- Copyright 2024 © CollegeFootballPoll.com
- About CFP / Contact
- Legal Statements
QB Shane Buechele, SMU - You'll have to forgive Buechele if he doesn't seem wowed by the Temple D, typically one of the AAC's stoutest units. He just dissected the Owls for a career-high six touchdown passes to propel the Mustangs to 7-0. Buechele, the former Texas Longhorn, completed 30-of-53 for 457 yards, more than half of which went to big-play WR Reggie Roberson.
RB AJ Dillon, Boston College - When all else fails, just lean on the chain-moving running backs. BC was without starting QB Anthony Brown, but it didn't matter in a 45-24 spanking of NC State. The Eagles pounded out 429 yards and five scores on the ground, getting 223 and three TDs from Dillon and a career-best 181 yards and two touchdowns from bruising sophomore David Bailey.
QB Justin Fields, Ohio State - Look ahead to Wisconsin? No chance. The Buckeyes were all business Friday night in Evanston, gashing Northwestern, 52-3. Sure, the Wildcats are struggling this season, but Pat Fitzgerald's D has been the one constant. However, in a little over a half of work, Fields calmly dissected the group for 194 yards, four touchdowns and no turnovers on 18-of-23 passing.
RB Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis - Next man in. It's working in Memphis. Veteran Patrick Taylor was supposed to be the successor to Darrell Henderson this season, but he's been injured all year. Enter Gainwell, the rookie playing like a Freshman All-American. He's on his way to 1,000 yards, and on Saturday he helped thwart sizzling Tulane with 104 yards rushing, 203 yards on nine catches and three total touchdowns.
WR KJ Hamler, Penn State - Lion QB Sean Clifford was terrific in the biggest game of his young career, accounting for four total TDs to defeat Michigan. But Hamler is the playmaker for whom the vaunted Wolverine D had no answers. He was just too fast and quick for the Michigan defenders, catching six passes for 108 yards and two long touchdowns, while amassing 186 all-purpose yards to help Penn State perfect.
QB Justin Herbert, Oregon - Washington QB Jacob Eason was good Saturday in Seattle. Herbert, though, was better, catapulting the Ducks one giant step closer to a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The senior rallied Oregon back from a two-touchdown deficit, completing 24-of-38 for 280 yards and four touchdowns, capped by the game-winner to Jaylon Redd with 5:10 left in the final quarter.
QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma - The precision with which Hurts is operating the Sooner attack continues to be remarkable. Sure, West Virginia is rebuilding under first-year coach Neal Brown. But Hurts never takes his eye off the ball or loses his focus, regardless of the opponent. Easily Pro Football Focus' highest graded player of Week 8, he completed 16-of-17 for 316 yards and three TDs, while also rushing for 75 yards and two scores.
RB Brenden Knox, Marshall - The Herd has found its groove, and not a moment too soon. Marshall has shaken off a rocky start to remain in contention in the Conference USA East Division. And Knox has been the catalyst. The Columbus, OH native looked like he belonged in a Buckeyes uni Friday, rushing for a career-high 220 yards and two scores, dragging Florida Atlantic tacklers into the end zone for the clincher with 36 seconds left.
DE Bradlee Anae, Utah - In a key Pac-12 South showdown dictated by the defenses, no defender was more influential than Anae. The Utes thoroughly shut down Arizona State in Salt Lake City, allowing just three points and 136 total yards. Up-and-coming Sun Devil QB Jayden Daniels managed only four completions for 25 yards, in large part because Anae was pressuring him all day and sacked him three times.
CB Andre Grayson, Utah State - For good reason, linebackers David Woodward and Tipa Galeai make most of the headlines in Logan. But Grayson wreaked the most havoc in the Aggies' Week 8 stifling of Nevada. The quick and versatile sophomore delivered nine tackles, two stops for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles and three pass breakups as Utah State remained unblemished in Mountain West play.
LB Jake Hansen, Illinois - Look ahead at your own peril. With a showdown with Ohio State looming this weekend, undefeated Wisconsin stubbed its toe in Champaign. The Illini linebackers were outstanding in holding the Badgers 19 points below their season scoring average. Dele Harding had a game-high 16 tackles, while Hansen posted 11 stops, a sack and a pair of forced fumbles.
