Week 9 College Football Players of the Week: Kenneth Walker III and Marcus Jones dominate

How could you not have fun watching college football this weekend? Michigan and Michigan State got the party started, with Houston and SMU keeping that up in the evening slate. Yet again, we saw some great performances from our Offensive and Defensive College Football Players of the Week, and some new faces entered the list in Week 9.

College Football Offensive Players of the Week | Week 9

While we get our heart rates down from the thrilling action this weekend, let’s dive into the Offensive College Football Players of the Week.

Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State

Who do you turn to when you need a big game against your rival? Your bell cow, of course. Kenneth Walker‘s been the talk of college football running backs this season, but he took that excitement to a new level on Saturday.

Facing Michigan in a Top 10 matchup, Walker produced a performance that will go down in Michigan State history. He rushed for 197 yards and a career-high 5 touchdowns to lead the Spartans to victory. Michigan State was down most of the game but found a way to win and knew exactly when to give Walker the football.

Andrel Anthony, WR, Michigan

Jim Harbaugh is now 3-9 against Michigan State and Ohio State in his tenure at Michigan, but his freshman receiver did his best to make that 4-8. Michigan State completed a comeback against the Wolverines, but they didn’t have an answer for Andrel Anthony.

Cade McNamara found some chemistry with Anthony to the tune of 25.8 yards per catch and 2 touchdowns to lead the passing attack.

Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami (FL)

With D’Eriq King done for the season, Miami turns to a new chapter with Tyler Van Dyke. He didn’t throw for the most yards in the game, but he still wowed Hurricanes fans and pulled off the upset of No. 17 Pitt. Van Dyke finished with 426 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Canes, and Manny Diaz now has his quarterback of the future (for now at least).

Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri

If you weren’t aware of Tyler Badie coming into the season, you’re well aware of him now. The Missouri running back is getting his chance to showcase his skill set, and he’s making every touch count. Badie rushed for 254 yards (8.2 yards per carry) with 2 touchdowns and also caught 8 passes for 40 yards. Missouri continues to find ways to get him the football, and he’s proving that he can be an elite ball carrier.

Caleb Williams, QB, Oklahoma

If you’re Spencer Rattler, you might want to find a new destination as soon as possible if you haven’t done so already. Caleb Williams continues balling out for Oklahoma, and the Sooners’ offense has taken a huge step forward since he took control. On Saturday, he let his arm do the talking, throwing for 402 yards and 6 touchdowns against Texas Tech.

Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse

Sean Tucker brings an interesting presence to Twitter, breaking down his own performances in a tweet. He’ll have plenty of positives to say after this week. He rushed for 207 yards (8.0 yards per carry) and 1 score to help extend his lead for most rushing yards in the country.

Sam Hartman, QB, Wake Forest

Wake Forest continues its undefeated season, but this time they made it more comfortable. A 45-7 victory came thanks largely to Sam Hartman, who produced 402 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air while also rushing for 61 yards and 2 more scores. The Demon Deacons remain one of the most underrated teams in the country. Yet, with Pitt losing to Miami, they suddenly find themselves at the top of the ACC.

Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU

While most people were sleeping, Allgeier and BYU were carving up Virginia’s defense. In Bronco Mendenhall’s return, his former team stole the show. The Cougars star running back has been on a tear lately, and he added to that with 266 yards and 5 touchdowns. BYU needed every last hard to hold off the Cavaliers, winning 66-49.

College Football Defensive Players of the Week | Week 9

In a world full of offense, these Defensive College Football Players of the Week stood out in significant ways this weekend.

Marcus Jones, CB, Houston

Before we dive into the obvious, let’s not forget that Marcus Jones had a big interception in the thrilling win over SMU. No one’s going to talk about that, but we have to give him credit. The play that everyone will talk about this week is his kick return for a touchdown that won the game for the Cougars. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out — an absolute all-timer.

David Ojabo, DE, Michigan

Michigan’s defense might not have found an answer for Kenneth Walker, but their defensive ends made life miserable for Michigan State’s offensive line. David Ojabo led the way with a constant presence in the Spartans’ backfield. He had a tackle for loss, a sack, and a pass defended. Furthermore, Ojabo had a huge strip-sack that led to an Aidan Hutchinson touchdown that was ultimately called back.

Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin

Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal have been eating up the spotlight for Wisconsin’s defense, but Nick Herbig took his turn this weekend. He made a living in Iowa’s backfield, producing 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. Herbig helped the Badgers dominate the Hawkeyes from start to finish to record the upset.

Byron Vaughns, DE, Utah State

Utah State made some noise offensively in a 51-31 win over Hawaii, but Byron Vaughns and the defense did their part. He produced 3 tackles for loss and 2 sacks to disrupt the Rainbow Warriors’ flow offensively. His performance made Hawaii constantly uncomfortable, leading to several mistakes that benefited the Aggies.

Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

Nakobe Dean didn’t have the greatest box score performance, but his one big play puts him in the Defensive College Football Players of the Week list. Lined up outside almost like a cornerback, Dean made a perfect read of Anthony Richardson that led to a pick-six.

Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State

Florida State couldn’t quite pull off the upset over Clemson, but it wasn’t because Jermaine Johnson II was slacking. The Seminoles defensive end recovered 2 fumbles to give the ball back to his team. Additionally, Johnson notched 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack for Florida State’s defense.

Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson

We knew Clemson’s defense was good, which is why it’s tough to put any particular player on the Defensive College Football Players of the Week. However, Myles Murphy stood out against Florida State, producing 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, aiding the Tigers in a 30-20 win.