Another week of college football is in the books, with the usual array of dominating defensive performances, high-scoring offensive juggernauts, and nail-biting finishes that make the sport the greatest in the world. Who were the top college football players, the best of the best, this week?
It’s time to unveil our Week 5 College Football Players of the Week.
Week 5 College Football Players of the Week
Quarterback of the Week: Caleb Williams, USC
If the USC Trojans don’t make the College Football Playoff, it won’t be anything to do with the talent and execution of quarterback Caleb Williams. Week in, week out, Williams is arguably the best player in college football. As USC extended their record to 5-0, their quarterback’s talents once again outplayed their defensive efficiencies with a masterful display.
Although running back MarShawn Lloyd opened the scoring, it didn’t take long for Williams to exert his authority on the game. His deft manipulation of space in an impressive pocket followed by an on-the-move right-hand dart to Tahj Washington was his first of six passing touchdowns. It was just one highlight of a masterful 403-yard night, with a 75% completion percentage.
Honorable mentions: Zac Larrier, Air Force; Jayden Daniels, LSU; Jaxon Dart, Ole Miss; Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
Offensive Player of the Week: Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky
Kentucky running back Ray Davis is such a team player, such a humble beast, that he’ll no doubt insist that his recognition as one of the top college football players in Week 5 goes to “The Blue Wall” — the nickname for the Kentucky offensive line. Yet, from the minute the former Vanderbilt standout took a Devin Leary pass to the end zone, Davis was a man among boys.
Davis added a second score on a 75-yard that saw the Wildcats up 16-0 on a shellshocked Florida Gators team. By the time Billy Napier’s team got on the scoreboard, the Kentucky back had added another rushing touchdown. He ended the night with a career-high 280 rushing yards — the third most in Kentucky program history — and four total touchdowns in a 33-14 win.
Honorable mentions: Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas; Kadarius Calloway, RB, Old Dominion; Silas Bolden, RB, Oregon State; Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State; Tai Felton, WR, Maryland; Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State; Jaelen Gill, WR, Fresno State; Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame; Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia.
Defensive Player of the Week: Jalen Green, DE, James Madison
If you didn’t know it yet, the James Madison Dukes are legit. For the second time this season, their dominant defense produced one of the top college football players of the week. In reality, any one of several Dukes’ players had a claim to be named Defensive Player of the Week, but Jalen Green’s all-encompassing performance saw him clinch the award for 5-0 James Madison.
From the get-go, the Dukes’ defense swirled around the usually potent Carter Bradley and La’Damian Webb. The nation’s top rushing defense limited the Jaguars to just 24 total rushing yards. Green led the charge with 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, accounting for half of the team’s total sacks. His 24-yard tip-six near the end of the second quarter stretched the lead beyond a South Alabama spirited late comeback effort.
Honorable mentions: Aiden Fisher, LB, James Madison; Payton Wilson, LB, NC State; Devean Deal, DE, Tulane; Byron Murphy, DT, Texas; CJ Nunnally IV, DE, Akron
Special Teams Player of the Week: Michael Hughes, K, Appalachian State
For the most part of Saturday night, Appalachian State kicker Michael Hughes trotted out at the end of a touchdown drive and casually stroked the extra point between the uprights. When called upon in the fourth quarter, however, he became the hero of one of the most nail-biting games on the Week 5 slate of games.
Down 35-40 to Louisiana-Monroe, he nailed a 28-yard field goal when the Mountaineers couldn’t turn a 6-play drive into a touchdown with 10:58 left on the clock. That kick set the scene for a dramatic end to the game, with Appalachian State needing a 54-yard attempt for the win. Just one week after hitting a career-long 50-yarder against Wyoming, Hughes delivered a new personal best and a 41-40 win for the Mountaineers.
Honorable mentions: Alex McNulty, K, Buffalo; John Hoyland, K, Wyoming; Jack Browning, K, San Diego State; Ishmael Mahdi, KR, Texas State; Blake Ochsendorf, P, Louisiana Tech; Ike Larsen, Utah State. Cooper DeJean, PR, Iowa
Freshman Player of the Week: Jaylen Raynor, QB, Arkansas State
In just the third game of his college football career, Jaylen Raynor etched his name into the Arkansas State RedWolves record book and earned himself a spot among the college football players of the week. The true freshman quarterback threw for six touchdowns in the 52-28 win over UMass, completing 80% of his pass attempts in a mesmerizing display.
In a week of impressive freshman performances, Raynor was the cream of the crop. His six touchdown passes tied a program record that has stood since 2018. While his numbers — 383 yards passing, 35 rushing — were impressive, his ability to stand in the pocket and deliver in the face of pressure while also showcasing the ability to read the field secured his place as the top college football freshman in Week 5.
Honorable mentions: T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson; Omarion Miller, WR, Colorado; Braylan Lovelace, LB, Pitt; Tyler Brown, WR, Clemson