Despite the lack of national interest in the majority of the College Football Week 2 slate, it was a weekend to remember for many reasons. From Northern Illinois’ historic upset to Texas proving their dominance in front of the national crowd, Week 2 will not soon be forgotten. Here are the top players we saw in action.
Week 2 College Football Top Players
It’s important to note that the CFN Week 2 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.
Let’s get to it.
Quarterback of the Week: Quinn Ewers, Texas
The top quarterbacking performance of the weekend came early in the slate on Saturday when Quinn Ewers and the Texas offense ran roughshod over a vaunted Michigan defense. Yes, this game didn’t quite live up to the hype of a top-10 matchup, but it certainly helped amplify Ewers’ platform as one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
He completed 24 of 36 pass attempts, reaching 246 yards while throwing three touchdowns. He was careful, cautious, and took his shots when he needed to, like he did when he slammed home a zone-beating bucket shot to Isaiah Bond on an early third-and-long in the first quarter.
Ewers showed great pocket mobility and bought just enough time to allow his receivers to create separation for him to rifle shots in left and right on Saturday. It was the best display of top quarterbacking against one of the best units in football.
Running Back of the Week: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Keeping the Boise State Broncos in their heavily-contested matchup against Oregon was none other than perhaps the best player in the country: Ashton Jeanty. When Jeanty touched the rock, the crowd at Autzen went silent. He was that dangerous in this outing.
In the end, he totaled 192 rushing yards and three touchdowns against an incredibly talented Oregon defense. Jeanty did so with his rare blend of contact balance, elusiveness, and speed, utilizing all three on multiple big carries that saw him force at least a dozen missed tackles, it felt like.
When push came to shove, the best player on the field was Jeanty in Boise State’s close loss to the playoff-favorite Ducks.
Running Back of the Week: Kyle Monangai, Rutgers
Running over the Akron Zips, Kyle Monangai powered the Rutgers offense that eclipsed 500 total yards of offense on the day. Monangai scored on touchdown runs of 1, 2, and 3 yards, but it was his efficiency across the board that saw him put up a ridiculous statistical total.
It was Monangai’s first-down runs that ultimately sealed the deal early for the Scarlet Knights, and he totaled 208 yards on 27 carries in the process. Monangai was simply unstoppable on every carry between the tackles or outside in space.
Wide Receiver of the Week: Chris Dawn Jr., Texas State
If last season was the appetizer for what Chris Dawn Jr. could do on the football field, than the Saturday performance against UTSA was the main course. Dawn was dominant on limited snaps for the Bobcats in Week 2, catching five passes but taking those for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
The UTSA defense just simply couldn’t stop Dawn after the catch. He took his long reception 60 yards, dancing past defenders on seemingly every reception. Dawn maximized every touch and did so from a variety of alignments, winning both outside and inside, and over the middle or outside the numbers.
This was a performance that indicates just how deep and how strong this Texas State roster is under head coach G.J. Kinne.
Wide Receiver of the Week: Jordan Moore, Duke
Back on Friday night, the Duke Blue Devils needed double overtime to knock off the Big Ten’s Northwestern. While an overturned fumble gave them some help to push it to overtime, it was Jordan Moore’s receiving ability that was the true difference in the game in crunch time.
Moore’s routes were crips, but his releases were better as he routinely beat his defender off the line of scrimmage and gave Maalik Murphy a big target with strong hands on multiple occasions.
His ability to beat the defenders off the line of scrimmage was integral as the Blue Devils’ offensive line seemed to struggle in pass protection against Northwestern’s front. Moore’s quick wins set the stage for an 11-catch, 121-yard, 1-touchdown performance that helped Duke knock off the Wildcats.
Wide Receiver of the Week: Nick Marsh, Michigan State
Even though it was Aidan Chiles who told us to watch Michigan State this season, it’s Nick Marsh who actually commanded the attention on Saturday. The true freshman was dominant against Maryland, hauling in eight catches for 194 yards and a touchdown.
But it was how he won that sealed the deal for Michigan State in their come-from-behind victory over the Terps. Marsh hauled in catches over defenders, in front of defenders, or just simply by outmuscling them along his routes or at the catch point.
At 6’3″ and 209 pounds, with his speed, Marsh may be the unsung gem of this Michigan State recruiting class under Jonathan Smith. And if his Week 2 performance is any indicator, we may just actually be watching this Michigan State offense with renewed enthusiasm in 2024.
