent memory with the Cyclones.
He was named First-Team All-Big 12 two times (2020, 2021) and Second-Team All-Big 12 another (2019). Purdy set 34 school records at Iowa State, some leading the way so far that they’ll likely never be touched.
He threw for 14 300-yard games, more than triple the previous record holder at Iowa State, and he finished his career with 12,170 passing yards. Purdy tossed 81 career touchdowns, but when talking about singular-statistic marks, that’s where Mahomes has the advantage.
For as good as Purdy was in terms of his Iowa State marks, Mahomes started for just three seasons, two full-time seasons, and easily surpassed even the top Purdy season. Mahomes threw for 93 career touchdowns and 11,252 yards, averaging a whopping 351.6 yards per game to Purdy’s 253.5.
Still, Mahomes’ college resume is full of records in his own right. Mahomes set multiple Texas Tech, Big 12, and NCAA records for his single-game performance against Oklahoma and QB Baker Mayfield.
In that outing, Mahomes totaled 819 yards of offense, including tying the NCAA single-game record for passing yards with 734 yards. Mayfield and the Sooners, and Mahomes and the Red Raiders combined to light up the field with an NCAA record of 1,708 combined passing yards and total offense by two different players.
MORE: Travis Kelce’s College Journey May Surprise You
Mahomes was awarded the Sammy Baugh Trophy following his junior campaign but was largely overlooked by the conference coaches, national media, and other awards due to the system in which he played.
There is no telling what would have happened had Purdy’s Iowa State team met Mahomes’ Texas Tech team, but their respective places in college football history are locked in. As they eye a Super Bowl victory for their respective NFL teams, it’s safe to say they’re set to continue that success, even expounding on that success at the professional level.
Who comes out victorious in Super Bowl LVIII will have a major leg up, however.
Miss any action from the top college QB Rankings during the 2023 football season? Want to track all the movement with the college football’s transfer portal? College Football Network has you covered with that and more!