Wisconsin RB Montee Ball breaks FBS record for career touchdowns

Montee Ball completed his quest for the NCAA FBS record for touchdowns, scoring the 79th TD of his career in the first quarter against Penn State.

Wisconsin's Montee Ball is the new FBS career touchdowns record holder. (US Presswire)

In the end, it might not have been the season Wisconsin running back Montee Ball envisioned for himself when he elected to return for his senior year. But it's going to end with Ball in the NCAA record books all the same.

Ball scored on a 17-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter of Wisconsin's game at Penn State on Saturday, putting the Badgers ahead 14-7 and giving Ball the 79th touchdown of his illustrious career. That's one more than former Miami (Ohio) running back Travis Prentice, who held the career record since 1999 with 78 scores.

Ball tied the record with his 78th touchdown last Saturday vs. Ohio State but fumbled on the goal line late in the fourth quarter with a chance to break it.

The record-breaking score gives Ball 18 touchdowns this season, all of them rushing. He totaled an eye-popping 39 as a junior in 2011 (six of them receiving), 18 as a sophomore in 2010 and four as a freshman in 2009.