Tight End of the Week: Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
Giving his Bowling Green Falcons a chance to make a big splash and even compete with Penn State on Saturday was Harold Fannin Jr. The star tight end and First-Team All-American lived up to the billing against the Nittany Lions, dominating every time he touched the rock.
In the end, he finished with 11 receptions, 137 yards, and a touchdown, once again winning with his yards-after-catch ability as well as his separation skills. Fannin is a deadly weapon for the Bowling Green offense, and if he’s playing this well against a Penn State defense full of four- and five-star recruits, imagine what numbers he’ll produce once BGSU gets into MAC play.
Flex Offensive Player of the Week: Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh
Desmond Reid wasn’t the only running back to total over 100 yards receiving in Week 2, but he was the only one who was primarily used as both a receiver and a running back to do so. Reid totaled 254 yards of offense in Pittsburgh’s win over Cincinnati, scoring a touchdown through the air and proving his worth on the ground in Pitt’s offensive scheme.
Though not the biggest guy on the field, Reid’s shiftiness and ability to make defenders miss in space has been too good for Pitt not to utilize to its fullest extent. Reid ran for 148 yards and hauled in 106 receiving yards, doing the majority of his damage on his own either after forcing a missed tackle or after the catch.
In just his second game with the Panthers, Reid has now scored on the ground, through the air, and a punt return for a touchdown to date. The Paul Hornung Award is calling Reid’s name right now.
Offensive Tackle of the Week: Tyler Needham, Rutgers
On the ground, the Scarlet Knights were dominant against Akron in Week 2. They powered their way off the line of scrimmage, and for how good Monangai was, it was thanks in part to his offensive line’s efforts.
Integral to their OLine’s success was right tackle Tyler Needham. Paving the way for multiple big runs, Needham was spotted setting the edge or just physically dominating the defenders in front of him on multiple occasions. He even reached the second level with ease on several blocking attempts while maintaining a solid presence in pass protection all the same.
Offensive Guard of the Week: J.J. Lippe, Northern Illinois
You don’t go in and knock off a top-10 opponent like Notre Dame without winning in the trenches and that’s just how Northern Illinois did it. Powered by their interior offensive line, J.J. Lippe was the best of the trio on the inside, and that’s saying something when you line up opposite All-American John Champe.
Lippe fired off the line of scrimmage with reckless abandon and dominated the larger, more physical Notre Dame offensive line all game long. When it came time for the Huskies to get some crucial yards — especially in the fourth quarter — it was Lippe and Champe they ran behind.
It was an upset for the ages, and Lippe and the interior trio for NIU powered it.
Center of the Week: Chayse Todd, Texas State
On paper, the Texas State vs. UTSA game was the best Group of Five matchup entering Week 2. After the game, however, it was clear that Texas State is not only the better of these two teams, but they may be the Group of Five’s team to beat for inclusion into the College Football Playoff.
They physically dominated UTSA largely thanks to the success of their offensive line, led by center Chayse Todd. The Bobcats moved the line of scrimmage on UTSA with ease, rushing for 202 yards and set clean pockets for Jordan McCloud to dish from all game long.
Todd paved the way for running back Lincoln Pare to average nearly 10 yards per carry against the talented UTSA front.
Offensive Guard of the Week: Ben Purvis, Navy
Talk about physically dominant; the Navy rushing attack averaged a perfect 6.0 yards per carry on 50 rushes and simply took it to the Temple defense. They scored four touchdowns on the ground, and when you watch the tape, you better believe it’s a Ben Purvis highlight reel.
Purvis easily pinned, pulled, and fired on all cylinders against Temple. He routinely manhandled the assignment in front of him so quickly that he went looking for extra work at the second level.
He moved across the formation incredibly well, and the Navy option attack was run to perfection behind Purvis’ success.
Offensive Tackle of the Week: Alex Harkey, Texas State
To be fair, we could have placed multiple Texas State offensive linemen on the First Team here, but Alex Harkey joined Chayse Todd in commanding our attention and earning their praise. Harkey was simply dominant on Saturday against UTSA.
What made Harkey’s performance all the more impressive was the fact that he lined up everywhere, and he saw the same level of success no matter where he was on the field. From left tackle to “inside at guard” or as a “second tackle” on the right side when they moved the OL, the usage packages were off the charts for Harkey and he was terrific on every snap.
EDGE Defender of the Week: Obi Ezeigbo, Oklahoma State
When the Oklahoma State defense needed a play, you better believe it was Obi Ezeigbo who stepped up against Arkansas in Week 2. At his best when he was able to pin his ears back and rush the passer, Ozeigbo was able to record 2.0 sacks and a total of 3.5 tackles for loss.
