This weekend of college football was one of the best in recent memory. From the Red River Rivalry to a classic at Kinnick, Week 6 had it all. Here are the top performances from Week 6 action in our College Football Team of the Week.
College Football Team of the Week | Week 6
The Week 6 slate was nothing short of exciting. From Thursday to Sunday morning, there were moments of high drama and incredible action across the board. Here are the players that stood out the most with their individual performances.
Statistics matter, but so does the strength of the opponent, the time in which the player performed at his best, the individual players he went against, and where he won. For more specifics on the selections, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (@CamMellor).
First-Team Offense
We begin with the offense in our Week 6 Team of the Week.
QB: Frank Harris, UTSA
When the Roadrunners needed him most, Frank Harris stepped up in a big way. Facing arguably UTSA’s toughest test to date with WKU’s offense guaranteed to put up points, Harris came out guns blazing. He tossed 6 touchdowns, completing 28-of-38 for 349 yards.
What separated him from the rest of the cast of quarterbacks this weekend was his overall impact on the game. He hauled in a Roadrunner special pass from WR Joshua Cephus that went for 23 yards and a score that gave UTSA the lead during the second quarter. It was a back and forth effort, and Harris’ performance is what pushed the Roadrunners to the 52-46 victory.
UTSA better be ranked on every panelist’s board after this game and Harris’ production.
RB: Kennedy Brooks, Oklahoma
Kennedy Brooks not only led the way in the Red River Rivalry with 217 rushing yards, but he also won the game for the Sooners. Sure, Oklahoma would have won for many reasons, but Brooks’ 33-yard run was quite literally the game-winner. He scored twice in the fourth quarter, both times giving Oklahoma the lead.
But that last rushing touchdown came with just 0:03 left on the clock. Brooks was a one-man wrecking crew, laying waste to Texas defenders on every carry. It wasn’t difficult for him to find his way to our Team of the Week.
RB: Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
When you make Michigan State program history, you’re probably going to earn some awards in the process. Kenneth Walker III has been everything the Spartans hoped he’d be and more after transferring from Wake Forest. He ran 29 times for 232 yards and a touchdown, including a 94-yard carry that set the new MSU record for longest play from scrimmage.
WR: Jalen Nailor, Michigan State
Jalen Nailor quite literally put the nail in the coffin of the Scarlet Knights early in this one. His 3 first-half touchdown receptions of 63, 63, and 65 yards were enough to win it for Michigan State. Rutgers came out flat-footed and looking defeated after heading to halftime down only 21-13 — all thanks to Nailor. He finished with 5 total receptions for 221 yards and those 3 scores in a dominant performance.
WR: De’Corian Clark, UTSA
Harris was terrific in this football game, and his preferred target was just as great. De’Corian Clark was heavily targeted throughout the whole game but came up big in bookend moments. His 30-yard touchdown reception opened the scoring while his 18-yard touchdown gave the Roadrunners the lead again in the third quarter.
His final touchdown — a 43-yarder in the waning stages of the fourth quarter — gave UTSA a two-possession lead with under seven minutes to go. He finished with 7 receptions for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns.
WR: A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
Coming up big in clutch moments is a great way to make our Team of the Week. A.T. Perry was solid throughout the contest, hauling in 3 receptions for 137 yards, all of which went for scores. But his last touchdown is what separates him from the rest.
On Wake Forest’s first possession of overtime, a touchdown was going to win it. Sam Hartman lofted an end-zone fade to Perry, who had to adjust in midair to come down with an incredible one-handed catch that he pinned to his body while keeping his lower half inbounds.
Perry said after the game that he likely won’t sleep for a bit after this one. And we completely understand.
TE: Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina
If you remember back to Thursday night, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers looked every bit like the No. 15-ranked team in the country. They ran by Arkansas State, 52-20. Isaiah Likely looked every bit like the No. 1 tight end in the country as well. Sure, he was wide open on his 99-yard touchdown reception, but he still possessed the speed to outrun the defense.
Likely was dominant at every turn. He caught 8 passes for 232 yards and 4 total touchdowns in the blowout.
