College Football's All-Week 2 First Team: Top Performers at Every Position
While a handful of major teams left Week 2 of the college football season reeling thanks to slow, underwhelming performances, plenty of players across the country were able to hold their heads high after some pure statistical dominance.
Some stars completely took over games as their teammates struggled to get things going against lesser competition. Others recorded bounce-back performances by stuffing stat sheets and moving up the national leaderboards in several categories.
Week 2 might have been a letdown for some, but it definitely wasn't for the players chosen in this week's All-American team.
As a reminder, players who had big games against better competition will get some extra love on the first and second teams. But the quickest way to make the cut here is to rack up the numbers that fans everywhere just can't ignore.
Here is the college football All-Week 2 team and some highly deserving second-team honors. Cast your vote on who you think had the best performances this weekend in the comment section below.
Quarterback: Matt Johnson, Bowling Green
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36-of-55 passing for 491 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT
Matt Johnson stood out in Week 1 with his 424-yard performance against Tennessee, but he took the Bowling Green offense to a different level Saturday in a three-touchdown victory over Maryland.
Johnson led the nation in both passing yards and touchdowns in Week 2, slicing up a Power Five opponent with relative ease. Five different receivers scored off Johnson's passes for the Falcons, including Roger Lewis, who caught 15 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns.
As it stands right now, Johnson is No. 1 nationally with 915 passing yards through two games. No other quarterback has even reached the 800-yard mark yet.
Second Team: Cody Kessler, USC
26-of-31 passing for 410 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs
Several big-name quarterbacks lit up overmatched competition in Week 2, but USC's Cody Kessler had arguably the best performance of them all Saturday night against Idaho. Two of his best throws were deep balls to wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and 14 different Trojans recorded catches.
Running Backs: Dalvin Cook, Florida State/Nick Wilson, Arizona
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Cook: 30 carries for 266 yards and 3 TDs
With quarterback Everett Golson getting off to a rough start Saturday for Florida State against USF, the Seminoles went with the tried-and-true method of feeding the ball to Dalvin Cook. And the sophomore delivered, leading the nation in rushing for Week 2.
The second-best rushing performance in Florida State history—one week after Cook's 156-yard, two-touchdown game against Texas State—sparked a "Cook for Heisman" chant inside Doak Campbell Stadium, per Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
If Cook continues to put up huge numbers for Florida State, there's no reason why he shouldn't be in the discussion. He currently ranks No. 2 nationally in rushing yards per game and is tops among Power Five players.
Wilson: 21 carries for 194 yards and 3 TDs
After failing to find the end zone and crack the 100-yard mark against UTSA in Week 1, Nick Wilson got back to his excellent best Saturday in Arizona's 44-20 road win over Nevada.
"Even though he fumbled for the second-consecutive week (and I’m still not convinced he fumbled in this game) running back Nick Wilson showed a great combination of speed and power," Kevin Gemmell of ESPN.com wrote. "He had four rushes of at least 23 yards and was usually dragging tacklers with him on the short ones."
Wilson's bounce-back day moved him up to No. 7 nationally in rushing yards per game. If last season is any indication, he will be able to stack up 100-yard performances—he had three in a row and later four in a row as a freshman in 2014.
Second Team: Leonard Fournette, LSU/Elijah McGuire, UL-Lafayette
Fournette: 28 carries for 159 yards and 3 TDs
McGuire: 14 carries for 162 yards and 5 TDs
Leonard Fournette was practically the entire LSU offense in a close win over Mississippi State in Starkville, as he scored all three of his team's touchdowns. Back in Louisiana, UL-Lafayette back Elijah McGuire scored touchdowns on more than one-third of his carries as the Ragin' Cajuns railroaded Northwestern State.
Wide Receivers: Corey Coleman, Baylor/Will Fuller, Notre Dame
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Coleman: 6 receptions for 182 yards and 4 TDs
One week after scorching the SMU defense for 178 yards, Corey Coleman stepped up his big-playmaking ability in Baylor's victory over FCS program Lamar.
Coleman was the only receiver in the country to record four touchdowns in Week 2. Bears quarterback Seth Russell didn't throw the ball to Coleman in the first two series of the game, and the star wide receiver reminded him of what he could do with the ball in his hands.
