College Football's All Week 3 First-Team: Top Performers at Every Position

While it wasn't the greatest slate of games in college football history, Week 3's schedule still managed to provide us with great finishes, big surprises and outstanding efforts, both individually and by teams.

Just how we like it.

With the possibility that every game can be a great one, each weekend we're glued to our couches, laptops and mobile devices hoping to catch a glimpse of the next amazing performance. But you can't catch them all live, not without risking a blown synapse or two in the brain, so we've culled through all 58 games from Week 3 to find the best individual efforts.

While statistics play a big role in determining top performers, sometimes the numbers don't tell the whole story. We looked at the numbers, but also the way players impacted their game's outcome from an overall standpoint.

Take a look at Week 3's top performers, then let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Quarterback: Jerry Neuheisel, UCLA

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Week 3 Stats

23-30, 178 passing yards, two touchdowns

Why He Stood Out

It almost read like a Hollywood movie screenplay: the star quarterback goes down, and an untested and unknown backup is thrust into the spotlight to try and lead his team to victory. Oh, and he happens to be the son of the team's previous head coach, who was fired a few years ago.

Jerry Neuheisel, the UCLA sophomore who had 13 career pass attempts coming into Saturday's game against Texas, ended up becoming a folk hero after leading the Bruins to a 20-17 win after Brett Hundley left the game with an elbow injury. He threw the game-winning touchdown to Jordan Payton with three minutes left, pulling out a textbook pump fake to give his receiver space, then after the final whistle he was lifted onto his teammates' shoulders and carried off the field.

"This kid is everything that's right about college football," UCLA coach Jim Mora said in his postgame press conference of Neuheisel, the son of Rick Neuheisel, whom Mora replaced after the 2011 season. "I mean, he bleeds Bruin blue.

Second Team: Clint Trickett, West Virginia

37-49, 511 passing yards, four touchdowns, one interception

One of the many things that went wrong for West Virginia last season was inconsistent quarterback play, but so far in 2014 that hasn't been a problem thanks to the way senior Clint Trickett has played.

Trickett had his best game yet for the Mountaineers, tossing four TD passes and throwing for the second-most yards in school history in a 40-37 win at Maryland. Three of his scoring strikes were for 36 or more yards, enabling his team to take a 28-6 lead.

For the season Trickett has completed 75.4 percent of his passes for 1,224 yards and seven touchdowns, including a 365-yard effort in the season-opening 33-23 loss to Alabama.

*Third Team: Gunner Kiel, Cincinnati

25-37, 418 passing yards, six touchdowns

It took Gunner Kiel a few years to make his collegiate debut, but he made it worth the wait for all of us and forced us to go with three quarterbacks on our all-performers list for the second week in a row.

Kiel, who graduated from high school in December 2011 to attend Notre Dame but then transferred after the 2013 season and had to sit out 2013, tied Cincinnati's single-game passing touchdown record in a 58-34 win Friday over Toledo. It was the Bearcats' first game of the season, after having byes during the first two weeks, and it looks like the extra practice time paid off.

The 6'4", 208-pound sophomore threw a 52-yard pass on his first college snap, and within 46 seconds had his first career TD pass on a 17-yard strike to Mekale McKay.  

Running Back: Alex Collins/Jonathan Williams, Arkansas

Week 3 Stats

Collins: 27 carries, 212 rushing yards, two touchdowns; Williams: 22 carries, 145 yards, four touchdowns

Why They Stood Out

The way Arkansas' offensive line was dominating on Saturday, it seemed like anyone could have run for big yards against Texas Tech. But Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams did their part to turn those holes into huge gains with stellar effort after contact and by eluding defenders all over the field in the 49-28 road victory.

Collins, a sophomore, broke off an 84-yard touchdown run with 10:56 left that gave the Razorbacks a three-score lead, and his 212 yards surpassed his tally from Arkansas' first two games (199 yards). Williams, a junior, scored on runs of 6, 13, 12 and 6, with his first two TDs giving the Razorbacks a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.

Collins and Williams have combined for 733 yards this season on the ground, more than all but 18 other FBS teams have managed so far this fall.

