The Week 3 College Football Team of the Week separates the casual fans from the diehard in every college football season. With an array of delightful contests in Week 3, this list aims to award the top performers at every position from across the slate of games at each level against any competition.
Week 3 College Football Team of the Week | First team
It’s important to note that the PFN Week 3 College Football Team of the Week awards players based on their impact in their respective games and is not necessarily based on total statistical output.
The strength of competition is accounted for, as is the situation — both time of the game and score. These individual awards are also solely based on a player’s ability on Saturday and do not look into their future stock or NFL draft prospects.
Quarterback: Michael Penix, Washington
In a vintage performance, Michael Penix was absolutely on fire for the Washington Huskies on Saturday night. Against a talented defense from the Big Ten, Penix threw for 397 yards and four touchdowns. He was stellar from the pocket and special when pressure came. Penix put forth a vintage display that was all too familiar for Big Ten defenses and an unwelcome sight for their future Pac-12 opponents.
Running Back: Aidan Robbins, UNLV
The UNLV Rebels are a high-flying bunch, but against North Texas, the Rebels kept it on the ground and ran wild on the Mean Green in Week 3. With a commitment to the rushing attack, UNLV improved to 2-1, and Aidan Robbins ran for 227 yards and three touchdowns. Robbins won all over the field, and he won early and often. It was Robbins’ two second-quarter touchdowns that gave UNLV a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in the contest.
Running Back: Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota
Since entering the season healthy, Mohamed Ibrahim has returned to his dominant self. Against Colorado’s defense, Ibrahim went for 23 carries, 202 yards, and three touchdowns. He has now run for 464 yards and seven touchdowns through three games, and the Golden Gophers are 3-0. The Minnesota bruising back brings the punishment and hard-nosed attitude that the Gophers have been known for in the P.J. Fleck era.
Wide Receiver: Johnny Wilson, Florida State
Back on Friday night, it was the Johnny Wilson show for the Florida State Seminoles. Wilson, a massive man at 6’7″, 235 pounds, took over the contest for FSU when they desperately needed him to. With their backup quarterback in, Wilson was the go-to receiver at all levels of the field as he utilized his big body to box out defensive backs while also showcasing some impressive short-area routes.
To round out the victory, Wilson hauled in seven receptions for 149 yards and two scores, as each of his touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, tying it at 28 points before scoring the game-winner at 35-31.
Wide Receiver: Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
A coming-out party of sorts for Syracuse Orange WR/TE Oronde Gadsden II took place on Saturday. In an ugly game for three quarters, Syracuse and Purdue put on a fireworks display in the fourth. Gadsden and the Orange ultimately moved to 3-0, thanks in large part to the big man’s services. Hauling in a 46-yard pass to open Syracuse’s 22-point quarter, Gadsden put Cuse back in the lead by three. But he wasn’t done as he snuck out of the formation with just seven seconds remaining for a 25-yard toe-tapping, game-winning touchdown.
Wide Receiver: Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington
On the receiving end of the majority of Penix’s touchdowns, Ja’Lynn Polk was impressive on Saturday night. A fellow transfer to Washington, the chemistry built with Penix through three weeks is impressive, especially against Michigan State, where the duo combined for multiple “backyard football” plays when pressure broke down. Polk was Penix’s top target to find out of the structure of the offense, going for six receptions, 153 yards, and three touchdowns.
Tight End: Brock Bowers, Georgia
In a world with billions of superlatives available, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find the right one for Brock Bowers. After a three-touchdown performance, Bowers himself has essentially become a superlative.
Bowers is the kind of player that other players are compared to as he’s a unicorn, a game-changer, an elite talent, and one hard dude to stop. He scored three times against South Carolina, hauling in two receiving touchdowns and running in an end-around for a five-yard score to boot.
Flex: CJ McDonald, West Virginia
Yes, it was against an inferior foe than some other performances of note this weekend. But no, not very many performances were more impressive than CJ McDonald’s was for West Virginia. Needing just two quarters to completely outclass Towson, McDonald ran the ball nine times, toppling 102 yards and three rushing touchdowns. The Mountaineers’ “tight end” is a big-play threat with top-end speed and elite elusiveness for a man who stands 6’2″, 240 pounds.
Offensive Tackle: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
An absolute drubbing of Auburn’s defensive front was ultimately the culprit for the Tigers. Thanks in large part to Olumuyiwa Fashanu’s services, the Nittany Lions ran in five touchdowns and for 245 yards on the ground. Fashanu was seen — on multiple occasions — hunting for second-level defenders to bury or keeping clean pockets for Sean Clifford to deal from against Auburn.
Guard: Micah Mazzccua, Baylor
Reach blocks are one thing, but reaching your defender and pushing him so far back that he essentially blocked another defender is a feat in and of itself. That’s what Micah Mazzccua did on a handful of occasions against Texas State as the redshirt sophomore was utterly dominant for Baylor. He was impressive in all facets, but the size of some of the holes he helped carve out for the Bears’ rushing attack was something special.