But his impact wasn’t limited to just that. He chased down Taylen Green on multiple occasions and limited the run game to his side with relative ease. In the end, Ozeigbo recorded nine total tackles and was a force throughout the game.
Defensive Tackle of the Week: Devonte O’Malley, Northern Illinois
As stated above, you can’t expect to beat a top-10 team as a four-touchdown underdog without winning the battle in the trenches. Devonte O’Malley and Northern Illinois did just that on defense in their upset victory over Notre Dame.
O’Malley ripped through the Fighting Irish’s offensive line to the tune of two sacks and three tackles for loss. But that hardly sets the tone for the outing as O’Malley was unstoppable in run defense and changed the point of attack for ND’s backs all game long.
A dominant showing from the big man as the Huskies now presents a major threat to the MAC Championship this season.
Defensive Tackle of the Week: Tim Keenan III, Alabama
As impressive of a performance as the USF outing was to keep up with Alabama, in the end, it was the defensive efforts of Tim Keenan III and the ‘Bama front seven that sealed the deal. Yes, the sore was a runaway at the end, but that hardly indicates just how close this outing actually was.
Keenan and Co. up front needed every stop, every tackle, and every inch through the first 45 minutes of action before Alabama finally took things over. Recording nine total tackles and 1.5 sacks, Keenan came up biggest when he needed to.
Considering he was chasing down the elusive and talented Byrum Brown all evening long, Keenan’s performance was one to remember.
EDGE Defender of the Week: Tyler Baron, Miami (FL)
Tyler Baron put on a defensive show for Miami for the second straight week. This time, it came against a bit easier foe, but Baron was nonetheless relentless when he was on the field against Florida A&M.
Baron ripped through for three sacks and a total of 3.5 tackles for loss, recording five total stops in the outing. But it was how fast he won his pass-rushing battles that caught the attention of everyone in attendance.
He has an array of pass-rush moves and knows how to use them and when to deploy them against uninitiated blockers in front of him. Baron is emerging into one of the best EDGE defenders in college football.
Linebacker of the Week: Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
Sure, they allowed 31 points, but the Oklahoma State defense played lights out at certain positions. A linebacker shouldn’t be tasked with making 16 total tackles, but that’s just what Nick Martin did.
If Arkansas made it past the first line of defense (and they did quite often), it was Martin who was there to clean things up, and he did so brilliantly. To the tune of 16 total tackles, Martin wasn’t just limited to clean-up duty, however.
Martin recorded another 4.5 tackles for loss, showing off his versatility and instincts to get to the ball carrier time and time again.
Linebacker of the Week: Jordan Pollard, San Jose State
When you play a team like Air Force, you’re not expecting to put up big-time numbers on defense, at least in terms of plays on the ball. Instead, you have to look at what the defense did against the run, including gap discipline, run fits, and ability to run sideline to sideline to stop the option attack.
Perhaps, if you want to study how to stop the option attack, you should just go study Jordan Pollard’s performance against Air Force on Saturday. Pollard went sideline to sideline with ease and recorded 17 total tackles, repeatedly filling in from play-side gaps or backside pursuit.
It was a game for the ages for the new regime in San Jose, but then again, who better to teach his defense how to stop the option than Coach Ken? Pollard just took it a step further.
Linebacker of the Week: Jack Kelly, BYU
In a true “the box score doesn’t match the effort” kind of performance, Jack Kelly was all over the field on Friday night for BYU. Sure, he racked up five total tackles, a sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss, but that hardly indicates the impact he had on SMU’s offense all evening long.
Kelly was a constant fixture in the backfield for BYU, timing his blitzes to perfection and forcing both Preston Stone and Kevin Jennings to run for their lives. He was terrific in all facets as BYU may have found their next stud in the middle.
Cornerback of the Week: Xavier Scott, Illinois
It didn’t take rocket science to select Xavier Scott as one of the top-performing cornerbacks in the country from Week 2. It just simply took watching his performance against Kansas to do that.
Scott took down two interceptions and scored on a crucial pick-six that turned the tide for the Illini. But it wasn’t just his coverage abilities, it was his all-around performance that sealed the deal.
He chased down Jalon Daniels for a sack and played terrific complementary run defense, to boot. Scott’s three-faceted game of excellence on the outside has the Illini eyeing big things in 2024.
Cornerback of the Week: Nohl Williams, Cal
Look, CFN is a staunch believer that Auburn had a better quarterback option entering the season. Overall, Payton Thorne has shown to be just that—a thorn in Auburn’s side as they get things moving the past 14 games.
