College Football's All-Week 12 First Team: Top Performers at Every Position
High-pressure games, such as the ones fans have been treated to all November long in college football, can either cause a player to break down or break out.
The players in the All-Week 12 team chose the latter.
Whether they were providing offensive fireworks that lit up the Saturday night sky all across the country or stifling opponents' championship dreams on the defensive side of the ball, these playmakers showed they can play their best ball when their teams needed them the most.
Week 12 featured ridiculous passing attacks from several Power Five teams and some clutch rushing performances from title contenders. Defensive linemen everywhere seemed to feast on offensive fronts for big sack and tackles-for-loss numbers this weekend, and there was a parade of multi-interception performances from coast to coast.
As we always do on Sunday evenings, here are this week's first and second All-American teams, made up of players who dominated the statistical leaderboards. Those players who excelled against top-quality opponents in important games received well-deserved boosts to their cases.
Shout out your favorite performances from a wild Week 12 of college football and debate with other fans in the comments below.
Quarterback: Vernon Adams Jr. (Oregon)
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20-of-25 passing for 407 yards, six TDs and one INT
Vernon Adams Jr. took Oregon's late offensive renaissance to a new level Saturday with a masterful performance against USC.
Adams Jr. threw six touchdowns and just five incompletions, giving him a ridiculous 287.95 passer rating against the Trojans. The Duck quarterback became the first player in history to ever throw for six touchdowns in a game against the legendary USC program, per Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times.
In the last two weeks, Adams Jr. has completed 30 of 37 pass attempts against ranked opponents Stanford and USC for a mind-boggling 612 yards and eight touchdowns. That goes beyond the standard definition of a big-play quarterback.
Second Team: Dak Prescott (Mississippi State) and Brandon Allen (Arkansas)
Prescott: 38-of-50 for 508 yards, five TDs and one INT
Allen: 30-of-43 for 406 yards, seven TDs and zero INTs
How can you pick between Dak Prescott and Brandon Allen after their 51-50 shootout in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Saturday night? The victorious Prescott threw for a Week 12-high 508 yards, while the interception-less Allen led the nation in touchdowns for the second time in three weeks.
Running Back: Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) and Samaje Perine (Oklahoma)
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McCaffrey: 29 carries for 192 yards; one reception for 49 yards and one TD
Heisman voters can't afford to go to bed early Saturday nights, because Christian McCaffrey is tearing up the West Coast with his do-it-all game. The Stanford running back had the third-most rushing yards of any player in Week 12 and took his only reception of the game 49 yards in a rivalry win over Cal.
As Bleacher Report's Adam Kramer notes, McCaffrey is running away with the all-purpose lead in college football—and he also had a kick return for a touchdown Saturday night against the Golden Bears.
Perine: 28 carries for 188 yards and one TD; one reception for 16 yards
Oklahoma's offense looked bleak early in the second half of its matchup with TCU, when star running back Samaje Perine hobbled off the field with an ankle injury. But, on the next possession, Perine came back into the game and broke off an incredible 72-yard touchdown run on the Horned Frogs.
The big run led to a big night for the sophomore, who had the fifth-most rushing yards of any running back in Week 12. But the impact of that touchdown was even more important on the national stage, as those were the only points Oklahoma would score in the second half of a dramatic 30-29 win.
With quarterback Baker Mayfield already out of the game with an injury, Oklahoma's offense needed something huge from its banged-up back. Perine delivered and helped the Sooners stay ahead of the resilient Horned Frogs after halftime.
Second Team: Brandon Ross (Maryland) and Shannon Brooks (Minnesota)
Ross: 19 carries for 250 yards and three TDs
Brooks: 17 carries for 174 yards and three TDs
Brandon Ross excelled once again for struggling Maryland, leading the nation in rushing yardage for Week 12 and scoring three times in a 19-point loss to Indiana. True freshman Shannon Brooks led the way for Minnesota in an important victory over Illinois as he racked up more than 10 yards per carry and three touchdowns.
Wide Receivers: KD Cannon (Baylor) and Fred Ross (Mississippi State)
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Cannon: Five receptions for 210 yards and two TDs
Corey Coleman has become a fixture on these teams this season, but one of his teammates stole the show Saturday night for the Baylor offense. KD Cannon averaged an insane 42 yards per catch against Oklahoma State and scored twice in the Bears' 45-35 road win over the previously undefeated Cowboys.
Cannon caught a 58-yard touchdown pass from Jarrett Stidham to put Baylor up 14-0 early, and he took off for a 71-yarder from Chris Johnson that gave the Bears a 38-14 lead. His big plays showcased Baylor's incredible depth on offense—one that will keep head coach Art Briles' team as a playoff contender.
"The way we train, we train like there’s no such thing as a backup," Cannon said, per Paul Myerberg of USA Today. "Everybody comes to practice as a starter. Everybody has to be physical, strong, fast."