Second Team: Tyler Murphy, Boston College

13 carries, 191 rushing yards, one touchdown

Yes, Tyler Murphy is technically a quarterback. But in Boston College's 37-31 upset win over USC, it was his legs—and the way he used them—that did far more damage than anything the senior could do with his arm.

Operating out of a zone-read offense, Murphy chose wisely when deciding to keep it himself. His play in the backfield forced the Trojans to overcompensate and guess on who would get the ball, leading the Eagles to rush for 452 yards.

When he kept it, Murphy routinely broke ankles and juked out defenders, and sealed the upset with a 66-yard TD run almost right up the middle on a designed draw with 3:30 left.

Wide Receiver: Demarcus Robinson, Florida

Rob Foldy/Getty Images

Week 3 Stats

15 receptions, 216 yards, two touchdowns

Why He Stood Out

Florida looks like its found its big-play receiver, but Demarcus Robinson showed in Saturday's 26-20 triple-overtime win over Kentucky that he's not just a deep threat.

The 6'1" sophomore scored on a pair of 9-yard passes from Jeff Driskel, the second coming on the final play of the first overtime as Florida faced a 4th-and-goal. The TD was thrown despite it looking like the Gators had failed to snap the ball before the play clock expired, but no penalty was called.

Robinson's other TD came in the final minute of the third quarter, giving Florida a 20-17 lead. After recording just five receptions in 2013, this season he's gone over 100 yards in both games to become the first Gators wideout with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games since Jabar Gaffney in 2001.

Second Team: Devon Cajuste, Stanford

Four receptions, 52 yards, three touchdowns

A week after Stanford squandered numerous offensive opportunities in a home loss to USC, the Cardinal scored touchdowns on all three trips to the red zone and every time it got inside the Army 40 in a 35-0 win. Three of those drives were capped by touchdown passes from Kevin Hogan to Devon Cajuste, a 6'4" senior who used his size to a big advantage against the Black Knights.

One of Cajuste's TDs came on a 2-yard pass that was essentially a jump ball thrown up by Hogan, and came one play after the pair tried to connect on the same play but the throw wasn't high enough for the big Cajuste to haul it in.

Tight End: Rodney Mills, Massachusetts

Week 3 Stats

Three receptions, 76 yards, two touchdowns

Why He Stood Out

For the second straight week, Massachusetts came oh so close to pulling off its first win against a power-conference opponent since joining FBS in 2012. But while the Minutemen blew an 11-point fourth-quarter lead and fell 34-31 at Vanderbilt, it did find a rising start in junior tight end Rodney Mills.

Mills gave UMass a 14-0 lead with touchdown catches of 13 and 53 yards in the first quarter, the second coming on a fake punt when the 6'1", 215-pounder was on the edge of the line to block but then slipped free and outraced Vanderbilt's returner for the score (see above).

Mills has three TDs on five receptions this season, after only having five catches for 47 yards in 2013.

Second Team: Mitchell Henry, Western Kentucky

Seven receptions, 128 yards, two touchdowns

Western Kentucky had three 100-yard receivers in its 50-47 triple-overtime loss at Middle Tennessee, but none were bigger than Mitchell Henry. Both in terms of size and impact on the game.

The 6'4", 245-pound Henry had seven catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns, marking the last two TDs the Hilltoppers recorded. The first was on a 19-yard pass from Brandon Doughty to tie the game at 31 midway through the fourth quarter, then he hauled in a 25-yard TD catch on the first play of the first overtime.

Mitchell, a senior, has 14 receptions for 225 yards this season.

Offensive Line: Laken Tomlinson, Duke

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Why He Stood Out

Laken Tomlinson is one of the top-rated NFL prospects at offensive guard, and he showed what he's capable of doing for a team's run game on Saturday. The 6'3", 330-pound fifth-year senior was a key part of why Duke freshman Shaun Wilson was able to run for a school-record 245 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-3 win over Kansas.

With Kansas keying on stopping Duke's passing game, Tomlinson ended up spending more time opening holes that stopping the pass rush. The Blue Devils ran for 331 yards and are averaging 262.7 rushing yards per game this season.