"He's just a freak athlete," Russell said, per the Associated Press (via the Dallas Morning News). "He didn't get the ball the first couple of series, and he let me know."
Fuller: 5 receptions for 124 yards and 2 TDs
Notre Dame needed something big in the dying moments of its close game against Virginia on Saturday. Trailing by one point, Will Fuller once again showed why he's the go-to player for the Fighting Irish offense—no matter who is throwing him the ball.
With backup quarterback DeShone Kizer in the game for an injured Malik Zaire, Fuller flew down the field and erased Virginia's one-point lead with a go-ahead touchdown grab.
The game-winner was Fuller's second touchdown of the game, and it put him over the 100-yard receiving mark. Combine that with a similar stat line in last week's win over Texas, and Fuller is now the nation's No. 5 receiver in yards per game after two weeks.
Second Team: Mitchell Juergens, BYU/Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma
Juergens: 4 receptions for 172 yards and 2 TDs
Shepard: 7 receptions for 74 yards and 2 TDs
Mitchell Juergens opened his big Saturday night by catching a long touchdown bomb from Tanner Mangum and ended it with a game-winning grab on a magical fourth-down heave. Sterling Shepard didn't have the yardage of the other stars on this list, but he had the two biggest catches of Oklahoma's huge win over Tennessee—a tying score with less than a minute left and the go-ahead grab in the second overtime.
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Tight End: Hunter Henry, Arkansas
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8 receptions for 117 yards
Hunter Henry led Arkansas in receiving in Brandon Allen's 412-yard passing performance. But even with Henry's big day back in his hometown of Little Rock, the Razorbacks fell 16-12 to Toledo.
While Henry had a bad holding call in the loss, he was one of the most consistent weapons the offense had in the entire game. With Arkansas' running game failing to have the same amount of punch as it's used to seeing, Henry might become an even bigger target for the Razorbacks in the coming weeks.
"I know if I were Arkansas' offensive braintrust, I'd stop having Hunter Henry blocking for run and instead target him for 15 passes a game," Jim Harris of Sporting Life Arkansas tweeted Saturday.
Second Team: Tyler Higbee, Western Kentucky
7 receptions for 88 yards
A few days after winning the Mackey Tight End of the Week award, Tyler Higbee continued to be a matchup problem for his opposition. He was a reliable target for WKU quarterback Brandon Doughty as the Hilltoppers picked up a 41-38 win over Louisiana Tech.
Offensive Line: Michigan State
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392 yards of total offense and 0 sacks allowed
Michigan State's offense didn't explode for a ton of points and yards in the prime-time showdown against Oregon. However, the veteran-laden Spartans in the trenches paved the way for a big revenge victory over the Ducks.
The Michigan State offensive line opened up a few huge holes for the running game, which averaged an impressive 5.3 yards per carry. According to Kyle Austin of MLive.com, the front five set the tone from the Spartans' first offensive play, opening a huge hole for Madre London to break a 62-yard run.
Through the first two weeks of the season, the Michigan State offensive line has not allowed a single sack. The Spartans are only one of eight teams who can say that heading in to game No. 3.
Second Team: USC
737 yards of total offense and 0 sacks allowed
USC's 737 yards of offense was the second-best nationally in Week 2, and a lot of it was due to stronger play up front by the Trojans. After surrendering five sacks in a win over Arkansas State, USC didn't allow a single takedown against Idaho as it did whatever it wanted to do.
Defensive Tackles: Chris Wormley, Michigan/Steven Richardson, Minnesota
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Wormley: 6 tackles (3 for loss) and 1 sack
For the second straight week, Michigan's Chris Wormley was a force in the opposition's backfield. This past weekend he recorded another trio of tackles for loss, including a 13-yard sack of Oregon State's Seth Collins that planted the Beavers at their own 1-yard line.
After Utah hit Michigan for 337 yards in Week 1, Wormley spearheaded a defensive line determined not to have a repeat performance.
"That was the biggest thing—coming together as a D-line and saying that we weren't going to let this happen again," Wormley said, per Ted Janes of the Detroit Free Press. "And that's what we did. We stopped the run and got pressure on the quarterback, and that was all four quarters."
Richardson: 7 tackles (3 for loss), 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery
Elsewhere in Big Ten country, Minnesota defensive tackle Steven Richardson had an incredible day for a player of his position. Head coach Jerry Kill called him an All-American player, according to Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press, and he deserves it for this week.
