BY DAVID CHOUGH

Player Profile

Wesley Fields, RB, Georgia Southern

Appalachian State probably had not felt this good about its program since its legendary upset over Michigan. The Mountaineers were riding high at 5-1, sporting a Top 25 ranking in the nation, and they were going to have the perfect stage to show off their newfound success against a high-profile opponent. As it stood, however, Georgia Southern wasn’t about to just roll over and let the Mountaineers have their way. In particular, senior tailback Wesley Fields delivered a memorable performance to grind Appalachian State into a pulp.

It took a little while for the Eagles offense to start rolling, but once opportunities started coming their way, they began to display their vaunted rushing attack. After a costly turnover by the Mountaineers, Fields took one cut and followed the daylight into the end zone to give Georgia Southern a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter.  Slowly but surely, Fields and the rest of Georgia Southern’s rushing attack began wearing down the Appalachian State defense, a point that would be all to clear starting in the second half.

Fields converted a third down with a beautiful 32-yard run that showed just what makes him so dangerous. The playcall was a simple inside give, but the captain managed to break two arm tackles like they were nothing and keep churning his legs downfield, cutting outside and back in to follow his blockers. Even after the defense managed to get two bodies on him, he rumbled ahead to get more yardage.

The Eagles continued to distribute the carries among their running backs, but Fields got the bulk of them, especially as the game started to unfold in the fourth. With Georgia Southern hammering away at the clock and Appalachian State struggling to find its offense, Fields pushed the Mountaineers into submission on a rush that could be thought of, in a vacuum, as the easiest score that anyone’s ever had. Thanks to his efforts up to that point, Fields was able to find the open hole against a run blitz and jog into the end zone.

What was supposed to be a highly-anticipated and excitable match up turned out to be a one-sided avalanche, as Georgia Southern toppled Appalachian State, 34-14. Fields and the Eagles might not have a ranking next to their name, but at 7-1, they have to feel pretty good knowing that when their star running back is feeling it, as he did with 98 yards on the ground and two touchdowns this past weekend, they have a shot against anybody.

Breakout Players

Damion Willis, WR, Troy

The Trojans needed to rebound in a big way after their loss to Liberty last week, and an unlikely hero took the stage for Troy. Willis had not yet eclipsed the 80-yard receiving mark this season, but against South Alabama, he broke out for 132 yards on just five catches.

Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky

With all the offenses around the country seemingly scoring at will, Kentucky is trying to restore some balance to the equation. The Wildcats have had an incredibly stout defense all season long, and it showed up once again in their SEC clash against Missouri. Allen led the way, notching 11 tackles — nine of which were solo, as well as two huge sacks. In case that wasn’t enough, he also showed incredible tenacity and heart in forcing not one but two fumbles in a 15-14 win.

Dakari Monroe, CB, San Jose State

With UNLV deciding to go through the air on offense for much of Saturday’s game, Monroe made the Rebels pay with two outstanding interceptions. Both turnovers showcased not only his ability to get after the ball, but also to burst ahead with speed as he took one 50 yards to the house. The Spartans would go on to win 50-37 for their first victory.

BY DAVID CHOUGH

Player Profile

David Blough, QB, Purdue
D.J. Knox, RB, Purdue

It takes a full team effort to topple the No. 2 school in the country. And while it would be almost impossible to detail every player whose contributions were necessary for Purdue to stage its massive upset of Ohio State on Saturday, it’s most certainly necessary to highlight the efforts of the two men who led the charge: David Blough and D.J. Knox. The backfield duo combined for over 500 yards of offense against the Buckeyes, and they did it in an efficient and collaborative effort.

Early on, it looked like Ohio State’s defensive plan was to force Blough to throw the ball, and the Boilermakers happily obliged. After punting on their first two drives of the game, the senior signal caller eventually made the Buckeyes pay. With the offense backed up on its own two-yard line, Blough calmly directed a 15-play drive that included a three-yard rush to convert a fourth down. Blough and Knox connected for a 23-yard catch and run to set the Boilermakers up in the red zone before Blough threw a gorgeous pass to the end zone that gave Purdue the lead.

With time running down at the end of the half in what was, to that point, a low-scoring affair, the opportunity seemed ripe for Purdue to seize advantage. Knox kickstarted the drive with a 19-yard scamper, and just a few plays later, Blough sprinted out right and threw a bullet on the run to give his receiver a wide-open lane to the end zone and the Boilermakers a 14-3 lead at the half.

When taking on such a highly-ranked squad, it’s important to make the proper adjustments at halftime, and apparently, Purdue’s were to keep the ball in the hands of their starting quarterback and tailback. After getting a second chance at the first drive of the third quarter when Ohio State was called for roughing the kicker, Blough kept the ball moving up until the one-yard line. Then, he turned around and gave the ball to Knox, who delivered with a touchdown to give the Boilermakers a 15-point lead.

