- Copyright 2024 © CollegeFootballPoll.com
- About CFP / Contact
- Legal Statements
Note: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is a member of the Maxwell Football Club and a voter for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards.
The Maxwell Football Club honors the nation's top offensive player with the Maxwell Award, and the best defensive player with the Chuck Bednarik Award. Among the top games and candidates on the "must-see list" this week are QB's Zach Wilson of BYU and Kyle Trask of Florida. The Cougars visit Boise State on Friday,a place they've never won. The Gators, meanwhile, will try to snap a 3-game losing streak against Georgia in Jacksonville on Saturday.
Key Links, contributors to this article: Maxwell Football Club, ProFootballFocus.com
BYU (7-0) at Boise State (2-0) - Friday, 9:45 p.m. ET (FS1) -
For BYU, this trip to Idaho could be the final serious roadblock to a perfect regular season and perhaps even a playoff berth. The Cougars have largely rolled through a soft, reconfigured schedule to get to this point. But this will be by far the stiffest test for QB Zach Wilson and an offense averaging 44 points per game. BYU has one gifted quarterback, but Boise State has two. Hank Bachmeier opened the season by throwing for three TDs and no picks, while USC transfer Jack Sears came off the bench last Saturday to post identical numbers.
Florida (3-1) vs. Georgia (4-1) - Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS) -
The winner this weekend in Jacksonville will face Alabama for the SEC title on Dec. 19… probably. The Gators and the Dawgs square off for their annual showdown, with the East Division lead at stake. Both schools have one loss, Florida to Texas A&M and Georgia to Bama. While the Bulldogs boast one of the nation’s top defenses, can a sputtering offense keep up with the Gators? Florida has the better quarterback, Kyle Trask, and deeper collection of playmakers, such as TE Kyle Pitts and WR Kadarius Toney, who scored three times in last week’s Missouri victory.
Clemson (7-0) at Notre Dame (6-0) - Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC) -
No. 1 vs. No. 4. This is gonna feel a lot like a playoff game, minus the neutral site and one noticeably absent star quarterback. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence will miss his second straight game, giving way to D.J. Uiagalelei. The rookie was terrific in his starting debut, accounting for 367 yards and three scores in a closer-than-expected escape of Boston College. Just how good is Notre Dame? The record is unblemished, but none of its six victims has even a winning record. The stout D, though, is allowing just 10 points per game. And a veteran front seven could present problems for Uiagalelei.
Stanford (0-0) at Oregon (0-0) - Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC) -
Well, hello, Pac-12. You’ve been missed. The conference returns to action, with Oregon as the preseason favorite. The Big 12 no longer has an undefeated school, so this is a golden opportunity for, say the Ducks, to snap the league’s three-year playoff drought. Head coach Mario Cristobal has done a remarkable job in two seasons, especially on defense. However, it won’t be easy replacing QB Justin Herbert, even though sophomore Tyler Shough looks the part. This is an important year for Stanford, which hopes to be more than just a spoiler in 2020. The Cardinal went 4-8 a year ago, its worst season since Jim Harbaugh’s 2007 debut on the Farm.
Maxwell Award (Top Offensive Player)
WR Dyami Brown, North Carolina -
It was a rough for the Tar Heels, who were upset by Virginia in Charlottesville. But Brown and the offense did all they could to keep this game competitive for four quarters. The next-level junior could not be stopped, catching 11 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns. Brown’s yardage total is the most by a Power 5 receiver so far this season.
RB Travis Etienne, Clemson -
With star QB Travis Lawrence out, Clemson needed even more from Etienne. And that’s exactly what he provided to the offense. The Tigers dug out of a 28-10 hole to defeat Boston College and remain undefeated. Etienne, once again channeling his inner-Alvin Kamara, helped sparked the rally by accounting for 224 total yards and two scores, including seven catches for 140 yards.
QB Justin Fields, Ohio State -
Fields is off to a wicked hot start to his second season in Columbus. In fact, he looks even sharper than in his breakout debut as a Buckeye, especially on deep throws and when going through his progressions. In Saturday’s key showdown with Penn State in Happy Valley, Fields rarely misfired and finished 28-of-34 for 318 yards, four touchdowns and no turnovers. Through two games, he’s thrown six touchdowns and only seven incompletions.
WR Elijah Moore, Ole Miss -
When the Ole Miss offense is clicking, it can be scary good. Last weekend in Nashville, for instance. Matt Corral threw six TD passes in a 54-21 demolition of Vandy, while Moore once again performed like the next great Rebel receiver. Of Moore’s 14 receptions, 10 went for first downs, three were touchdowns, and his 238 receiving yards smashed AJ Brown’s single-game school record. He was Pro Football Focus’ highest graded Week 9 receiver.