But we didn’t expect this kind of performance from the Cal defense, most notably the linebacking unit and Nohl Williams on the back end. Williams finished with two interceptions, mainly because of his ability to stick with receivers and his ball skills at the catch point.
It wasn’t Auburn’s best quarterbacking performance in this one, but Williams and Co. certainly displayed great ball-hawking.
Cornerback of the Week: Darian Porter, Iowa State
Similar to Nohl Williams and the Cal defense ripping off the Auburn passing attack, should we really be surprised that Darian Porter and the Iowa State defense made the Iowa passing attack look silly at times in Week 2? The answer is both no, and yes.
Porter shined when he saw the field, pulling away two picks, one into his specific coverage and another terrific example of a ball player playing the field. He plays his complementary role incredibly well, but perhaps the Cyclones’ defense would be better suited if they played Porter more often.
Safety of the Week: Glendon Miller, Maryland
The Maryland defense couldn’t quite seal the deal on Saturday against Michigan State, but that was no fault of Glendon Miller’s, who in actuality, is a big reason why the Terps were actually in a place to win the game in the first place. Miller recorded two interceptions against Michigan State, pacing the secondary that looked incredibly sound for half a field and three quarters of the game.
Miller was a solid performer in all facets, recording seven total tackles to go with his two picks. He picked up multiple stops in the run game and came downhill against underneath routes very well.
Antonio Clary, Virginia: 11 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 FR (game-winner)
Safety of the Week: Antonio Clary, Virginia
The Virginia Cavaliers have all but reached last season’s win total within the first two games of the season, largely thanks to their defensive stand in Week 2 against Wake Forest. Antonio Clary and Co. sealed the deal with their ball-hawking nature in the end, coming up big when UVA needed them.
Clary recorded 11 total tackles, showcasing his ability to time blitzes incredibly well, and his knack for finding the football was evident. On a crucial play, Clary’s hustle was also seen in front of the national audience as they watched him dart to a loose ball and pry it away from Wake Forest for what was ultimately the game-winning fumble recovery.
Hustle, determination, perseverance. If these words don’t sum up Clary and this UVA team, I don’t know what does.
Flex Defender of the Week: VJ Payne, Kansas State
The Kansas State defense made a valiant effort against an upstart Tulane team hellbent on revenge and an upset. When it was all said and done, VJ Payne came up biggest for the Wildcats, pulling away the game — literally — in the closing moments.
Payne’s game-winning interception came in the end zone on a crucial and controversial play, depending on which side of the fence you stand on. However, it was Payne’s interception that won the game for Kansas State, but he was also impressive all game long in all facets.
Kicker of the Week: Collin Rogers, SMU
Any time you are your entire team’s offensive output from the kicker position, it means two things. Those two things are both good and bad: You are awesome, but your offense is not.
That was the case for SMU and Collin Rogers on Friday night against BYU. While the Mustangs’ offense couldn’t get into the end zone, it was imperative they had Rogers’ leg to actually give them any chance of winning the game. Though not meant to be, it was only Rogers’ 15 total points that were scored by SMU’s 18-15 defeat.
Rogers was good on kicks from 28, 38, 45, 52, and 53 yards out in a true display of powerfully accurate kicking.
Punter of the Week: Luke Elzinga, Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Sooners shouldn’t have been in the place they were in on Saturday night against Houston. And that place saw OU needing Luke Elzinga to come up clutch as a punter to pin the Houston offense back so Oklahoma could hold on.
Hold on they did, largely thanks to Elzinga’s punting prowess. Notably, he knocked the Cougars’ offense back so far back in the fourth quarter that it led to a safety and the eventual four-point cushion that won the game for the Sooners.
Elzinga booted it 8 times for 352 yards, landing a weekend-high five punts inside the opponent’s 20.
Kick Returner of the Week: Noah Whittington, Oregon
Needing every yard Noah Whittington could get them to knock off Boise State, the Oregon Ducks’ star return man gave them even more. Whittington got two kick returns to his credit, but it was his late-game 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that paved the way for the Ducks to hold on to the victory against the Broncos.
Whittington split the kick coverage unit and used both his elusiveness and vision to find the gap and exploit Boise State’s special teams. It brought life back to Autzen and sparked Oregon to victory.
Punt Returner of the Week: Tez Johnson, Oregon
Similar to his teammate above, the Oregon Ducks needed every yard Tez Johnson could muster on special teams to stay ahead of Boise State. Johnson took home an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown that breathed fresh life into the team through what turned out to be a game-changing third quarter.
