Dillon Gabriel has surpassed Case Keenum for most total touchdowns in college football history with much of the season still ahead of him. Gabriel has scored 180 TDs in his already hallowed career and will look to score more as he chases a title. Keenum's previous record was 178 with 155 of those being passing touchdowns. Gabriel is at 147 passing touchdowns and is on track to break that record as well. His journey to a record many people never expected to be broken has been extravagant, full of highs and lows. Gabriel traveled from the home of Disney World to the great plains of Oklahoma, and all the way to the pine trees in the pacific northwest, earning his exceptional reputation as one of the greatest college quarterbacks of our time.

The Mililani native has played multiple year stints at both Central Florida and Oklahoma before joining the Ducks in Eugene this offseason. Gabriel was a part of the class of 2019 and ranked as a 3-star recruit by most experts in the nation. His primary recruiter at UCF was Jeff Lebby, current head coach at Mississippi State. Lebby brought Gabriel from Hawaii to Orlando, Florida where they worked together for 3 years. In his final year at UCF, Gabriel broke his left clavicle during his third game of the year, sidelining him for the season. After the 2021 year wrapped, Gabriel announced his first transfer. His OC Jeff Lebby acquired the Oklahoma offensive coordinator position and brought Gabriel to Norman with him once Caleb Williams and Spencer Rattler left for their second schools. Gabriel had initially committed to play at UCLA until the OU job opened with Lebby leading the offense. He played in Norman for two years and gave the wheel to Jackson Arnold in his departure to Oregon, where he now leads a mighty Ducks team.

Dillon Gabriel did not expect to play his freshman year with Notre Dame transfer QB Brandon Wimbush set to take over for the drastically injured McKenzie Milton. Gabriel took the field in the first game however, during a blowout of Florida A&M. He saw the field for the first time and the coaching staff saw enough to keep him there. Gabriel led the Knights to a stellar 10-3 record in his freshman year, winning the Gasparilla Bowl over Marshall. During this season, Dillon found the endzone 29 times in the air and 4 times on the ground, bringing his TD total to 33.

Gabriel returned to Orlando as the established starter for his second year. This year was shortened by the pandemic in 2020 and UCF only competed 10 times, resulting in a 6-4 record behind their QB. Gabriel, despite being limited by the abbreviated season, accounted for more touchdowns than his freshman year. On one such TD, Gabriel had a 93-yard catch and run, the longest in his career to date. His totals finished at 32 passing touchdowns and 2 rushing, resulting in 34 TDs to cap his sophomore year. Gabriel accounted for 67 TDs over just two years.

Junior year at UCF brought his first real test to overcome. In his third game of the year, Gabriel had to be carted off the field after the final play of a loss to Louisville. Down 42-35, UCF attempted a multi-lateral play to try and tie the game. Gabriel ran for a dropped lateral and picked it up, initially running out of harm's way. Seconds later he would be driven into the ground, crushing his left, throwing arm shoulder. A flag was thrown for the dirty hit, but Gabriel remained on the ground. He would be driven off the field by trainers. Upon examination, his left clavicle was broken and though surgery was not needed, he would not be able to compete any longer in the 2021 campaign. Gabriel immediately began his road to recovery and likely did not know it at the time, but he would never suit up with the Knights again. In just three games, Dillon would score 9 TD passes and 2 on rushes, totaling 11 on the year and 78 in his career. Dillon Gabriel gained a medical redshirt to make up for his lost junior year.

Dillon's time at UCF saw 78 total TDs, with 70 passes and 8 rushes. He completed 61% of his passes, going for 554 completions to 913 attempts. These numbers demanded much attention from the newly loosened restraints on the transfer portal. Dillon declared his intent of entry at the end of November and would be committed to UCLA for three weeks before his UCF OC Jeff Lebby came calling.

Chaos broke out in Norman at the end of 2021 with Lincoln Riley suddenly departing Oklahoma for USC. Caleb Williams went to LA with Riley and Spencer Rattler rejoined his former coach in South Carolina. OU had no head coach right after they thought they had one of the best. OU had no quarterbacks after seemingly having multiple. Defense was left a mess. A blue blood was in trouble. Brent Venables of Clemson was hired on and brought Jeff Lebby with him. Lebby attempted to persuade Dillon Gabriel to come to the prairie and help guide a lost program. Gabriel complied, sending a kind message to the Bruins fans in LA, before arriving in Norman.