Greder also noted how one of Richardson's best plays wasn't one of the ones he made in the backfield. He chased down a Colorado State player after a screen pass from about 25 yards out—a big feat for the 291-pound tackle.
Richardson's big defensive effort played a huge role in Minnesota's road win over Colorado State. Few had defensive stat lines quite like his in Week 2.
Second Team: Travis Britz, Kansas State/Malik McDowell, Michigan State
Britz: 4 tackles (2 for loss) and 2 sacks
McDowell: 3 tackles
Kansas State's defense slammed the door on a UTSA offense that moved the ball well against ranked Arizona, and Travis Britz starred with his two big sacks for the Wildcats. And while true sophomore Malik McDowell didn't stuff the stat sheet, his impact in the trenches was felt by Oregon, especially on this fourth-down stop.
Defensive Ends: Carl Nassib, Penn State/Charles Harris, Missouri
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Nassib: 5 tackles (3 for loss), 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 INT
According to Greg Pickel of PennLive.com, Penn State cornerback Jordan Lucas said Carl Nassib would be an All-American "if you were to rank All-Americans off this game."
Fortunately for Nassib, Lucas and the rest of the Penn State defense, we do that right here each week. Nassib's eye-popping stat line in Penn State's win over Buffalo featured big play after big play—ones that stretched into several categories.
The former walk-on was the leader of a strong Penn State defensive line Saturday, and the Nittany Lions would love to see that production continue as their offense struggles to get going in 2015. Nassib's wide-open style of play could lead to some more appearances on these teams in the future.
Harris: 6 tackles (4.5 for loss) and 2 sacks
A former high school recruit without a star rating from 247Sports, Charles Harris has grown up quickly for the Missouri defensive line, and his performance against Arkansas State on Saturday night showed it.
"It didn't matter whom Arkansas State tried to use to block him," Michael Mandell of the Missourian wrote. "When Missouri needed Charles Harris to make a play Saturday, he was in the Red Wolves' offensive backfield."
Harris got constant pressure on Arkansas State quarterback Fredi Knighten at key points in the second half of the Tigers' tight 27-20 victory over the Red Wolves. That's not bad at all for a former unknown quantity at defensive end.
Second Team: Shaq Lawson, Clemson/Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State
Lawson: 4 tackles (3 for loss) and 1 sack
Ogbah: 7 tackles (2 for loss) and 1 sack
Clemson cruised by Appalachian State on Saturday, and Lawson recorded his three tackle-for-loss performance in the first half alone for a dominant Tigers defense. Emmanuel Ogbah, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2014, continued his hot start to 2015 by leading the Cowboys in tackles and big plays in the backfield in a win against FCS foe Central Arkansas.
Outside Linebackers: Jordan Jenkins, Georgia/Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee
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Jenkins: 11 tackles (5.5 for loss) and 2 sacks
Jordan Jenkins is going to be a serious problem for anyone who faces Georgia this season.
"My mindset going into this game was I wanted to be as dominant, as nasty, as physical, as I could be," Jenkins said, according to Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I really wanted to impose my will against Vanderbilt."
Jenkins did exactly that. The outside linebacker was all over the field for the Bulldogs in their SEC opener at Vanderbilt. According to Radi Nabulsi of UGASports.com, Jenkins' 5.5 tackles for loss pushed the Vanderbilt offense back a combined 22 yards.
Reeves-Maybin: 21 tackles (3 for loss), 1 sack and 1 forced fumble
Even though Tennessee lost a double-overtime thriller to Oklahoma after the Sooners offense rallied in the fourth quarter, don't ignore the downright ridiculous game that Jalen Reeves-Maybin had for the Vols.
The linebacker had an incredible 21 tackles for Tennessee, including three inside the Oklahoma backfield. Reeves-Maybin also forced a fumble and prevented Oklahoma from finding the end zone earlier in the contest.
Reeves-Maybin's monster performance now has him in the lead nationally for solo tackles and second in overall tackles. The junior is playing like a true All-American right now for a Tennessee team loaded with young talent.
