In a great piece looking at Barry Sanders historic season, this detail of Barry’s season still stands.
Let’s count for real here, not using the NCAA’s bowl exclusion:
2,850 rushing yards is more than anyone’s ever gained at any level of college or pro football. Division III Mount Union’s Nate Kmic had 2,790 in 15 games in 2008, compared to Sanders’ 12.
44 touchdowns are tied with Kmic for the most ever and ahead of anyone else in NCAA history. Again, that’s with Kmic playing in three more games.
Therefore, Sanders did in a power conference what nobody else could do even in non-scholarship football.