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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. One of the games and candidates on the "must-see list" this week is QB Justin Fields of Ohio State as his Buckeyes travel to a Penn State team that's licking its wounds after an opening week upset loss at Indiana. Meanwhile, QB Sam Ehlinger and Texas will try to hand Oklahoma State its first loss. Both games are on Saturday.
Key Links, contributors to this article: Maxwell Football Club, ProFootballFocus.com
Memphis (3-1) at Cincinnati (4-0) - Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- If the Bearcats weren’t on the national radar a week, they are now. Luke Fickell’s kids are coming off a signature win over unbeaten SMU, 42-13, Cincinnati’s most lopsided win over a ranked opponent. Up to No. 7 in the polls, Cincy is not only in the AAC driver’s seat, but also on the periphery of the playoff discussion. Next up for the Bearcats’ nationally ranked pass defense is a visit from QB Brady White and high-scoring Memphis. The Tigers have scored 91 points the last two weeks, and WR Calvin Austin is emerging into a big-play star.
Indiana (1-0) at Rutgers (1-0) - Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (BTN)
- Raise your hand if you pegged this as a must-see matchup when Big Ten schedules were released. Didn’t think so. The Hoosiers and the Scarlet Knights started fast with opening day upsets of Penn State and Michigan State, respectively. Indiana’s overtime thriller versus the Lions was the school’s first Top 10 win since 1987. Rutgers’ victory in East Lansing snapped a 21-game conference losing streak, and marked a successful return of head coach Greg Schiano, who led the program from 2001-2011.
Texas (3-2) at Oklahoma State (4-0) - Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Until Oklahoma State loses, all of its games will be important, both to the program and to the Big 12 as a whole. The Cowboys are the league’s standard-bearers so far in 2020, led not by Mike Gundy’s trademark offense but rather an underrated D that ranks No. 3 nationally in third-down stops. Having just stifled Iowa State’s Brock Purdy, OSU will now focus on Longhorn QB Sam Ehlinger. Texas rebounded from back-to-back losses with a win over Baylor in Week 8, and can get back into the conference title chase with an upset this weekend in Stillwater.
Ohio State (1-0) at Penn State (0-1) - Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- After just one game, Penn State’s Big Ten championship hopes are already hanging by a thread. Such is the case after losing to Indiana on a Michael Penix two-point sprint to the pylon that was steeped in controversy. The Nittany Lions are on the ropes, but a visit from league favorite Ohio State presents an opportunity. The Buckeyes have won three straight in the series, but the games have been very competitive. The PSU bookend of Shaka Toney and Jayson Oweh must consistently win at the point of attack, because QB Justin Fields is lethal in a clean pocket.
Maxwell Award (Top Offensive Player)
WR Kawaan Baker, South Alabama
- Louisiana-Monroe learned the hard way that focusing too many resources on stopping Jaguar WR Jalen Tolbert just means that Baker will burn you. Tolbert caught a season-low two passes in last weekend’s 38-14 win. So, Baker promptly took the top off the Warhawk defense. He parlayed six receptions into 154 yards and three scores, while earning the third highest grade for a Week 8 wide receiver from Pro Football Focus.
WR David Bell, Purdue
- Purdue upset visiting Iowa without its head coach (Jeff Brohm) and its best player (WR Rondale Moore). Not happening without the heroics of Bell, who stepped up in a huge way Saturday afternoon. The sophomore from Indianapolis brushed off maximum attention to catch 13 balls for 121 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 2:15 left in regulation.
QB Justin Fields, Ohio State
- Welcome back, Justin. Though you could hardly blame Nebraska for not celebrating the return of one of the nation’s premier players. Fields was in midseason form in Saturday’s opener with the Huskers, a comfortable 52-17 victory. He connected on 20-of-21 throws for 276 yards and two touchdowns, while adding another 54 yards and a third score with his feet.
RB Javian Hawkins, Louisville
- Whatever confidence Florida State enjoyed after upsetting No. 5 North Carolina in Week 7 evaporated Saturday in Louisville. Hawkins slipped through, around and past the Seminole defenders in a wire-to-wire 48-16 mauling. The shifty 5-9, 196-pound sophomore needed just 16 carries to amass a season-high 174 yards and a career-best three touchdowns.
QB Graham Mertz, Wisconsin
- The hype has been through the roof for Mertz ever since he turned down offers from almost every major program to play in Madison. On Friday night, the nation got a glimpse why he was a blue-chipper coming out of Overland Park, Kans. Pro Football Focus’ top-graded Week 8 passer had a near flawless, record-setting debut. Mertz completed 20-of-21 for 248 yards and five touchdowns, while showing advanced poise and decision-making for a redshirt freshman.