Dillon Gabriel's first year at Oklahoma, his redshirt-junior year overall, saw him retake the field from his gruesome injury. A few games into his tenure at OU, Gabriel, facing TCU, was whipped to the ground, causing his head to repeatedly hit the turf. He suffered a severe concussion and was sidelined 2 games, including the TCU game and the Red River Shootout. Gabriel reported moderate anxiety about his return to play but cited the support of his family and teammates being the difference. In Gabriel's absence, OU lost embarrassingly to Texas, 49-0. He would not soon forget watching from the sidelines as he could not use his talent to help the school that he loved. Later that year, he accounted for 100th touchdown on a 23-yard pass to Drake Stoops in the Bedlam Rivalry game against Oklahoma State. Gabriel threw for 25 TDs and ran for 6, giving him 31 on the year and 109 total. His season overall resulted in a 6-7 record but 6-5 in games that he finished. This marked the first time since 1998 that OU finished under .500. Gabriel took it to heart.

Dillon's best year by far came in 2023 as a redshirt senior. Gabriel has not finished his year at Oregon yet, so the verdict is still out. For now, Dillon's last year at OU was one for the ages and I will forever be proud to have witnessed it in person. Gabriel began the year by going 19 for 22 with 308 yards and 3 total TDs, leading the Sooners to a 73-0 win. He followed that with 16 touchdowns over 4 games in remarkable performances through and through. This led OU to Dallas for the Red River Shootout against a number 3 ranked Texas team.

It felt unwinnable. Texas had just last year won 49-0 and there was not much turnover between teams. Dillon Gabriel was the difference. Sidelined last time, Dillon led the Sooners in his only appearance in the famed rivalry game, certain to make a difference this time around. Perhaps his most famous touchdown would come in this very game and the tale is thrilling. Firstly, Gabriel ran 9 yards for the first TD of the game, just over a minute in. The sea of crimson went wild. Gabriel led multiple scoring drives throughout the game but did not find himself in the endzone. Where he did find himself was down 30-27 with no timeouts and 1:17 remaining in the game he so desperately wanted to be a part of. Gabriel entered the game, facing the impossible on the 25-yard line and surrounded by burnt orange, aiming to reach the crimson end of the split stadium, 75 yards away. The first play saw Gabriel connect with Drake Stoops for a gain of 11. 1:11 on the clock. Gabriel then threw cross-body and cross-field to Jalil Farooq for 16 yards at the Texas 48. 1:02 left. Dillon then had the pocket collapse and managed to sneak free running to the line of scrimmage where he launched a pass to Stoops again for 28. 0:51 remaining. The Sooners slowed their pace after a penalty on the Texas defense and a short rush from Gabriel. Dillon Gabriel then cemented his legacy as an Oklahoma quarterback and into the rivalry's history forever. With 21 seconds on the clock, Gabriel snapped the ball. All I saw was the pocket collapse and Gabriel duck and disappear. I thought immediately he was sacked. Drive killer. There were no timeouts left. Instead, Dillon popped up and tossed the ball to the corner of the crimson painted endzone. Game over.

Dillon Gabriel was crowned with the golden hat and the Sooners showered him with love. Each player walk, his family honored him with flower and nut necklaces as is custom to their Hawaiian heritage. Dillon could barely see over the necklaces walking into the Palace in his first game in Norman after his legendary 4/4 58-yard drive. People will remember Dillon Gabriel's time in Oklahoma for that very moment. What resulted of the season after was not what Gabriel hoped but he still set records. On a cold night in Norman, Gabriel donned the anthracite uniforms against West Virginia and set a school record for most single game TDs accounted for. Gabriel threw 5 TDs, totaling 423 yards in the air and accumulated 3 more TDs with his legs. 8 touchdowns in a single game. Not a single player to touch the legendary field in OU history had ever done that. Dillon did. His season finished with 30 passing TDs and 12 rushing TDs, giving him 42 on the year and 151 total.

Dillon Gabriel would turn the keys to the car in Norman over to Jackson Arnold and make his way up to Eugene, Oregon where his season continues. Dillon has had a remarkable season so far, landing himself in Heisman conversations. Gabriel scored his record breaking 179th touchdown against Maryland on November 9th on a pass to Gernorris Wilson, a massive offensive lineman. His record setting TD may very well have been to his most unique target. Gabriel would go on to score another TD, bringing his present total to 180. After the game Dillon attempted to give his game ball over to Wilson. Gabriel is a player that anyone can and should get behind. The humble Catholic is a strong role model to all who have the pleasure of knowing or just watching him. In a sport that is revolved around trying to make every play result in 6, why not root for the best to ever do it. Dillon Gabriel is exceptional in all ways and his legacy in this sport will live on forever.