Second Team: Kentrell Brothers, Missouri/Tyler Matakevich, Temple
Brothers: 16 tackles (1.5 for loss) and 2 interceptions
Matakevich: 13 tackles and 2 interceptions
If this were any other week, Kentrell Brothers would've easily been a first-teamer after leading Missouri in tackles and coming down with two clutch interceptions. Tyler Matakevich probably would have joined him, too, especially after his two-pick performance in Temple's big win over Cincinnati.
Middle Linebacker: Cassanova McKinzy, Auburn
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13 tackles (3 for loss) and 2 sacks
After not starting Auburn's Week 1 win over Louisville, Cassanova McKinzy responded in Week 2 for a career-best performance—one that saved the Tigers from complete embarrassment against FCS program Jacksonville State.
On 3rd-and-goal in overtime, McKinzy sacked Jacksonville State quarterback Eli Jenkins, who had troubled Auburn's defense all game long. Jenkins would throw an incompletion on the next play, giving Auburn the narrow 27-20 victory, thanks in part to McKinzy's huge game.
"Putting ourselves in a great position where we don’t have to come up with those plays—those game-saving plays, especially against teams we’re expected to win against—that’s what is important," McKinzy said, per Ryan Black of Auburn Undercover. "And that’s what we’re going to do."
Second Team: Ro'Derrick Hoskins, Florida State
7 tackles (2 for loss)
Ro'Derrick Hoskins is probably the most surprising name on this list, as he wasn't even the starting middle linebacker for Florida State heading into its game against USF. He led the Seminoles in tackles and tackles for loss in the victory, and may have won some extra playing time moving forward.
Cornerbacks: Jalen Tabor, Florida/Matthew Harris, Northwestern
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Tabor: 3 tackles, 1 INT and 1 TD
One week after Vernon Hargreaves III starred for Florida's secondary, Jalen Tabor had a big game in a close win over East Carolina while VHIII was out with injury. Tabor intercepted a third-quarter pass from visiting East Carolina and took it 39 yards for a score.
"We were in the right call," Tabor said, per Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun. "That was my particular zone. They came to it before the first half. I felt like they were going to come to it. I just got a good read and made the pick."
Florida's defense did a good job of limiting the Pirates from getting big passing plays on the edge thanks in large part to Tabor's coverage. He stepped up when the Gators needed him the most—when their All-American corner was on the sidelines.
Harris: 3 tackles, 2 INTs and 1 TD
Northwestern pushed into the Top 25 after improving to 2-0 on the young season, and Matthew Harris was a shining star in the Wildcats' 41-0 victory over Eastern Illinois.
Harris picked off two passes from the cornerback position, including one wayward pass that turned into a 71-yard touchdown for the Wildcats. That pick-six kept the shutout alive, as EIU was close to scoring late in the third quarter.
Eastern Illinois only had 68 passing yards as a whole against Northwestern as Harris and the secondary put the visitors on lockdown from the opening kickoff. That was the best pass defense performance for the program since a 2011 matchup against option-running Army, and it'll give NW plenty of momentum heading into Week 3.
Second Team: Donte Deayon Boise State/Jameel Cook Jr., Indiana
Deayon: 5 tackles (0.5 for loss) and 2 INTs
Cook Jr.: 3 tackles, 1 INT and 1 TD
Donte Deayon and the Boise State defense couldn't keep Tanner Mangum from pulling off another miracle, but the cornerback recorded a pair of big interceptions in the dramatic matchup in Provo. Jameel Cook Jr. sealed a win for Indiana over Florida International with a 95-yard pick-six on a 4th-and-goal situation.
Safeties: Kai Nacua, BYU/Antonio Glover, Georgia Southern
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Nacua: 5 tackles, 3 INTs and 1 TD
One play after Tanner Mangum's go-ahead bomb, Boise State needed to find a quick response. Instead, quarterback Ryan Finley saw his pass intercepted by BYU safety Kai Nacua and returned for a touchdown.
It wasn't the first time one of Finley's attempts landed in the hands of Nacua. The safety came up huge for BYU in the comeback victory by picking off three passes, including the game-sealing pick-six in the dying moments of the game.
Nacua only recorded two interceptions in all of last season for the Cougars, and he exceeded that number with just one fantastic night of work. Now he'll lead a BYU defense into stiff tests at UCLA and at Michigan in the next two weeks.
