In 2023, Bo Nix set NCAA records for career starts (61) and single-season completion percentage (77.4%) with the Oregon Ducks. Just one season later, former UCF and Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel is looking to do the same.

Dillon Gabriel’s ranking among NCAA all-time leaders in passing yards

After breaking state records as a high school QB in Hawaii, Gabriel committed to the UCF Golden Knights. In his first two years and three games, he threw for 8,064 yards, 70 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions, already on pace to continue his record-breaking ways on the collegiate stage.

However, a season-ending collarbone injury in 2021 ended his time with the Knights, sending him into the transfer portal. After initially choosing UCLA as his next destination, Gabriel changed his commitment to Oklahoma the day Sooners freshman Caleb Williams decided to leave for USC.

In Norman, Oklahoma, Gabriel reunited with Jeff Lebby, the QBs coach and offensive coordinator at UCF from 2018 to 2019, and generated another 6,828 yards and 55 TDs in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

But when Lebby became head coach at Mississippi State, Gabriel entered the portal again, this time taking over for Bo Nix at Oregon. Not only will he try to lead the Ducks to a national title berth, but he could break several records along the way.

First, career transition recruiting.

Former Houston QB Case Keenum (19,217) is the current holder, while Tommy Chang (17,072), Landry Jones (16,646) and Gabriel (16,314) make up the rest of the top four.

Gabriel is averaging 289.8 passing yards per game through five games this season. With seven games left in the regular season, he is about to finish with 18,342 yards, while he is 874 yards behind Kennum.

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However, assuming the Ducks earn a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff and possibly the Big Ten Championship, Gabriel could play two to five more games depending on how far his team goes in the postseason.

Of course, battles with Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois remain on the schedule. However, the Hawaii native not only has the physical tools to compete, but also the weapons (WRs Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden, Evan Stewart and TE Terrance Ferguson).

But career passing yards aren’t the stat Gabriel knows this season. He currently ranks third in career passing TDs (136), behind only Boise State’s Kellen Moore (142) and, you guessed it, Keenum (155).

This one is arguably easier to catch, as Gabriel’s average of 2.2 in 2024 would see him rank at 151 by the end of the season, while he only needed five more in the play-offs to take top spot to transport.

Then there’s the career completion rankings, where Gabriel is in 10th place with 1,180. While he won’t be able to do that set the record, thanks to Keenum’s ridiculous number of 1,546, his current trajectory would leave him in seventh place with 1,362. With only a few games left, Gabriel could potentially finish in third place (Washington State’s Luke Falk, 1,404).

Gabriel is also tied with Chang, Moore, Jones, Georgia’s Aaron Murray and Troy’s Corey Robinson for most seasons with more than 3,000 passing yards (four). Assuming he’s healthy, he’ll be the first player to reach five with relative ease.

Last but certainly not least, the record set by its predecessor last year: single-season completion percentage. Nix completed 364 of his 470 passes (77.4%) in Oregon OC Will Stein’s scheme, and Gabriel is on pace to surpass that mark, albeit barely (130 of 167, 77.8%).

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