The Unbreakable Records Begin to Fall
The studio's main screen carried the caption THE RISING TIDE as highlight footage rolled under a thunderous opening score — a compilation of the Alabama Crimson Tide's nine games this season, the only team still undefeated in the SEC. That was precisely why the network had carved out this special primetime slot for them.
The camera zoomed in on the host, Derek Brooks, whose beaming face filled the frame as he launched into his introduction.
"Welcome back to College Gameday Special!"
As the panelists applauded, Derek pressed on. "Today, we're talking about the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide."
"Undefeated in the SEC! That's incredible!"
"If you look at the records, the most recent undefeated regular season, believe it or not, was the 2019 LSU Tigers. They went on to win the SEC Championship, the playoffs, and the National Championship — all of it."
"And that very same juggernaut was taken down just yesterday! By the Alabama Crimson Tide, who kept their perfect record alive!"
The panelists laughed at Derek's fired-up delivery, but he showed no sign of slowing down.
"The LSU Tigers came into this one riding an unbroken win streak of their own. Undefeated versus undefeated! And both teams brought their superstar players to the table!"
The moment Derek finished, the screen cut away — and there they were: Jaehyuk and Elijah, filling the frame.
"The Crimson Tide's Redline and the Tigers' Zero!"
Their real names scrolled across the caption beneath them.
Kim Jaehyuk. Elijah Larson.
The panelists erupted with theatrical reactions, chanting Redline and Zero like mantras.
"These two are absolutely unreal! How can players like that exist in the same era?"
shouted the ESFN reporter on the panel, and Michael Strong, a former NCAA head coach, nodded along in agreement.
"We've been watching a wave of monster-caliber athletes flood the game, starting with the two-way superstar Travis Hunter. But I'll say it flat out — not one of those players is more remarkable than Redline. Not a single one."
"Why is that?"
"Because he's Asian."
The host and panelists froze for a beat, caught off guard. To some, Michael's remark could have read as an outright racial jab.
"Whoa, whoa — no misunderstandings, please! I'm basing this entirely on objective facts!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Michael! You nearly gave me a heart attack just now!"
"I gave myself one too. Whew — look at this sweat."
After one round of banter that played out like a rehearsed comedy sketch, Michael finally got to the point.
"In the entire history of NCAA Division One, there has never been an Asian player competing at this level — much less a starting skill-position player. To be precise, I mean a 'purely' Asian athlete."
"So Kim Jaehyuk would be the very first?"
"Again — a starting skill-position player. No, there's never been one."
"That's remarkable."
But Michael shook his head. When the panelists looked at him, puzzled, he answered.
"He's a freshman."
"......"
"And he's become the team's ace. Now look at his numbers this season. He's going to be a historic figure — no, he already is one. A freshman Asian running back for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the team's undisputed ace!"
Hearing that litany of descriptors, the host and panelists found themselves marveling all over again — at the absurd collection of titles Jaehyuk had already stacked up.
"No player in the country has put up better numbers this year. Even if all he does is make it to the playoffs from here, the Heisman Trophy is his. Which would make him the first True Freshman in history to win it."
"So you believe he'll win the Heisman, Michael?"
"I'm about ninety percent certain. No — doesn't the record speak for itself? If they don't give it to this kid, then who on earth is supposed to win it?"
"Those numbers are undeniable, honestly. Not a single running back in the history of the game has ever posted a season with this kind of insane touchdown and rushing-yard production."
The broadcast cut to Jaehyuk's stat sheet, and as the panelists stared at the numbers, they found themselves struck speechless.
"Th-this is after just nine games?"
"Eight. He sat out one non-conference game."
"Seeing them with my own two eyes... it's insane......"
Games played to date: eight.
Rushing yards: 2,533 total.
Average rushing yards: 316.6 per game.
Touchdowns: 36.
In barely eight games, he was already breathing down the neck of the greatest season in history.
And that record——
"The all-time record belongs to Sanders, doesn't it?"
"Correct. Barry Sanders, 1988 — the greatest single season ever by a college running back."
"And what's astonishing is that Barry Sanders was Kim Jaehyuk's coach back in high school. Now the student is reaching for his master's record!"
"You could argue he's already passed it. Sanders beat out every fourteen-game season on the books playing only eleven. Jaehyuk has nearly matched it in eight."
"The once-immortal record of Barry Sanders stands just one hundred yards and a single touchdown away from falling."
"It would be flat-out bizarre if he didn't win the Heisman. Even in the worst case — even if Alabama misses the playoffs — you'd have to give it to him, wouldn't you?"
"That average is absurd! Three hundred sixteen yards! At that rate, it's almost weirder when his team doesn't win."
"And in fact, the so-called invincible LSU Tigers, playing two-way football across the board, just sank at his hands — while he answered their two-way play with a two-way performance of his own, complete with an interception."
The panel's effusive praise went on and on — and fair enough, because Jaehyuk's numbers were the kind no one had ever posted before and no one would likely post again.
Even the viewers watching at home conceded as much. You'd expect at least one contrarian in the crowd, yet every single comment section was drowning in disbelief at his record.