It wasn’t pretty for Oregon, but their special teams were firing on all cylinders behind Johnson and Whittington in the return game.
Week 2 Second Team College Football Offensive Team of the Week
QB: Cade Klubnik, Clemson
RB: Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
RB: Ja’Quinden Jackson, Arkansas
WR: Mac Dalena, Fresno State
WR: Ricky White III, UNLV
WR: Konata Mumpfield, Pittsburgh
TE: Tyler Warren, Penn State
FLEX: John Mateer, QB, Washington State
OT: Chase Lundt, UConn
OG: John Champe, Northern Illinois
OC: Mose Vavao, Fresno State
OG: Willie Lampkin, North Carolina
OT: Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
Week 2 Third Team College Football Offensive Team of the Week
QB: Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
RB: Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
RB: Henry Parrish Jr., Ole Miss
WR: Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
WR: Tai Felton, Maryland
WR: DT Sheffield, North Texas
TE: Gunnar Helm, Texas
FLEX: Blake Horvath, QB, Navy
OT: Connor McMahon, Navy
OG: Caleb Krings, Duke
OC: Brady Small, Army
OG: Joe Huber, Wisconsin
OT: Josh Fryar, Ohio State
Week 2 Honorable Mention College Football Offensive Team of the Week
QB: Jos Fagnano, UConn
RB: Dean Conners, Rice
RB: RJ Harvey, UCF
WR: Dante Wright, Temple
WR: Theo Wease, Missouri
WR: Evan Stewart, Oregon
TE: Jake Brinningstool, Clemson
FLEX: Antario Brown, RB, Northern Illinois
OT: Dalton Cooper, Oklahoma State
OG: Emmanuel Pregnon, USC
OC: Matt Craycraft, Duke
OG: Tellek Lockette, Texas State
OT: Evan Malcore, Northern Illinois
Week 2 Second Team College Football Defensive Team of the Week
EDGE: Zach Durfee, Washington
DT: Nash Hutmacher, Nebraska
DT: Tyrique Tucker, Indiana
EDGE: Mikail Kamara, Indiana
LB: Christian Fuhrman, Northern Illinois
LB: Teddye Buchanan, Cal
LB: Mac Harris, USF
CB: Chandler Rivers, Duke
CB: Brian Blades II, FIU
CB: Car’lin Vigers, UL-Monroe
S: Dylan Lawrence, Southern Miss
S: Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
FLEX: Dererk Williams Jr., Texas
Week 2 Third Team College Football Defensive Team of the Week
EDGE: Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho
DT: Soane Toia, San Jose State
DT: Ty Robinson, Nebraska
EDGE: Buddha Peleti, New Mexico State
LB: John Bullock, Nebraska
LB: Ben Bell, Texas State
LB: Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
CB: Tommi Hill, Nebraska
CB: Jamal Potts, FIU
CB: Shavon Revel Jr., ECU
S: Kapena Gushiken, Washington State
S: Robert Rahimi, San Jose State
FLEX: Terry Moore, Duke
Week 2 Honorable Mention College Football Defensive Team of the Week
EDGE: Jason Vaughn, USF
DT: Jacob Kongaika, Arizona State
DT: Bernard Gooden, USF
EDGE: Connor O’Toole, Utah
LB: Austin Romaine, Kansas State
LB: Joey Stemler, Ball State
LB: Cade Uluave, Cal
CB: Chauncey Logan, JMU
CB: Ridge Texada, North Texas
CB: Charles Brantley, Michigan State
S: Andrew Mukuba, Texas
S: Jahron Manning, ODU
FLEX: Shaquan Loyal, Rutgers
Week 2 Second Team College Football Special Teams Team of the Week
PK: Ben Sauls, Pittsburgh
P: Rhys Dakin, Iowa
KR: Jacquez Stuart, Toledo
PR: Tiger Bachmeier, Stanford
Week 2 Third Team College Football Special Teams Team of the Week
PK: Brock Taylor, Vanderbilt
P: Peter Moore, Virginia Tech
KR: Shaadie Clayton-Johnson, Tulane
PR: Martel Hight, Vanderbilt
Week 2 Honorable Mention College Football Special Teams Team of the Week
PK: David Olano, Illinois
P: Lachlan Wilson, Cal
KR: Marion Lukes, Central Michigan
PR: Jalen Moss, Fresno State
KEEP READING: Week 2 College Football Players of the Week