Ross: 10 receptions for 155 yards and two TDs
Fred Ross was Dak Prescott's favorite target in Mississippi State's shootout victory over Arkansas, as he grabbed double-digit receptions and two touchdowns. The explosive Texan had the game-winning score for the Bulldogs late in the fourth quarter, but his 55-yarder earlier in the game, which Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee tweeted out, was more impressive.
Ross has become a reliable threat in the second half of the season, as he has posted at least eight catches and 110 yards in each of his last three games. The first two-score game of his career couldn't have come at a better time for the Bulldogs, either.
Second Team: Devin Lucien (Arizona State) and Isaiah Jones (ECU)
Lucien: Nine receptions for 190 yards and one TD
Jones: 14 receptions for 181 yards and two TDs
Devin Lucien was a game-changer for Arizona State in its big rivalry win over Arizona, grabbing nine catches for the fifth-most receiving yards in all of Week 12 action. Isaiah Jones lit up UCF on Thursday night with the most catches of any receiver this weekend, the eighth-highest yardage and two touchdowns.
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Tight End: Hunter Henry (Arkansas)
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Seven receptions for 129 yards and two TDs
Hunter Henry has been one of the nation's best tight ends for quite some time now, and the Arkansas target had the game of his career Saturday night in a high-scoring loss to Mississippi State, as noted by Evin Demirel.
Henry had by far the most yardage of any tight end in Week 12, and his two third-quarter touchdowns gave Arkansas an 11-point lead heading into the final frame. For the second straight year in a row, Mississippi State couldn't slow down the connection between Henry and Brandon Allen.
Second Team: Lawrence White (Texas State)
Five receptions for 83 yards and two TDs
Lawrence White joined Henry in the two-touchdown club this weekend, and his team was able to pull out a conference win. White had both scores for Texas State in the Bobcats' Sun Belt victory over UL-Monroe.
Offensive Line: Baylor
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700 yards (304 rushing) and one sack allowed
Baylor's offense returned to its usual incredible form Saturday night at Oklahoma State, piling up 700 yards on the Cowboys. The front five for the Bears were excellent, as they paved the way for 304 yards on the ground—the most Art Briles' offense has had in several weeks.
"It was Baylor’s massive edge in the trenches that won them this game," Zach Barnett of CollegeFootballTalk wrote. "The Bears out-rushed Oklahoma State 303-8. Yes, you read that correctly. Chris Carson led Oklahoma State’s ground efforts with 20 yards on six carries. Six different Bears topped that number."
The elite offensive line also did an excellent job of keeping the pocket mostly clean for Jarrett Stidham and Chris Johnson. Oklahoma State was held to just one sack in a game for the first time all season after averaging 3.5 through the first 10 games of the season.
Second Team: Air Force
607 yards (328 rushing) and one sack allowed
Air Force's offensive line dominated Boise State in the trenches Friday night, posting 328 rushing yards and more than 600 overall against the Mountain West Conference giant. The Falcons are now headed to the MWC title game.
Defensive Ends: Ejuan Price (Pittsburgh) and Deonte Gibson (Northwestern)
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Price: 10 tackles (six for loss) and five sacks
Saying Ejuan Price manhandled the Louisville offensive line Saturday would be putting things mildly. Price got into the backfield over and over again, registering six tackles for loss and an amazing five sacks of Cardinal quarterbacks in Pittsburgh's ACC home victory.
Price's five sacks were the most any player in college football has posted in one game this season, and his six tackles for loss weren't too far behind the leading pace. Thanks to his big day, Louisville finished with a rushing total of minus-one yard.
"Early in the first quarter, I said they can't block Ejuan," head coach Pat Narduzzi said, per Jerry DiPaola of TribLive.com. "Staying low, coming around the corner, speed rush. That's a giant man's game."
Gibson: Six tackles (four for loss) and three sacks
Deonte Gibson was a menace all game long for a tough Northwestern defense, and his third and final sack of Saturday's game put the final nail in Wisconsin's coffin.
On the Badgers' final drive of the game, two controversial replay reviews ruled out what would have been go-ahead touchdown passes for quarterback Joel Stave. After the second reviews, Gibson sacked Stave for a loss of 10 yards, pushing Wisconsin from just outside the goal line to the 11.
Wisconsin would throw two more incompletions, and Northwestern escaped Madison with a 13-7 win. With Gibson's sack totals leading the way, Northwestern held Wisconsin to minus-23 yards in the rushing department and just 203 total yards.
Second Team: Will Anthony (Navy) and Taco Charlton (Michigan)
Anthony: Eight tackles (four for loss), three sacks and one forced fumble
Charlton: Four tackles (three for loss) and two sacks
Will Anthony led Navy in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks in a big victory over Tulsa and the Golden Hurricane's high-powered passing attack. Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton ate up Penn State's offensive line with three tackles for loss and two sacks of Christian Hackenberg.