QB Bo Nix, Auburn -
Midway through his second season, Nix played the most complete game of his Auburn career. That it came against LSU made it particularly special. Auburn didn’t just snap a frustrating three-game losing streak in the series… it rolled, 48-11, for its largest margin of victory over LSU in school history. Nix completed 18-of-24 for 300 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for a game-high 81 yards and another score.
QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati -
With the offense beginning to play as well as the stingy D, Cincinnati might not get challenged again until the postseason. The Bearcats have now blown out unbeaten SMU and one-loss Memphis in back-to-back weeks. In Saturday’s 49-10 pasting of Memphis, Ridder accounted for five scores. And after rushing for 179 yards and three touchdowns last week, he completed 21-of-26 for 271 yards, three TD passes and a pick in Week 9.
WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama -
Containing Smith will be much easier now that Jaylen Waddle is no longer available, right? Nope. Without Waddle to absorb some attention, Smith was every bit as dynamic and productive in Saturday’s whitewash of Mississippi State. He was no match for the Bulldog defensive backs, catching 11 for 203 yards and becoming the first SEC receiver in history to record two four-TD games.
QB Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland -
Oh, what a difference a week makes. Six days after being held to a field goal by Northwestern, Maryland exploded for 675 yards Friday versus Minnesota. Tagovailoa was the catalyst, rallying the Terps back from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit to win, 45-44, in overtime. The Alabama transfer was Pro Football Focus’ sixth highest graded Week 9 quarterback, while becoming just the third Big Ten player this century to rush for two touchdowns and throw for 350 yards and three scores.
Bednarik Award (Top Defensive Player)
DE Daelin Hayes, Notre Dame -
With Clemson coming to South Bend this weekend, Hayes is elevating his play at the absolute perfect. He was outstanding Saturday versus Georgia Tech, dishing out one of his best all-around performances with the Fighting Irish. The top-graded Week 9 EDGE rusher, according to Pro Football Focus, Hayes had five tackles, two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
S Richard LeCounte, Georgia -
The Bulldog offense could not get on track Saturday in Lexington, so the defense took control in a 14-3 win over Kentucky. The Wildcats’ longest pass play was 11 yards, and the team cracked the red zone just once all afternoon. LeCounte was a factor in all phases of the D. The senior racked up 13 stops, recovered a fumble and broke up three passes.
CB Dreshun Miller, West Virginia -
Unable to solve the Mountaineer defense Saturday, Kansas State’s four-game winning streak is over. The Wildcats managed just 13 first downs and 225 yards in a 37-10 loss in Morgantown. Miller, the former Eastern Arizona College transfer, had three tackles and actively patrolled the passing lanes with five batted balls, one that teammate Dylan Tonkery returned for a touchdown.
DT Daviyon Nixon, Iowa -
If the Hawkeyes are to rebound from an 0-2 start, it’ll likely be driven by the defense. The D did enough to beat Northwestern Saturday, but still short, 21-20. Nixon appears to be turning the corner in his second year removed from Iowa Western Community College. He’s been an interior disruptor in both games, compiling 11 tackles, three stops for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble versus the Wildcats.
LB Joseph Ossai, Texas -
If Ossai didn’t deliver the single best defensive effort of 2020 so far, it’s certainly in the discussion. The junior singlehandedly wrecked the Oklahoma State front wall, helping hand the No. 6 Cowboys their first loss. Ossai’s get-off and bend around the edge were just too much for the OSU tackles. He notched 12 tackles, six stops for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and three sacks, including a walk-off shoestring stop of QB Spencer Sanders to seal the win in overtime.
LB Antjuan Simmons, Michigan State -
Week 2 Michigan State was far different than Week 1 Michigan State. And because of it, head coach Mel Tucker has his first win as a Spartan. A week after being shocked by Rutgers, Michigan State surprised rival Michigan behind QB Rocky Lombardi and the defense. This outcome was particularly special for Simmons, an Ann Arbor native, who had a game-high 11 stops and two pass breakups.
LB Charles Snowden, Virginia -
There was a ton of offense in Virginia’s 44-41 upset of No. 15 North Carolina. But the Cavalier defense made plays, too, specifically No. 11. Snowden, whose length and range make him an imposing pass rusher, schooled the Tar Heel blockers all night long. He forced a fumble and four of his 10 tackles were of QB Sam Howell, the most sacks by a UVA defender in 24 years.
NT Tommy Togiai, Ohio State -
On a night that QB Justin Fields and the Buckeye receivers made the biggest splash, Togiai had a breakout game in the win over Penn State. The freakishly strong 6-2, 300-pound Idahoan applied up-the-gut pressure that consistently confused and flushed Lion QB Sean Clifford. Togiai barreled his way to a team-high seven tackles and career-high three sacks.