Glover: 7 tackles and 3 INTs
Last week, Georgia Southern watched an opposing player nab three interceptions. This week, the Eagles got to feel what it was like to be on the other side as Antonio Glover recorded three picks in a 43-17 romp over Western Michigan.
"We had a great game plan, and we watched a lot of film," Glover said, per Mike Brown of the Macon Telegraph. "The picks were not my doing. The defensive line and linebackers had pressure, and our other defensive backs had good coverage, which made it tough for the quarterback."
Glover joined Nacua as the only two players in college football who recorded three interceptions in Week 2. That duo is joined by four others as the early leaders in the race for the most picks in college football.
Second Team: Tanner McEvoy, Wisconsin/Trevon Stewart, Houston
McEvoy: 1 tackle and 1 INT; 3 receptions for 29 yards
Stewart: 6 tackles (2 for loss) and 1 INT
Tanner McEvoy, a former starting quarterback for Wisconsin, thrived in a massive shutout win over Miami (Ohio) as a two-way player—he had a long interception return that set up a touchdown and also broke up two passes. Trevon Stewart starred for the Houston defense in its statement win over Louisville by making big plays all over the field.
Kicker: Ryan Santoso, Minnesota
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3-of-4 kicking (long of 50); 2-of-2 on PATs
Minnesota's massive kicker—he stands at 6'6" and 250 pounds—played as big as his frame Saturday in the Gophers' 23-20 overtime victory over Colorado State.
Ryan Santoso booted a 50-yard field goal in the first half as Minnesota's offense struggled to get going against the Rams in Fort Collins. Although he missed a second-half attempt from a few yards shorter, he redeemed himself in overtime by nailing a chip shot for the win.
Santoso's 50-yarder was the third-longest field goal of Week 2, and he won the game for his team after regulation. Even with the one miss, his performance is still excellent enough to net him an All-American nod this weekend.
Second Team: Garrett Schwettman, Western Kentucky
4-of-4 kicking (long of 46); 3-of-3 on PATs
Schwettma was responsible for 15 Western Kentucky points on Thursday night, and the Hilltoppers needed them in a tight 41-38 victory over Louisiana Tech. His fourth-quarter 28-yarder put WKU ahead by two scores with a little over a minute remaining in the contest.
Punter: Tyler Newsome, Notre Dame
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4 punts for 223 yards (55.8 average) with a long of 62
Before Will Fuller and DeShone Kizer became Notre Dame's late heroes in the win over Virginia, punter Tyler Newsome—shown above as a place-kicker earlier this year—was probably the Irish's top player.
"The unsung MVP of Saturday was sophomore punter Tyler Newsome," Nick Ironside of Irish247 wrote. "[A] 62-yarder pinned Virginia deep in its own territory early in the game, and the field position game is going to be vital next week against Georgia Tech."
Newsome's incredible average ranked second nationally in Week 2, and his 62-yard boot was one of the longest ones that didn't go for a touchback on Saturday. Special teams have been a problem for Notre Dame in the past, but Newsome is helping the Irish turn things around.
Second Team: Trevor Daniel, Tennessee
9 punts for 450 yards (50 average) with a long of 61
Tennessee was able to control Oklahoma early on with excellent defense and great field position. Trevor Daniel was the key figure in the latter, as the walk-on consistently boomed long punts for the Volunteers.
Returner: Daje Johnson, Texas
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3 punt returns for 119 yards (39.7 average) and 1 TD; 1 kick return for 35 yards
The nation's leading punt returner in Week 2 was none other that Daje Johnson, the Texas Longhorn who Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman called "the poster child of [head coach Charlie] Strong's tough-love approach."
That approach seems to have worked well for Johnson, who helped Texas set a new school record for punt return yardage with a huge night on special teams. Johnson somehow slipped past an early tackle and took a return 85 yards to the house in Texas' win over Rice.
"I always want to knock on wood, because he’s made just a complete turn and he continues to do everything we ask him to do," Strong said, per Davis. "And he’s so explosive. You put the ball in his hands, something good is going to happen."
Second Team: Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia
3 punt returns for 89 yards (29.7 average) and 1 TD
The Human Joystick put Georgia on the board in the first quarter with a 77-yard return for a touchdown against Vanderbilt. McKenzie now has four special teams touchdowns in just 14 collegiate games.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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