There were several must-watch games on the Week 9 schedule, but this is college football — every game is must-watch TV. The No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish knocked off the No. 24 Navy Midshipmen. The No. 15 Alabama Crimson Tide shut out the No. 21 Missouri Tigers. And naturally, there was no shortage of eye-popping performances.
Without further ado, the Week 9 College Football Players of the Week.
College Football Players of the Week | Week 9
Quarterback of the Week: Taylen Green, Arkansas
Taylen Green was money under center for the Arkansas Razorbacks in Week 9, completing 23 of 29 passes for 314 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
He took eight carries for 79 yards and a score on the ground as well, guiding an offense that generated 673 total yards, scored inside the first two minutes of the contest, and never trailed in the 58-25 victory.
Not only did Arkansas score 31 points by halftime after failing to top 24 in any of its previous four conference contests, but the Razorbacks’ 58 total points were the most they have scored against an SEC opponent since 2016 (59-42 vs. Mississippi State).
If Green can maintain a rhythm as a runner and a passer, the Hogs should have no issue picking up another win in short order to become bowl-eligible.
Honorable mentions: Tyler Huff, JSU; Davis Bryson, Kennesaw; Miller Moss, USC; Kyron Drones, VA Tech; Chandler Morris, UNT; Will Howard, Ohio State; Joey Aguilar, App State; Max Brosmer, Minnesota; Fernando Mendoza, Cal; Owen McCown, UTSA; Jake Retzlaff, BYU; Owen McCown, UTSA; Dillon Gabriel, Oregon; Riley Leonard, Notre Dame; Avery Johnson, Kansas State; Shedeur Sanders, Colorado.
Offensive Player of the Week: Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn
Ashton Jeanty, who?
Jarquez Hunter has long been the Auburn Tigers’ No. 1 playmaker, but game flow has often limited his touches.
Not in Week 9.
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Against the Kentucky Wildcats, Hunter ran rampant, posting a 23-278-2 rushing line. His 278 yards are the most by an Auburn player since Tre Mason (304) in the 2023 SEC title game and made him just the sixth 3,000-yard rusher in program history. The others?
- Bo Jackson
- Cadillac Williams
- James Brooks
- Joe Cribbs
- Ben Tate
Honorable mentions: Woody Marks, RB, USC; Ja’Corey Brooks, WR, Louisville; Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State; Coleman Owen, WR, Ohio; Makhi Hughes, RB, Tulane; J.J. Jones, WR, UNC; Jaden Nixon, RB, WMU; RJ Harvey, RB, UCF; Dawson Pendergrass, RB, Baylor; Brennan Presley, WR, OKSU; Demond Claiborne, RB, WF; Jerjuan Newton, WR, Toledo; DeAndre Moore Jr., WR, Texas; Tre Stewart, RB, JSU; Damien Martinez, RB, Miami; Kentrel Bullock, RB South Alabama; Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona; Rahsul Faison, RB, Utah State; Corey Rucker, WR, Ark State; Nate Carter, RB, MSU; Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado.
Defensive Players of the Week: Pittsburgh’s Defense
The Pittsburgh Panthers embarrassed the Syracuse Orange on Thursday night, but the 41-13 score doesn’t tell the whole story.
The defense intercepted QB Kyle McCord off five times — he entered the contest with six on the year — and returned three for TDs (all in the first half).
The last QB to throw five picks in a game was the Texas A&M Aggies’ Kyle Allen vs. the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2015. The last team to have three pick-sixes in a half was the FIU Panthers in the second half vs. the FAU Owls in 2005.
Talk about history.
In the end, the Panthers held the Orange to 2.6 yards per play and 6 of 20 on third down, improving to 7-0 for the first time since 1982.
Honorable mentions: Kavian Gaither, LB, Sam Houston; Tyler Hallum, DB, Kennesaw; Will Jones II, DB, ODU; KP Price, LB, Boston College; Shay Taylor, LB, Ohio; Jaylen Sneed, LB, Notre Dame; D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana; Suntarine Perkins, LB, Ole Miss; Chandler Martin, RB, Memphis; Kaimon Rucker, DL, UNC; Jahvaree Ritzie, DL, UNC; Tate Hallock, S, WMU; Jordan Oladokun, CB, Bowling Green; Randon Fontenette, LB, Vanderbilt; Jordan Vincent, LB, Utah State; BJ Mayes, DB, TAMU; Cam Lockridge, CB, Fresno State.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Dom Dzioban, K, Miami-OH
There were quite a few strong kicking performances in Week 9, but none topped Dom Dzioban’s 5 of 5 on field goals and 3 of 3 on extra points.
After missing all of last season due to a knee injury and playing behind Graham Nicholson for most of his entire career, Dzioban has shined for the Miami RedHawks, going 11 of 13 on the year. But he was flawless in their 46-7 defeat of the Central Michigan Chippewas, nailing kicks of 22, 23, 31, 44, and 51 yards.
Honorable mentions: Grant Chadwick, P, MTSU; Ben Sauls, K, Pitt; Riley Riethman, P, Navy; Jack McCallister, P, Washington; Fraser Masin, P, Ole Miss; Will Karoll, P, Tulane; John Hohl, K, Nebraska; Joe McGuire, P, OSU; Derek Morris, K, Cal; James Burnip, P, Alabama; Bryce Lofton, P, Sou Miss; Cam Ross, KR, JMU; Jack Burgess, P, TTU; Drew Wagner, PR, Northwestern; Ty Harding, PR, UMass; Kobe Johnson, PR, Colo State; Kaden Wtjen, PR, Iowa; Jesse Mirco, P, Vanderbilt; Quinton Jackson, KR, Rice; John Hoyland, K, Wyoming; Clune Van Andel, K, Ark State; Tyler White, P, TAMU; Trent Carrizosa, P, SJSU.
Freshman Player of the Week: Colton Joseph, Old Dominion
Redshirt freshman Colton Joseph has been a revelation for the Old Dominion Monarchs. He took the starting reins in the second half against the Bowling Green Falcons on Sept. 28 and led the 30-27 comeback victory.
Since then, ODU has rattled off three more victories, but none were more impressive than Week 9’s 47-19 thrashing of the Georgia Southern Eagles.
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Joseph connected on 20 of 26 passes for 304 yards, four TDs, and no turnovers, throwing in 69 rushing yards and another score for good measure. The Monarchs produced 560 total yards, by far their most in the last three seasons.
“Colton has this innate ability to make something happen,” head coach Rickey Rahne said after the contest. “And what he’s done recently is take care of the football and not put the football in jeopardy.”
With the head-to-head win, ODU now holds the top spot in the East, controlling its destiny toward the Sun Belt Championship.
Honorable mentions: Sam Greene, DL, USC; Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville; Rickey Hunt Jr., RB, Ohio; Makari Bodiford, RB, Memphis; Evan Bullock, QB, LA Tech; Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State; Ja’Marley Riddle, DB, ECU; Durell Robinson, RB, UConn; Braylen Russell, RB, Arkansas; Fluff Bothwell, RB, South Alabama; Marcel Reed, QB, TAMU.
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