Western Kentucky QB Bailey Zappe Breaks Single-Season Passing Yards And Touchdowns Record

Western Kentucky graduate quarterback Bailey Zappe is now the FBS all-time passing yards and touchdowns leader for a single season.

Zappe set the passing yards record during the first half of Western Kentucky's (9-5) 59-38 victory over Appalachian State (10-4) in the 2021 RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl on Saturday. Per The Ringer's Rodger Sherman, Zappe needed 288 yards to break the record. He threw for 311 yards and four touchdowns on 24-of-31 passing in the first half.

The previous record was set by Texas Tech's B.J. Symons, who threw for 5,833 yards in 2003. With four first half touchdowns, Zappe was knocking on the door of LSU's Joe Burrow's 60 touchdown season in 2019.

With 5:56 remaining in the third quarter, Zappe hit junior receiver Mitchell Tinsley for a two-yard score, his record-breaking 61st touchdown of the season.

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Nick Geddes is a 2021 graduate of the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. A life-long sports enthusiast, Nick shares a passion for sports writing and is proud to represent OutKick.