With the Ohio State defense now keying in on Purdue’s red-hot quarterback, Knox decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. On a third-down inside draw, he displayed his trademark speed and shiftiness, setting up the single-high safety up with a head fake to the right before taking off into the end zone. In the waning minutes, Knox then took it upon himself to put the dagger in the hearts of the Buckeyes. On perhaps the easiest run of his life, Knox took the handoff on a simple counter and ran down the middle of the field for 40 yards.

With Blough’s 379 yards and three touchdowns and Knox’s 128 yards and three touchdowns of his own, the senior duo took down Ohio State with a convincing 49-20 victory. Though it might be tough for Purdue to make it to the Big Ten championship game, there’s still a bowl berth on the line for them. And given the way these two players balled out on Saturday, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them make some more magic memories for Purdue down the stretch.

Breakout Players

Michael Dogbe, DL, Temple

The senior Owl has always been a presence on the defensive line for Temple, but pressure doesn’t equate to sacks. Be that as it may, Dogbe has found his groove in taking the quarterback to the ground. After registering zero sacks in 2017, Dogbe already has five on the season, including 1.5 sacks in a crucial overtime victory over Cincinnati.

Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech

Ferguson has already shown his ability to dominate a game when it matters most, including his four-sack performance against North Texas earlier this year. And he was at it again this past weekend against UTEP. With just under two minutes to go and his team clinging to the lead, Ferguson registered a sack to force UTEP to burn a time out. Then on third and goal from the 8-yard line, Ferguson stymied the UTEP offense with another sack for a 12-yard loss. All in all, he finished with 3.5 sacks on the day to preserve victory.

Ronald Cleveland, WR, Air Force

Playing for a service academy means that the wide receivers rarely get time to shine, but Cleveland found himself in the perfect situation against UNLV. As the shootout took off in the second half, Cleveland managed to outdo the UNLV defense, registering 100 yards receiving, including a 69-yard touchdown. Cleveland, who is the school’s active leader in career rushing yards, did damage on the ground as well with 40 yards on six carries.

BY DAVID CHOUGH

Player Profile

Jordan Ta’amu, QB, Ole Miss

It’s never easy being the starting quarterback of an SEC team, but Jordan Ta’amu is doing his best to keep the Ole Miss afloat in the ever-competitive conference. While the Rebels quarterback has been labeled a dual-threat ever since his days as a high school recruit, his arm talent holds up quite well on its own. However, this past weekend’s matchup against Arkansas saw Ta’amu break out every tool he has at his disposal.

After Ta’amu threw an interception and Arkansas converted the turnover into a score that dug a 17-3 deficit, things were looking pretty bleak for Ole Miss. But the senior quarterback bounced right back from that mistake, using his arms and his legs to lead the Rebels on a five-play, 75-yard drive that he capped with an 18-yard scamper into the end zone.

The flood wasn’t plugged quite yet, though as the Razorbacks poured it on later in the half to go up 27-10. With just over two minutes before halftime, Ole Miss desperately needed to get the ball into the end zone. Cue the music. Ta’amu delivered some picturesque passes to all areas of the field, finding four different receivers on the drive before finishing it off with a 6-yard scoring toss that cut the lead to 10.

That momentum poured into the second half, with Ta’amu finding a wideout for 66 yards and a score to start the third quarter. Down two with two minutes to play in regulation, Ole Miss again looked to its quarterback for an answer. Ta’amu delivered once again, masterfully moving the Rebels from their own 3-yard line with big throws and a 15-yard scamper for first down to set up the touchdown that would seal their first SEC win of the season.

During the 37-33 victory, the senior completed nearly 75 percent of his 35 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns, while also chipping in with 141 yards rushing and a score. Given the way the game broke, the Rebels needed every last one of those yards, and there’s sure to be plenty more to come in the games that will follow. It isn’t easy, but when Ta’amu is leading the Rebels, there’s always a chance.

Breakout Players

Kyle Rachwal, LB, Eastern Michigan

Rachwal looks the part of an intimidating force over the middle, and on the off chance that anyone doubted it, he showed just why he’s a terror to opposing offenses with his performance against Toledo. The senior registered 11 total tackles, posted a sack, and even displayed his ability to disrupt passing lanes with a pass break up as the Eagles won 28-26.

Wesley Fields, RB, Georgia Southern

The going was tough against Texas State, but Fields never stopped believing in himself, and the team put its trust in him as well. In a low-scoring affair, Fields churned out 93 yards and one touchdown to pave the way in a 15-13 victory.

Juwan Foggie, LB, Charlotte

Western Kentucky might be known as the Hilltoppers, but Foggie was most certainly at the top of his game this past Saturday. He was all over the field, registering eight tackles (seven of them solo) and was a menace in the backfield, including one sack. Of course, his coup de grace was when he snagged a pair of passes of interceptions for the 49ers as they cruised to a 40-14 win.

BY DAVID CHOUGH