On Monday, Oklahoma SID Mike Houck sent out an interesting tweet. He found that this year's Oklahoma offense is on pace to post the highest points per play offense since 1996 -- and not by an inch, but by a mile.
Through eight games, Oklahoma averages .78 points per play, far ahead of the .69 points per play Florida State posted in 2013. This puts Oklahoma's pace 13 percent above those 2013 Seminoles. To put that in perspective, 1944 Army holds the overall scoring record at 56 points per game. To break that record by as much as 2018 Oklahoma is breaking 2013 Florida State's points per play record, a team would have to score 63.3 points per game.
But these Sooners are not the only team on a record pace.
Led by perfect quarterback play by Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama is within arm's length of Army's overall scoring record, throwing up 54.1 points per game -- and that's while intentionally going scoreless in three fourth quarters, and notching just a field goal in another.
Alabama has scored a total of 433 points in 544 plays, a .80 pace that puts them ahead of Oklahoma's record pace.
And that's not all. Not even close.
The FBS record for yards per play is 8.58, set by a 2006 Hawaii team that gained 7,829 yards in 913 snaps.
To date this season, Alabama has gained 4,514 yards in 544 snaps -- 8.30 a snap. Oklahoma has gained 4,386 yards in 492 tries -- an astounding 8.91 yards a play.
For the record, Oklahoma led the nation a year ago at 8.29 yards a play.
Those Sooners were powered by Baker Mayfield, the eventual Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 draft pick who set the FBS record in passing efficiency at 198.92. Mayfield set that record by completing 285-of-404 throws (70.5 percent) for 4,627 yards (11.5 per attempt) with 43 touchdowns against six interceptions.
That record won't last a year.
Mayfield's replacement, Kyler Murray, has completed 134-of-183 throws (73.2 percent) for 2,329 yards (12.7 per attempt) with 28 touchdowns against three interceptions -- good for a 227.34 rating. Good as that is, Murray is significantly behind Tagovailoa, who has hit 107-of-152 attempts (70.4 percent) for 2,066 yards (13.6 per attempt) with 25 touchdowns and no interceptions. That equates to a 238.85 passer rating.
Mayfield was the most efficient quarterback in college football history last year, and Tua has been 20 percent better than him thus far.
The NCAA doesn't track situational stats, but it's hard to imagine any quarterbacks being better on third down (with at least 30 attempts) than Murray and Tagovailoa have been. Murray is 22-of-34 for 453 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions and 19 conversions (a 225.16 rating), while Tagovailoa is 23-of-31 for 445 yards with eight touchdowns, no interceptions and 18 conversions, good for a 279.93 rating.
The numbers go on and on and on -- all the way to the opponent's end zone. Both teams can credibly claim to have the best offense in college football's modern era. The only way to truly settle it would be on the field, maybe in a College Football Playoff game.