Second Team: Arkansas offensive line (all of them)

We couldn't just single out one of the big hogs on Arkansas' line, not when as a group that unit was the biggest reason the Razorbacks convincingly won 49-28 at Texas Tech.

The collective blocking and push of left tackle Dan Skipper, left guard Sebastian Tretola, center Mitch Smothers, right guard Denver Kirkland and right tackle Brey Cook resulted in 438 rushing yards on 68 attempts, highlighted by Alex Collins' 212 yards and 145 by Jonathan Williams.

Arkansas ran on its last 30 offensive snaps, keeping Tech's up-tempo offense off the field, and despite everyone knowing what each play was going to be that line kept opening holes.

"Towards the end, that last drive, those last couple of drives, everyone knew what was going to happen," Cook told Tom Murphy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Defensive End: Myles Garrett, Texas A&M

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Week 3 Stats

Eight tackles (3.5 TFL), 2.5 sacks

Why He Stood Out

Myles Garrett wasn't rated as the No. 1 defensive prospect in the 2014 recruiting class and the No. 2 overall incoming recruit in the nation for nothing. And through three games the 6'5", 255-pound true freshman has lived up to his billing, having his best game yet in Texas A&M's 38-10 win over Rice.

Garrett seemed like he was in the backfield on almost every offensive play run by the Owls, and despite their best efforts to double-team him he still got to the quarterback and the ballcarrier.

With six sacks through three games—which is tied with Washington's Danny Shelton for the FBS lead—Garrett is already within two sacks of former South Carolina star Jadeveon Clowney's SEC freshman record, according to TexAgs.com.

Second Team: Shane Ray, Missouri

Seven tackles (four TFL), two sacks, one forced fumble

So far, the loss of Michael Sam and Kony Ely to the NFL hasn't had too much of an impact on Missouri's defensive line play. Shane Ray was a key reserve on that unit last season, and now as a full-time starter he's putting up huge numbers.

The 6'3", 245-pound junior had another big game in the Tigers' 38-10 win over UCF, combining with fellow defensive end Markus Golden for five tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

"Ray made his presence known from the first snap as he dropped wide receiver Breshad Perriman at the line of scrimmage on a jet sweep," wrote Steve Walentik of the Columbia Daily Tribune. "Running backs and receivers struggled to get outside Ray all afternoon."

Through three games, Ray leads the nation in tackles for loss per game with 2.5.

Defensive Tackle: Josh Augusta, Missouri

Week 3 Stats

Two tackles, one interception

Why He Stood Out

The allure of the so-called "fat guy touchdown" has become such a sought-after occasion that anytime a defensive lineman manages to get his hands on the ball we hope upon hope he'll be able to take it to the house.

Missouri's Josh Augusta wasn't able to do so on Saturday, but his athletic play in hauling in an interception during the Tigers' 38-10 win over UCF was still a sight to see (shown above).

The 6'4", 300-pound sophomore, known by his teammates as "The Big Bear," got his big paw on a pass from Justin Holman and then tracked the ball's path in the air before leaping up and over an offensive lineman for his first career pick.

Second Team: Terry Williams, East Carolina

Five tackles (0.5 TFL), 0.5 sacks, one pass breakup

After missing the first two games of the season with a leg injury, East Carolina's run-stopping behemoth stepped right in and played like he hadn't missed any time. His performance was huge in the Pirates' 28-21 upset win at Virginia Tech.

A 6'1", 353-pound senior, Williams helped hold Virginia Tech to just 91 rushing yards after the Hokies averaged 173.5 in their first two games.

Outside Linebacker: Shaq Thompson, Washington

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Week 3 Stats

Four tackles, 52-yard fumble return touchdown, 36-yard interception return touchdown

Why He Stood Out

Shaq Thompson appears to be on a mission to score in as many ways as possible this season, in an Saturday's 44-19 win over Illinois he scratched two touchdown types off his list.

The Associated Press reported that school records show Thompson was the first Washington player since 1978 to score TDs on both fumble and interception returns in the same game. The 6'1", 228-pound junior almost had a third score, this one on offense, but fell down after a 13-yard run when he had a clear path to the end zone.

Thompson already had his rushing TD notched, though, scoring on a 57-yard run in the Huskies' win over Eastern Washington on Sept. 6.

Second Team: Josh Keyes, Boston College

Eight tackles (5.5 TFL), one sack

In Boston College's 37-31 upset win over USC it seemed like an Eagles defender was making a tackle in the backfield on nearly every play. Josh Keyes was the most active of those tacklers, recording more than one-third of BC's astounding 16 tackles for loss.

It was by far the best game of the 6'2", 223-pound senior's college career. Prior to Saturday he had managed six tackles for loss in three-plus seasons.

Inside Linebacker: Henry Coley, Virginia

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Week 3 Stats

Seven tackles (two TFL), one sack, one pass breakup

Why He Stood Out

Virginia has already matched its win total from 2014 after improving to 2-1 with Saturday's 23-21 upset of Louisville. The Cavaliers are doing it with defense, and Henry Coley was a big part of that against the Cardinals.

Coley, a 6'2", 245-pound senior, overcame a pair of critical fourth-quarter penalties called on him to help pace Virginia to its first win over a ranked team since November 2011. He already has 3.5 sacks this season after managing just one in his first three years, while his six tackles for loss are closing in on the career-best 10 he had as a junior in 2013.

Second Team: Derrick Mathews, Houston

14 tackles (one TFL), one sack

Houston's normally sound defense was pounded for 323 rushing yards in a 33-25 loss Thursday at BYU, but it could have been much worse if Derrick Mathews didn't manage to take down ballcarriers as well as he has become known for doing.

All 14 of the 6'0", 221-pound senior's tackles were of the solo variety, giving him 23 solos this season and 198 for his career. Despite constantly chasing after BYU quarterback Taysom Hill and running back Jamaal Williams, Mathews continued to run hard and get his man in the losing effort.

Cornerback: Senquez Golson, Ole Miss

Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press

Week 3 Stats

Two tackles, two interceptions, 59-yard interception return touchdown

Why He Stood Out

Senquez Golson has already matched his career high in interceptions in a season after picking off two passes in Ole Miss' 56-15 win over Louisiana-Lafayette. The most recent of those resulted in the first touchdown of his Rebels tenure, which gave them a 42-6 lead.

Golson's three picks in 2014 are among the eight takeaways Ole Miss has registered this season, part of how it has outscored opponents 132-31.

The 5'9", 176-pound senior has nine career picks.

Second Team: Julian Wilson, Oklahoma

Six tackles, 100-yard interception return touchdown, two pass breakups

Oklahoma's offense was efficient and effective in its 34-10 win over Tennessee, doing most of the work needed to get the Sooners to 3-0 on the season. But a strong defensive effort was also key, highlighted by senior Julian Wilson's game-sealing pick-six early in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 27-10, Tennessee had driven deep into Oklahoma territory when the 6'2", 201-pound Wilson hauled in a deflected pass at the goal line and raced 100 yards for his first career touchdown.

Safety: Derrick Kindred, TCU

LM Otero/Associated Press

Week 3 Stats

Eight tackles (0.5 TFL), one interception, one fumble recovery, two pass breakups

Why He Stood Out

TCU's secondary is one of the most heralded in the country, though most of the praise has gone to safeties Sam Carter and Chris Hackett. But in the Horned Frogs' 30-7 win over Minnesota it was Derrick Kindred who stepped up and made himself known.

"Derrick is a guy who has been an opportunity guy," TCU coach Gary Patterson said in his postgame press conference.

The 5'10", 210-pound junior, who moved into the starting lineup late last season, returned an interception 35 yards early in the second quarter to set up a TCU touchdown, and early in the third quarter he fell on a loose ball that led to the Horned Frogs kicking a field goal.

Second Team: Erick Dargan, Oregon

Four tackles, two interceptions, one pass breakup

Though Oregon was in control for most of its 48-14 win over Wyoming thanks to its unstoppable offense, the Ducks did need some defensive stops to help spark the lopsided victory. Erick Dargan helped with that effort, picking off passes on back-to-back drives in the second quarter.

Oregon scored touchdowns on both ensuing possessions, turning a 7-7 game into a 20-7 lead and the start of a rout.

The 5'11", 210-pound senior has three interceptions this season and nine for his career.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.