QB Carson Strong, Nevada
- Just one game into his sophomore season, Strong already looks like a more confident distributor. After flashing potential as a redshirt freshman in 2019, Strong broke out in Saturday’s overtime win against Wyoming. He established new career highs in completions (39), passing yards (420) and TD passes (4), throwing the game-winning strike to Romeo Doubs in OT.
WR Marlon Williams, UCF
- The Knights needed someone to step up this year and fill the void left by Gabriel Davis, who’s now a Buffalo Bill. Williams has been that guy, using his senior season an NFL audition. This past weekend, he surpassed last year’s 13-game totals by catching nine passes for 174 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in a 51-34 win over Tulane.
QB Malik Willis, Liberty
- Six wins to start the season. Six TD passes last Saturday from Willis. Hugh Freeze has something very special brewing in Lynchburg, Va. The Flames wrecked visiting Southern Miss, 56-35, in Week 8 to remain undefeated. Willis, an Auburn transfer, threw for a career-high 345 yards and six scores, and added 97 yards and a rushing TD to become the first player in school history to account for seven scores in a game.
Bednarik Award (Top Defensive Player)
S Nick Andersen, Wake Forest
- Go ahead and put Andersen on scholarship… right now. The true freshman walk-on from Clifton, Va. may not have had offers coming out of high school, but he’s already shown he belongs in a Power Five uniform. In Saturday’s 23-16 defeat of Virginia Tech, which came in averaging 42 points per game, Andersen posted a game-high 11 tackles and three interceptions of Hendon Hooker.
LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa - Keep an eye on Tulsa, which is playing like an AAC contender, especially on D. The Hurricane has yet to play at home, but is 2-0 in league play, has upset UCF and gave Oklahoma State all it could handle. On Friday, the team exited a 20-day break by hammering South Florida, 42-13. Collins earned Pro Football Focus’ top grade for Week 8 linebacker, making six stops, a forced fumble and a 38-yard pick-six.
MLB Olakunle Fatukasi, Rutgers
- It’s just one game, but Rutgers already looks dramatically improved with Greg Schiano back On the Banks. The Scarlet Knights shocked Michigan State this past weekend, 38-27, behind a suffocating defensive effort. Fatukasi, in particular, was a major disruption for the Spartans. Showing great field awareness, he had 10 stops, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, while earning Pro Football Focus’ top run defense grade for a Week 8 linebacker.
DE BJ Ojulari, LSU
- Evidently, Week 8 was for the true freshmen in Baton Rouge. QB TJ Finley accounted for 3 scores replacing the injured Myles Brennan, CB Eli Ricks had a pick-six and Ojulari got to the quarterback three times in Saturday’s 52-24 defeat of South Carolina. All three are rookies… and all three have exciting futures ahead as Tigers. Ojulari has the drive and athleticism to earn an increased roll in November.
DE Kwity Paye, Michigan
- Paye is one of the freakiest defenders in college football this season, which the veteran Minnesota O-line experienced firsthand Saturday night. The uniquely athletic 6-4, 272-pounder was quiet early in the Wolverines’ impressive 49-24 road win in Minneapolis. But Paye erupted late to finish with three tackles for loss, two sacks and the fourth ranked Pro Football Focus grade for a Week 8 EDGE rusher.
S Tre Sterling, Oklahoma State
- The Cowboys are allowing just 12 points per game, a huge reason why they’re the Big 12’s last remaining undefeated school. In Saturday’s showdown with No. 17 Iowa State, Oklahoma State allowed just 162 passing yards and no receptions of longer than 25 yards. Sterling was the game’s highest graded defender, according to Pro Football Focus, making eight solo stops, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
ILB Chazz Surratt, North Carolina
- NC State began Week 8 with a three-game winning streak. The Pack ended it with a second straight blowout loss at the hands of rival Carolina. The Tar Heels cranked out 326 rushing yards, while the Surratt-led defense produced four turnovers. The senior had a team-high eight tackles, including six solos, a sack that forced a fumble and an interception.
LB Jarell White, Cincinnati
- The Bearcats went into Dallas Saturday night and earned a signature blowout of No. 16 SMU. And while QB Desmond Ridder was spectacular with his feet, Luke Fickell’s defense was the biggest story. Cincinnati held the Mustangs more than four touchdowns below their scoring average, with White leading the way. The senior had 11 solo tackles, two stops for loss, a pass breakup and a hurry of Shane Buechele.