In due time, the broadcast eased into the promised Jaehyuk special, as the panelists pored over his highlight reels, marveling and dissecting in equal measure, digging relentlessly into the question of just why he was this good.
"Honestly, he's flawless! Everyone worried about his unproven physique and durability coming in, and instead he turns out to be tougher and sturdier than anybody on the field!"
"Shouldn't we be sending the man to a research lab? How does a body like his produce a performance like that?"
"His bench press makes it even harder to understand. Twelve reps at 225 pounds — that's about average."
"And yet he unloads monstrous stiff-arms every single game. It has to come down to his balance, his body control, and that core strength."
The panel spent the entire remaining airtime on nothing but Jaehyuk, and only as the clock ran down did they scramble to wrap things up.
"Ha! We got so carried away we nearly blew past our time slot."
"The college season is hitting its final stretch! Brace yourselves for increasingly brutal matchups — and the playoffs just around the corner!"
"We'll see you all next week."
Time marched on, and the Week 11 game arrived.
The tenth game of the season was a breather — a matchup against the Chattanooga Mocs of the FCS.
If the FBS stood in for Division One, the FCS was the equivalent of Division Two. On paper, they weren't a match at all. The starters were given the day off en masse — everyone except Jaehyuk, who took the field anyway.
"Gotta set the record!!"
Record-breaking, that was. Jaehyuk wanted it, and Alabama had every reason to want it too — what better story than a Tide player etching his name into college football history?
Voices around him worried it might be a reckless drain on his stamina, but thankfully, Jaehyuk's endurance was forged of steel.
"Touchdown!"
"Touchdoown!!"
"Toooouchdoooowwn!!!"
And so the bombardment began. Sheer, overwhelming power given violent form. Jaehyuk — far stronger now than he'd ever been in high school — tore the Chattanooga Mocs apart single-handedly, and by the final whistle he had posted the most rushing yards and touchdowns ever recorded in a single game.
"Total rushing yards... 559......?"
"Seven touchdowns......"
The all-time single-game rushing record had been rewritten. The touchdown mark, regrettably, stayed just out of reach — the record stood at eight.
Still, with that performance, Jaehyuk had replaced every single-game best of the season with his own name.
The team now stood at a perfect ten-and-oh, with only Auburn left waiting at the end of the road.
"Team dinner tonight! Everyone come straight to Lakeside when training's done!"
It was Thanksgiving.
But for Alabama's players, Thanksgiving could never be a day of rest. The Iron Bowl loomed — the clash with their most hated rival, the Auburn Tigers.
Some Alabama fans wished for an Iron Bowl victory more fervently than a playoff berth. That was how vast the rivalry between the two ran — a battle for the pride of city against city. And so, even on the holiday the whole nation welcomed with open arms, the players never loosened their grip on the tension and threw themselves into practice.
There was only one difference from any other day: after training, everyone sat down to dinner together.
"Whew, what I wouldn't give to spend a day like this with my girlfriend......"
"You don't have a girlfriend."
"Maybe I made one today!"
"You? Puhahaha!"
Amid the horsing around, DeBoer briefly called Jaehyuk aside.
"Got a minute?"
"Sure."
Wondering what this was about, Jaehyuk followed him. The regular team practice was long finished, with only individual drills left — he had time to spare.
The two soon arrived at the head coach's office. It wasn't a place he knew well, but he'd been in it a few times before.
"How's the body holding up?"
"Fine, sir. Same as always."
DeBoer fell silent for a moment at that answer, then spoke with the air of a man who had made up his mind.
"You know how critical this game against Auburn is, right?"
"Of course. It's all anyone's been screaming about for days."
"Right, so — Jaehyuk, I have a favor to ask."
A favor?
Jaehyuk nodded along, his face saying let's hear it.
"This Saturday, against Auburn — can you suit up as a two-way player?"
DeBoer wasted no time getting to the heart of it. At the unexpected request, Jaehyuk simply shrugged.
"Well, I can handle it. But are you sure?"
"I already spoke to Jerrod — he's the one you'd be rotating in for. His attitude was that as long as we beat Auburn, he couldn't care less."
"Huh. If beating Auburn matters that much, then I guess......"
Jaehyuk scratched his head. Frankly, he was confident they could win without him playing defense — but apparently the team saw it differently. They wanted the win nailed down beyond any doubt.
"Two days left until Saturday. Get some work in at cornerback."
"Not sure two days is enough, but understood."
"It took me a while to talk Jerrod around. I appreciate your patience on it."
The thought of is all this really necessary? flickered through Jaehyuk's mind again, but he gave a respectful bow and left the office.
And in that very moment——
Win the game against the Auburn Tigers playing two-way.
🎁 Reward: Random aptitude increase — Cornerback or Running Back
"Oho?"
An aptitude boost reward — his first in a long while. The only wrinkle was that it would land on either cornerback or running back, at random.
Running back would've been better.
Jaehyuk's Gift was built for the running back position. He could play corner well enough, but the Red Line never appeared on defense, so his power there always fell a little short.
Still — a free gift was a gift. Jaehyuk headed straight for the practice field and made his request to the trainer.
"Cornerback. Teach me everything."