Week 2 of the college football season had been advertised as something of a bore-fest in comparison to a top-heavy opening weekend of the 2025 campaign. However, someone forgot to tell the players, as they served up a two-day slate of shocks, surprises, and sensational performances.
Who was the best? Our college football players of the week, powered by the PFSN suite of impact metrics, highlight individual greatness.
Quarterback of the Week: Ty Simpson, Alabama
Week 2 PFSN College QBi Grade: 89.7 (B+)
Was Week 2 the beginning of the Ty Simpson redemption arc? The Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback took some of the flak for the opening defeat to the Florida State Seminoles, but showcased his ability to pick apart a defense against Louisiana-Monroe.
His week-high grade reflected his remarkable ability to play under pressure, with a 0.95 pressured EPA per dropback. He also converted 50% of his “money down” attempts while flashing his athleticism to work outside of structure. Tougher tests await, but it’s clear Simpson won’t be the issue for Alabama this fall.
Honorable mentions: Jayden Glasser, Central Michigan; Dylan Raiola, Nebraska; Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt; Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Offensive Player of the Week: Duce Robinson, Florida State
Week 2 PFSN College WRi Grade: 90.6 (A)
Sometimes, the college football transfer portal can be the catalyst for a player to realize their potential. Duce Robinson started his career with the USC Trojans with expectations that were never realized, but since his transfer to the Florida State Seminoles, he’s become one of the most dangerous weapons in the sport.
The former five-star WR had registered a top-40 weekly PFSN College WRi grade just once in his USC career, but had one of the highest grades of the season in Week 2. Doing serious damage after the catch, he averaged 11.9 yards after the catch per reception over expectation, while snagging 85.3% of his targets.
Robinson averaged 11.5 yards per route run, the third-highest of any wide receiver in Week 2. Some historical program relevance; his four catches for 160 yards in the first quarter was the most for a Seminoles receiver since 2015.
Honorable mentions: Cam Cook, RB, Jacksonville State; Hollywood Smothers, RB, NC State; Dan Villari, TE, Syracuse; Javin Whatley, WR, Arizona; Thomas Paasch, iOL, Northern Illinois; Andrew Gentry, OT, BYU
Defensive Player of the Week: Collin Matteson, SAF, Army
Week 2 PFSN College SAFi Grade: 95.5 (A)
One week after being on the wrong of a college football upset, the reigning American Conference champion Army Black Knights pulled off one of the shocks of the season by beating the Kansas State Jayhawks in Manhattan. While there were several standouts in the win for Jeff Monken’s team, Collin Matteson earned his spot on our college football players of the week.
Avery Johnson is one of college football’s most exciting quarterbacks, but he was made to look below average every time he looked Matteson’s way. The Army safety was targeted four times, allowed just one reception, was credited with a forced incompletion on 75% of those targets, snagged an interception, and allowed just a 5.2 quarterback rating. Elite.
Honorable mentions: Mister Clark, CB, FIU; Tyrece Mills, SAF, UConn; Xavian Sorey Jr., LB, Arkansas; Zach Crothers, DT, Pittsburgh; William Whitlow Jr., EDGE, Memphis.Â
Special Teams Player of the Week: Vicari Swain, PR, South Carolina
We don’t currently have a special teams impact metric, but there’s zero doubt that South Carolina Gamecocks punt returner Vicari Swain would have blown the doors off our grading system. As the SEC frontrunner battled a weather delay and general struggles with the South Carolina State Bulldogs, Swain completely turned the tide of the game in less than two minutes.
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With the Gamecocks down two midway through the second quarter, Swain plucked a punt out of the air and proceeded to shoot 65 yards down the field for the first score of the game for the highly-ranked team. The Bulldogs punted to him again, a minute and 54 seconds later, with the same result, this time from 42 yards. He was the epitome of a game-changer.
Honorable mentions: Jaden Nixon, KR, UCF; Nico Gramatica, K, South Florida; Ryan Eckley, P, Michigan State
Freshman Player of the Week: Dakorien Moore, WR, Oregon
Ahead of the 2025 college football season, there was as much of a general consensus as you’ll find as to who might be an instant impact freshman. His name? Dakorien Moore. And so it came to pass, with the Oregon Ducks wide receiver stamping his mark on a dominant Week 2 win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Moore’s 65-yard reception to make the score 13-0 showcased the after-the-catch ability that will make him a nightmare for defenses to contain, while he added a 25-yard rushing touchdown before the first half of an embarrassing defeat for the Big 12 team had come to a close.
He only touched the ball three times (two catches, one carry, 94 yards, two scores), but that was more than enough to earn him a place among our college football players of the week. If they’d used him more than that, Oregon might have sealed a place in the history books for the largest winning margin between FBS teams.
Honorable mention: Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (FL); Jalen Cooper, WR, SMU; Sidney Stewart, EDGE, Maryland; Jack Stevens, K, Washington State
