College Football has made its triumphant return to the field on Saturdays, highlighted by a multi-game slate on Saturday, August 24. As the day started in Ireland and ended in Hawaii, it’s time to celebrate the best of what we saw on the field this weekend.
Week 0 College Football Team of the Week
It’s important to note that the CFN Week 0 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 the field and does not look into any future beyond college football.
We’re doing things a bit differently this season. We’ll get right into the analysis below and then list the players of the week at each individual spot below that. We are also including FCS players in Week 0 due to the fact that there were only four games featuring an FBS team.
Let’s get to it.
First things first, we’re awarding a losing team’s quarterback with our top spot because Brendon Lewis far exceeded expectations in Nevada’s season-opening defeat against SMU. Picked last in the Mountain West, the Wolf Pack nearly came away with the surprise victory of the season, and Lewis was the reason.
He threw for 132 yards and two touchdowns but when the team needed a pick-me-up, it was Lewis on the ground with a much-needed first down or conversion. It wasn’t all pretty, but Lewis has clearly stepped his game up from a season ago.
In that same game, SMU TE RJ Maryland went off in the second half. After his second-half display, it would be baffling not to see the Mustangs’ game plan switch to featuring him more and more in the passing attack.
The Georgia Tech offensive line headlines the OL selections as Keylan Rutledge and Jordan Williams on the right side had their way with FSU.
College Football Offensive Team of the Week
QB: Brendon Lewis, Nevada
RB: Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech
RB: Kevon King, Norfolk State
WR: Luke Wysong, New Mexico
WR: Darius Cooper, Tarleton State
WR: Jamari Gassett, Florida A&M
TE: RJ Maryland, SMU
FLEX: Adam Jones, Montana State
OT: Titan Fleischmann, Montana State
OG: Richie Leonard IV, Florida State
OC: McKenzie Agnello, New Mexico
OG: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
OT: Jordan Williams, Georgia Tech
College Football Defensive Team of the Week
EDGE: Romello Height, Georgia Tech
DT: Jafari Harvey, SMU
DT: Kyler Drake, New Mexico
EDGE: Marvin Jones Jr., Florida State
LB: Kyle Efford, Georgia Tech
LB: Drue Watts, Nevada
LB: Tongiaki Mateialona, Nevada
CB: Ahmari Harvey, Georgia Tech
CB: Kasyus Kurns, Tarleton State
CB: Chad Brown, Nevada
S: Jayden Wilson, New Mexico
S: Shyheim Brown, Florida State
FLEX: Noah Avinger, New Mexico
College Football Special Teams of the Week
PK: Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State
P: Adrian Guzman, Tarleton State
ST: Tylan Hines, Hawaii
KEEP READING: Week 0 College Football Players of the Week: RJ Maryland Powers SMU’s Comeback