Center: Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
Blake Corum wouldn’t have run for five touchdowns had Olusegun Oluwatimi not paved the way for some easy rushing lanes. Corum was good, but Oluwatimi was great. He was seen calling protection schemes pre-snap, moving to the second level, and planting linebackers on their backside post-snap. Oluwatimi has been terrific all season long for Michigan, and his talent was evident against UConn on Saturday.
Guard: Sal Wormley, Penn State
It was Sal Wormley who had multiple kick-out blocks in the red zone for the Nittany Lions, helping pave the way for a five-touchdown performance from Penn State. Wormley was terrific in all facets, but like Fashanu, he was something special on the ground.
Offensive Tackle: Bryce Cabeldue, Kansas
Blocking well all game long, Bryce Cabdeldue helped spring many plays for the Kansas offense against Houston on Saturday. Cabeldue brought his A game before and after a lengthy weather delay as he was stellar in each facet all game long. Impressive when moving, Cabeldue made multiple plays, whether it was setting the edge or looking for work in the run game.
EDGE: Trace Ford, Oklahoma State
The Oklahoma State defense didn’t have to play for but one half, but when the starters were on the field, it was an amazing display of what can be in 2022. Trace Ford was all over the field, pressuring the quarterback, setting the edge, and wreaking havoc on seemingly every snap.
Making matters even more impressive, Ford blocked a punt and scooped it himself to return it for a 15-yard touchdown. That play was a microcosm of how impactful Ford was on Saturday.
EDGE: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
Elite players make elite plays, and that’s just what Will Anderson Jr. did on Saturday. To go with a handful of tackles and a sack, Anderson also recorded the first interception and touchdown on the afternoon against UL-Monroe. Anderson was in perfect position for a tipped ball and made the savvy football play of nabbing it at the highest point before breaking a tackle and rumbling for 25 yards and a TD that was part of a 28-point first quarter from the Crimson Tide.
Defensive Interior: Caleb Okechukwu, Syracuse
Nearly putting the game out of reach, Syracuse DT Caleb Okechukwu played an attempted screen perfectly for one of the game’s biggest moments against Purdue. He slow-played a pressured screen dropback and got to the intended target point quickly before he nabbed a pick and returned it for a 17-yard touchdown. He also recorded multiple quarterback pressures up the middle as “The Mob” was out in force against the Boilermakers.
Defensive Interior: Jacob Lacey, Notre Dame
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish got a much-needed win against Cal, improving their record to 1-2. That win couldn’t have been accomplished without the prowess of their defensive line with Jacob Lacey leading the charge. Lacey recorded two sacks but was a consistent force up the middle for Notre Dame’s pass-rushing efforts. He freed up multiple favorable situations for the EDGE rotation while also getting home with plenty of pressure himself.
Linebacker: Daiyan Henley, Washington State
One of the more underrated transfers of this past offseason, Daiyan Henley put his name on the map for Washington State on Saturday. The former Nevada linebacker recorded three sacks and 13 total tackles in a dominant outing against Colorado State.
If he wasn’t blitzing and landing a sack, Henley was patrolling the shallow area of the field against Colorado State’s passing attack led by his former head coach at Nevada, Jay Norvell, as if he had practiced against it for years.
Linebacker: Isaiah Moore, NC State
NC State’s defense played lights out against Texas Tech, and Isaiah Moore was dominant. Moore not only made multiple plays of note, but he also put forth big plays in succession, single-handedly ending drives for the Wolfpack. On one such instance, Moore blitzed and sacked Texas Tech QB Donovan Smith on second down before breaking up an intended pass on the next play. Moore was all over the field for NC State as this linebacking corps looks to be rounding into form.
Linebacker: Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati
Playing against his former team, it was only a matter of time before Ivan Pace Jr. made his presence felt. After leading Miami (OH) in tackles a year ago, Pace squared off against RedHawks as a member of the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday. Pace recorded eight total tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss, but it was his patrolling of the middle of the field that was impressive as he didn’t let anything by him.
Flex: Malik Mustapha, Wake Forest
Nearly icing the game for Wake Forest with an interception, Malik Mustapha was all over the field for the Demon Deacons on Saturday. Despite allowing 36 total points, it was hardly Mustapha’s doing as he was — quite literally — all over the field. Mustapha racked up two sacks off the edge, blitzing with perfect precision. He also had 13 total tackles and the near-interception that would’ve ended the game on the spot.
Cornerback: Aydan White, NC State
There was a point in the game when Aydan White was on the wrong end of the highlight reel. White made amends for any wrongdoing quickly, however, as he intercepted Texas Tech on an important drive for the Red Raiders, returning it 84 yards for a score that pushed NC State’s lead to 20-0. This came just plays after Tech QB Donovan Smith had gotten the better end of White with a pancake block. White got further revenge with another interception and finished the night with a sack and five total tackles to boot.