FLEX: Caleb Williams, Oklahoma
Filling in for former Heisman Trophy candidate Spencer Rattler, Caleb Williams emerged from the shadow of Rattler to put forth one of the best performances in Red River Rivalry history. Williams was inserted into the game with his team trailing 35-17, having played just 1 snap prior, a 66-yard touchdown run.
Playing the rest of the way for the Sooners, Williams brought Oklahoma back from an 18-point deficit to win the highest-scoring matchup in Texas-Oklahoma history. Williams finished the day 16-of-25 for 212 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air. He ran for another 88 yards and 1 touchdown, and his effort to bring back Oklahoma certainly warrants his place here.
Without Williams, the Sooners would have lost and been dropped from the College Football Playoff conversation. With him in the lineup, they improved to 6-0 and are a legitimate threat for the National Championship. As long as he stays QB1, Oklahoma is the team to beat after Week 6.
LT: Spencer Burford, UTSA
Blocking for Harris’ front side, Spencer Burford has arguably an easier job than most left tackles with right-handed quarterbacks. Still, easy or not, Burford was dominant on Saturday evening. He more than held his own in pass protection, but it was the run game that earns him his Team of the Week spot. Burford was routinely spotted mauling WKU defenders on the backside of plays or reaching the second level with ease.
LG: Hayden Howerton, SMU
Hayden Howerton wasn’t hard to spot on the field against Navy. The big man in the middle made his presence known with several marquee moments but was at his best in pass protection. He crashed down the line of scrimmage in the run game and was largely responsible for keeping Tanner Mordecai upright during a comeback attempt.
C: Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
If you watched quite literally any part of the Iowa-Penn State game when the Hawkeyes were on offense, you certainly saw Tyler Linderbaum in action. The man in the middle set the tone and was hardly moved back an inch in this one. Linderbaum’s movement in the run game to keep Tyler Goodson rolling was just as good as his pass sets against the Nittany Lions.
RG: Xavier Newman-Johnson, Baylor
A mainstay on our Team of the Week, XNJ is back as are the Baylor Bears. Xavier Newman-Johnson’s efforts always go a long way and are always easy to spot. He was terrific in pass protection, both in helping to craft the pocket and on the move. But Newman-Johnson was arguably even better moving from the first-level to the second in the run game. Baylor laid it on West Virginia, and Newman-Johnson and the offensive line were a big reason for their success.
RT: Warren McClendon, Georgia
Georgia is officially the best team in the country after Alabama’s loss, and Warren McClendon is on his way to being mentioned as potentially one of the best tackles in the nation. The new No. 1 team in the country is led by McClendon’s efforts on the right side. That includes dominance at the point of attack, terrific movement, and fierce strength both on the ground and in pass sets.
Kicker: Seth Small, Texas A&M
Seth Small could’ve missed 100 kicks before nailing the game-winner and still found his way onto the Team of the Week. Fortunately, Small was a perfect 7-for-7 on his kicks against Alabama, nailing 5 extra points and 2 field goals. His last field goal from 28 yards sent Alabama packing for their first loss in what feels like forever. A&M knocked off Alabama, and Small was a huge reason why.
Second-Team Offense
QB: C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
RB: Ellis Merriweather, UMass
RB: Tyler Badie, Missouri
WR: Xavier Worthy, Texas
WR: Tyquan Thornton, Baylor
WR: Dante Cephas, Kent State
TE: Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
FLEX: Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
LT: Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State
LG: Brady Latham, Arkansas
C: Jacob Gall, Baylor
RG: Adam Korutz, Colorado State
RT: Dawand Jones, Ohio State
Kicker: John Richardson, Northern Illinois
Honorable Mention Offense
QB: Casey Thompson, Texas | Brennan Armstrong, Virginia
RB: Tiyon Evans, Tennessee | Sean Tucker, Syracuse
RB: Jerome Ford, Cincinnati | Lew Nichols, Central Michigan
WR: Tyrese Chambers, Florida International
WR: Chris Olave, Ohio State | Garrett Williams, Ohio State
WR: Jerreth Sterns, WKU
TE: Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford
FLEX: Calvin Austin III, Memphis
LT: Bamidele Olaseni, Utah
LG: Cain Madden, Notre Dame
C: Ahofitu Maka, UTSA
RG: Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
RT: Cade Mays, Tennessee
Kicker: Jonathan Doerer, Notre Dame