Here is the list of the top 10 career passing touchdown leaders in FBS college football history. Houston's Case Keenum leads the way with 155 from 2007-11.
Oregon's Dillion Gabriel is the active leader with 153 passing touchdowns through Dec. 8 of the 2024-25 season.
*Denotes active total through Dec. 8, 2024
College football career passing touchdown leaders:
1. Case Keenum, Houston (2007-2011) — 155 touchdowns in 57 games
Keenum has been the king of college quarterback stats since he left Houston in 2011. The 12-year NFL veteran holds the record for career passing touchdowns (155) and passing yards (19,217). He had three seasons with over 5,000 yards and 44 or more touchdown passes.
In his senior season, he finished with 5,631 passing yards, 48 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He led all FBS in passing yards and touchdowns in two of his four complete seasons.
2. Dillon Gabriel, UCF (2019-2021); Oklahoma (2022-2023); Oregon (2024) — 153 touchdowns in 63 games*
Gabriel, who is leading the No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks in his first year in Eugene, sits just two touchdowns back of tying Keenum, entering the College Football Playoff in the 2024-25 college football season. He also sits in second in all-time passing yards, but he is around 2,000 yards behind Keenum — likely not catching the Houston legend before the end of the season.
However, the former UCF and Oklahoma quarterback has a real shot of breaking Keenum's decade-long touchdown record. With two regular season games to play for the Ducks and likely an additional two to four with a conference championship and playoff games, Gabriel should have Keenum's 155 well in his sights.
Gabriel has not quite lit up the stat sheet in the same way Keenum did, but his consistency has gifted him a long and productive college career. His best season on paper came in 2020 with UCF, where he passed for 3,570 yards and 32 touchdowns in 10 games. He has four 3,000-plus passing yards seasons to his name and will likely add another by the conclusion of this season.
3. Kellen Moore, Boise State (2008-2011) — 142 touchdowns in 53 games
Moore played at the same time as Keenum, both lighting up the box score each week. Moore finished seventh in Heisman voting in 2009 — one spot ahead of Keenum. Then in 2011, Moore finished eighth in voting, right behind Keenum at No. 7.
Moore may not hold the passing touchdown record, but he is the winningest quarterback in FBS history, compiling a 50-3 record in four years as a Bronco. His best season came in 2011 when he passed for 3,800 yards and 43 touchdowns, leading Boise State to a 12-1 record.
T4. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech (2005-2008) — 134 touchdowns in 45 games
The Red Raiders legend held the career passing touchdown record after his college career came to an end in 2008. While it was short-lived with Keenum and Moore surpassing him a few years later, Harrell still sits in the top five all-time.
Harrell only played three full seasons for the Red Raiders, appearing in just six games and attempting 55 total passes his freshman year. From 2006-2008 he passed for 131 touchdowns — an average of 3.3 passing touchdowns per game during that span.
In 2007, Harrell passed for 5,705 yards and 48 touchdowns, leading FBS in both categories, and in 2008 he finished fourth in Heisman voting — tied for the highest finish in Texas Tech history.
T4. Sam Hartman, Wake Forest (2018-2022); Notre Dame (2023) — 134 touchdowns in 60 games
Hartman spent his first five years in college football with Wake Forest, leading the ACC in passing touchdowns in his final year with the Demon Deacons in 2022 (38). Hartman didn't eclipse 10 games played during his first three years in Winston-Salem.
For his sixth and final season, Hartman transferred to Notre Dame, leading the Irish to a 10-3 record and adding 24 more touchdowns to his name. His best season came in 2021 with the Deacons where he passed for 4,228 yards and 39 touchdowns.
T6. Colt Brennan, Hawaii (2005-2007) — 131 touchdowns in 38 games
Brennan only played three seasons of college football, but he put up video game numbers in the 2006 season. The Rainbow Warrior passed for 5,549 yards and 58 touchdowns, setting the FBS single-season passing touchdown record. He threw five or more touchdowns in eight of his 14 games in 2006.
Brennan's single-season record was later taken over by Joe Burrow in 2019 (60), but he does still hold the record for highest career completion percentage in FBS history (70.4).
T6. Baker Mayfield, Texas Tech (2013); Oklahoma (2015-2017) — 131 touchdowns in 48 games
Mayfield, one of just two Heisman trophy winners on this list, started his college football career with Texas Tech. After his freshman season, he transferred to Oklahoma as a walk-on, but due to transfer rules at the time, he had to sit out the entirety of the 2014 season.
But he proved it was worth the wait, finishing top four in Heisman voting all three seasons under center for the Sooners. He took home the trophy in 2017, becoming the first and only walk-on to ever win the Heisman.
In that 2017-2018 season, Mayfield led Oklahoma to the 2018 College Football Playoff semifinals against Georgia in a double-overtime classic. He passed for two touchdowns in that Rose Bowl, tying Brennan and Rakeem Cato for sixth all-time.
WALK-ON GREATS: 17 of the best walk-ons in college football history
T6. Rakeem Cato, Marshall (2011-2014) — 131 touchdowns in 53 games
Cato, a Marshall legend, compiled 131 touchdowns and 14,079 yards in four seasons with the Thundering Herd.
He threw for 37 or more touchdowns in his final three seasons, and he led FBS in passing yards per game in 2012. Cato guided Marshall to a program-record 13 wins in 2014, getting the Thundering Herd ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2002.
9. Landry Jones, Oklahoma (2009-2012) — 123 touchdowns in 53 games
Jones took over for Oklahoma legend Sam Bradford as a freshman after Bradford was picked first overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He passed for more than 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns his freshman season, giving Sooner fans a glimpse of what was to come for the next three seasons.
Jones tallied three consecutive 4,000-yard seasons, connecting for a career-high 38 touchdowns in 2010. In that 2010 season, he led the Big 12 in passing yards and touchdowns as the Sooners took down Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship.
T10. Ty Detmer, BYU (1988-1991) — 121 touchdowns in 48 games
Detmer is the only quarterback on this list to play in the pre-2000s, solidifying his greatness in an era dominated by the run game. He was a true gunslinger for the Cougars, passing for more than 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in three of his four seasons.
During his Heisman-winning 1990 season, Detmer threw for 5,188 yards, 41 touchdowns and an FBS-leading 28 interceptions. He is the first and only Heisman trophy winner for BYU.
T10. Aaron Murray, Georgia (2010-2013) — 121 touchdowns in 52 games
Murray played four full seasons for Georgia, setting the all-time SEC record in passing yards and touchdowns. He passed for more than 3,000 yards in all four seasons, setting a career-high 3,893 yards in 2012.
Murray threw for more than 35 touchdowns in two of his four seasons, and he led all FBS in yards per completion in 2012 (15.6).