Cornerback: Shaquan Loyal, Rutgers
Rutgers’ offense was, in a word, lackluster on Saturday against Temple. In fact, the only touchdown scored by the Scarlet Knights on Saturday was when Shaquan Loyal returned an interception 43 yards for a score in the second quarter that gave Rutgers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
What made the pick-six so special is the simple fact that Loyal did it all himself. On a blitz off the edge, Loyal realized he forced a quick pass attempt, leaped into the passing lane, and tipped the ball to himself before he ultimately caught it on a full sprint and ran into the end zone untouched.
Cornerback: Jalen Kimber, Florida
Thanks to keen instincts, intense film study, and great athleticism, Jalen Kimber nabbed an easy interception and returned it for a touchdown against USF. It was on a very similar play call to a pick-six that USF suffered against BYU to open the season, indicating that Kimber clearly knew his foe. Kimber finished the game with the pick-six and three total tackles during a hard-fought victory.
Safety: Kenny Logan Jr., Kansas
Kansas has a real chance to make some noise in the Big 12 this season, and a large part of that success is because of Kenny Logan. A ball hawk on the backend, Logan recorded an interception that thwarted a potential tying drive by Houston in the second half and ultimately shut down any chances of the Cougars coming back. He had five total tackles and was a constant presence around the football at the catch point, whether it was his coverage defender or not.
Safety: Macon Clark, Tulane
Wreaking havoc off the edge against Kansas State, Macon Clark was terrific on Saturday for the Tulane Green Wave. Clark was hard to miss all game long as he read and diagnosed the KSU offensive play call beautifully time and time again. He was in the face of Kansas State RB Deuce Vaughn before he could break contain on multiple occasions, and Clark stymied the short passing lanes that Kansas State thrives off of as well.
Clark led the team with six solo tackles and had a tackle for loss to boot. Clark and the Green Wave got head coach Willie Fritz his first win against a Power Five opponent as they held the Wildcats to just slightly over four yards per carry and only 150 passing yards.
Kicker: Charles Campbell, Indiana
For the brand, “King” Charles Campbell booted his way into Indiana folklore with his game-winning 51-yard field goal in overtime on Saturday. Campbell’s walk-off kick in overtime was one of four field goals he made in the game, as he was a perfect 5 of 5 on the afternoon. Campbell made field goals of 32, 32, 34, and 51 on the afternoon, landing home with 13 of the Hoosier’s 33 total points.
Punter: Mason Fletcher, Cincinnati
In a shock to no one who knows him, Mason Fletcher booted a massive 73-yard punt against Miami (OH) on Saturday. Fletcher, the son of an Australian sports legend, is making a legend of his own with his leg. Aside from his long boot, Fletcher averaged over 48 yards per punt and knocked one of his attempts inside the 20.
Kick returner: Kaylon Horton, North Texas
Giving spark to his North Texas team early, Kaylon Horton took the Mean Green’s first touch of the game for a 99-yard kick return touchdown that opened their scoring. Though his performance would ultimately be undone, and he was avoided afterward, his touchdown showcased an incredible open-field ability and top-notch speed completely worthy of the honors here.
Punt Returner: Bryce Stephens, Arkansas
For the better part of the game against Missouri State, Arkansas was outclassed and outmatched. It was until Bryce Stephens returned a punt for an 82-yard touchdown that Arkansas actually trailed the Bears. Stephens’ nifty, elusive punt return for a touchdown gave the Razorbacks some much-needed life after he weaved perfectly through the return unit before scampering up the sidelines for the game-winning touchdown.
Week 3 College Football Team of the Week | Second team
Offense
QB: Bo Nix, Oregon
RB: DeWayne McBride, UAB
RB: Blake Corum, Michigan
WR: Charlie Jones, Purdue
WR: Odieu Hilaire, Bowling Green
WR: Jamari Thrash, Georgia State
TE: Seydou Traore, Arkansas State
FLEX: Rashee Rice, SMU
OT: Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
G: Landon Tengwall, Penn State
C: Alex Forsyth, Oregon
G: Jaylon Thomas, SMU
OT: Earl Bostick Jr., Kansas
Defense
EDGE: Michael Heldman, Central Michigan
EDGE: YaYa Diaby, Louisville
IDL: Justin Ademilola, Notre Dame
IDL: Fish McWilliams, UAB
LB: Dwayne Boyles, USF
LB: Kam Arnold, Boston College
LB: Reco Hannah, New Mexico
CB: Arquon Bush, Cincinnati
CB: Malaki Starks, Georgia
CB: Caleb Anderson, Louisiana
DB: Jordan Mahoney, UMass
DB: Kevin Knowles II, Florida State
Flex: Nic Jones, Ball State
Special teams
K: Nicholas Barr-Mira, UCLA
P: John McConnell, Marshall
KR: Silas Bolden, Oregon State
PR: Anthony Gould, Oregon State