DT Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M - The diverse offense of Ole Miss could only manage 17 points against the visiting Aggies. The pressure and the amount of attention Madubuike required was a key reason why. He commanded multiple blockers, yet still earned Pro Football Focus' top pass-rushing grade for a lineman in Week 8. Madubuike's numbers-five tackles, a stop for loss, a half-sack, a forced fumble and a blocked kick-don't do justice to how disruptive he was in Oxford.
LB Chris Orr, Wisconsin - The Badgers inexplicably fell to Illinois in Champaign. But Orr did his part to try and keep Wisconsin undefeated. On a day when the Badgers were unusually generous on D, Orr was ferocious from the second level, registering a team-high nine tackles, three sacks of QB Brandon Peters and a forced fumble. Among linebackers, he earned Pro Football Focus' third highest pass-rushing grade for Week 8.
LB Shaq Quarterman, Miami - Miami is having a miserable season, highlighted by Saturday's home loss to 18-point underdog Georgia Tech. But Quarterman keeps grinding and playing at a very high level. Against the Yellow Jackets, the senior leader of the Cane D had 13 tackles, more than double any of his teammates, two stops for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two QB hurries.
LB Hamilcar Rashed, Oregon State - After wrecking the Cal offensive line, Oregon State's dream of becoming bowl-eligible in 2019 remains alive. The Beavers, heavy underdogs in Berkeley, amassed 14 stops behind the line, including nine sacks. Redshirt freshman Riley Sharp and Rashed had three sacks apiece, with the latter notching four total tackles for loss. It was a career day for Rashed, who leads the Pac-12 in sacks.
CB Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech - Many fans have never watched a Louisiana Tech game. Many NFL scouts have, because No. 21 is going to be playing on Sundays before long. Robertson continues to showcase why he's one of the nation's most underrated corners, picking off three Jack Abraham passes and breaking up two others in the Bulldogs' 45-30 defeat of visiting Southern Miss.
Wisconsin (6-1) at Ohio State (7-0) - Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET (FOX) - Sure, Wisconsin's stunning loss at Illinois last week took some of the juice out of this matchup. But it still matters... big time. Despite the stumble, this visit from the Badgers will be Ohio State's toughest test of the year so far. Even after the debacle in Champaign, Wisky leads the nation in scoring and total D (just ahead of the Buckeyes, by the way). All of which makes for interesting tests for two Maxwell Award contenders, Ohio State QB Justin Fields and Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor.
Auburn (6-1) at LSU (7-0) - Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS) - With all of the anticipation for LSU-Alabama on Nov. 9, it's easy to forget that this week's game in Baton Rouge will also go a long way to determining the SEC West champ. After bowing to Florida in Week 7, this is a must-win for Auburn to remain in contention. The Tiger D, led by DT Derrick Brown, has been outstanding all year and has yet to yield more than 24 points in a game. However, LSU and QB Joe Burrow are one of just two FBS teams averaging more than 50 points per game.
Penn State (7-0) at Michigan State (4-3) - Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC) - Having handled Michigan, Penn State is one of the 10 remaining schools yet to suffer a loss. The Lions will have to avoid a letdown, though, this weekend as they travel to East Lansing to face a rested Michigan State squad with a chip on its shoulder. The Spartans were embarrassed in back-to-back road losses and have now uncharacteristically allowed at least 31 points in three straight games. They'll have myriad priorities, namely containing the Sean Clifford to KJ Hamler pitch-and-catch combo.
Notre Dame (5-1) at Michigan (5-2) - Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC) - Where do you go from here, Michigan? The Wolverines suffered a second Big Ten loss, falling in Happy Valley, all but ending their league title hopes. A third loss to non-conference rival Notre Dame could make things even more uncomfortable for Jim Harbaugh. Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish exit their bye week with a lone defeat and dreams a playoff run still very much alive. This is ND's toughest remaining test, en route to what the program hopes will be an 11-1 regular season resume.
Note: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is a member of the Maxwell Football Cub and a voter for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards.