College Football Freshman Power Rankings of the Month
October is close to turning into November. Just as quickly as it began, the college football season is nearing its final stretch. Freshmen who were making their first career starts or appearances just a month ago are a little more seasoned now.
With that, it's time to look back at which freshmen have stood out over the past several weeks.
The freshmen on this list didn't technically have to start—as in, they didn't have to be the first player on the field at their respective position—but they did have to play at least a complementary or rotational role with at least one recordable stat.
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So which freshmen stood out in the month of October? Which ones had the most jaw-dropping highlights? Which ones underwhelmed? The answers are in the list below.
| Player | Position | Team | Stats |
| J.T. Barrett | Quarterback | Ohio State | 1,689 passing yards, 21 touchdowns; 458 passing yards, 6 touchdowns |
| Royce Freeman | Running Back | Oregon | 748 yards, 13 touchdowns |
| Nick Chubb | Running Back | Georgia | 569 yards rushing, five touchdowns |
| Anu Solomon | Quarterback | Arizona | 2,430 passing yards, 20 touchdowns |
| Brad Kaaya | Quarterback | Miami (FL) | 1,898 passing yards, 17 touchdowns |
| Myles Garrett | Defensive End | Texas A&M | 7.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 7 quarterback hurries |
The Standout
This one is tough and basically a tie between Oregon running back Royce Freeman and Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett. Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett and defensive back Armani Watts get some consideration as well.
Freeman is the frosh who has been the biggest part of his team's game plan without touching the ball every time. Through eight games, he leads the Ducks with 748 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. A little more than half of those yards have come in the last three games.
However, no one has improved quite as much over the past several weeks like Barrett has. From the Week 2 loss to Virginia Tech to reeling off five straight wins, Barrett has epitomized Ohio State's turnaround.
"He's saved our bacon a few times," head coach Urban Meyer said, via Bill Landis of Cleveland.com. "I think having that kind of player, we've made the decision we can't not have that kind of player. You don't have to be 4.3 (in the 40-yard dash), which J.T. is not, but you have to be a tough guy and be willing to get some yards. J.T. has done a good job of that."
Barrett gets the edge, but it was a close one.
Best Highlight
USC do-it-all weapon Adoree' Jackson had a big moment in the Trojans' 24-21 loss to Utah on Saturday. The freshman had a nice forced fumble and recovery, but also returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown.
The loss stings, but Jackson had a great night on special teams and defense.
Who’s Rising?
He got off to a bit of a slow start, but LSU running back Leonard Fournette has turned it on the past few weeks. He has averaged at least four yards per carry in all but two games, and two of his three 100-yard games have come against SEC opponents (Florida and Ole Miss).
His 23-carry, 113-yard performance against Ole Miss was especially impressive considering how good the Rebels defense has been. He also caught two passes for 40 yards, all of which came on one beautiful throw from quarterback Anthony Jennings.
And don't even think for a minute Fournette needs to play with a facemask, either.
The Tigers have won three straight and might be turning the corner after a disappointing start. Fournette has been part of that resurrection.
Who’s Falling?
North Carolina running back Elijah Hood had a few big moments during the month of September. However, he's missed the past two games with an undisclosed injury, per UNC's injury report (h/t John Taylor of College Football Talk).
For the month of October, Hood has 20 carries for just 36 yards, though he does have a pair of touchdowns. The touted freshman has 199 yards on the season and four touchdowns. Those numbers were best on the team until quarterback Marquise Williams surpassed them.
The Tar Heels are 2-0 without Hood, but here's hoping he gets healthy and back on the field soon.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