Defensive Tackles: Andrew Billings (Baylor) and Destiny Vaeao (Washington State)
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Billings: Three tackles (2.5 for loss) and two sacks
Baylor's defense stepped it up Saturday night against Oklahoma State, and Andrew Billings spearheaded that success with 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks of a Cowboys offense that was inconsistent throughout the game.
"Billings excelled in particular, which was crazy after pregame reports suggested he would sit with an injury. Those reports were quickly amended, and Billings proved his health from the gun," Bleacher Report's Brian Leigh wrote. "It was arguably his best game of the season—although picking is admittedly hard—and indubitably the best Baylor's defense has played all year."
While Oklahoma State got 35 points and a good bit of yardage on Baylor, the havoc Billings and the rest of the defensive line caused up front held the Cowboys to 0.3 yards per carry and a third-down conversion rate of 33 percent.
Vaeao: Three tackles (three for loss) and one sack
Washington State won a game Saturday night in which its defense, not its Air Raid offense, stole the show. Destiny Vaeao was exceptional, recording all three of his tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
On his senior night, Vaeao played one of the best games of his career. Washington State held Colorado to three points in the process, which was the first time it kept a Pac-12 opponent out of the end zone since 2006, per Kyle Bonagura of ESPN.
Vaeao's sack came on third down and pushed the Colorado offense back 12 yards. He also came close to recording a safety with one of his other tackles, showing the incredible strength that makes him such a feared interior defender in the Pac-12 North.
Second Team: Cory Johnson (Kentucky) and Will Geary (Kansas State)
Johnson: Six tackles (one for loss) and one INT
Geary: Five tackles (0.5 for loss) and one forced fumble
This week's second team salutes two defensive tackles who made big-time turnovers Saturday. Big Kentucky lineman Cory Johnson made one of the most athletic interceptions of the season, while Will Geary forced a late takeaway that led Kansas State to its comeback win over Iowa State.
Outside Linebackers: Shakeel Rashad (North Carolina) and Leonard Floyd (Georgia)
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Rashad: 15 tackles (two for loss) and one sack
Shakeel Rashad was seemingly everywhere Saturday for North Carolina, which needed everything it could get from its defense in order to pull out an overtime victory at Virginia Tech. He had a team-high 15 tackles, and, as Jared Shanker of ESPN.com noted, many of those were crucial.
"Ten of those tackles came in the first half, when he made some key stops as the Hokies were driving in North Carolina territory," Shanker wrote. "Rashad was all over the field in a game the Heels had to rely on their defense."
With Rashad and the defense leading the way, North Carolina remained undefeated in the ACC and stayed alive in its long-shot bid for the College Football Playoff. These Tar Heels are showing they can win on both sides of the ball.
Floyd: 12 tackles (3.5 for loss)
Georgia fans probably felt like things should have never gotten into this position, but outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was the late-game hero for the Bulldogs in an overtime win over in-state foe Georgia Southern.
Floyd recorded a dozen tackles, with three and a half of them coming behind the line of scrimmage. Two and a half of them came in the overtime period, where Georgia's defense stonewalled the option-running Eagles on fourth down. Georgia would then score a quick touchdown to earn the victory.
"The Bulldogs’ performance on the Eagles’ only possession of overtime was the stuff of legend, particularly for Leonard Floyd," Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote. "The junior outside linebacker had a hand in on every play, including the final tackle for a three-yard loss on fourth-and-1 at the Georgia 16."
Second Team: T.J. McCollum (Western Kentucky) and Jon Reschke (Michigan State)
McCollum: 12 tackles (four for loss) and one forced fumble
Reschke: Six tackles (one for loss) and one sack
Mark down Western Kentucky linebacker T.J. McCollum as another player who stood out with his tackle-for-loss count in Week 12. Jon Reschke played a huge role in Michigan State's legendary defensive performance against Ohio State, and he was named the Walter Camp national defensive player of the week.
Inside Linebacker: Micah Kiser (Virginia)
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17 tackles (two for loss) and one sack
Micah Kiser was a tackle machine on Saturday for Virginia, coming up with 17 takedowns—with two for loss and one sack—in a big win over Duke.
The Cavaliers were already eliminated from bowl eligibility with seven previous losses, but the sophomore was part of a bright performance from the talented youth on the Virginia defense. Duke tried to make a comeback late, but the Hoos stood tall down the stretch.
"It feels good to come out on the other end this time," Kiser said, per Andrew Ramspacher of the Daily Progress. "Because we had such a big lead, I was just telling guys, We need to make one play.' ... Luckily at the end, we bowed our necks and stopped them on fourth down. So we won."
Second Team: Joe Walker (Oregon)
15 tackles (one for loss) and one sack
Joe Walker had another huge performance for Oregon, this time coming up with 15 tackles and a sack in the Ducks' 48-28 victory over Cody Kessler and USC at home.
Cornerbacks: Deatrick Nichols (USF) and Zack Sanchez (Oklahoma)
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Nichols: Eight tackles (0.5 for loss), two INTs, one TD and one pass breakup
USF corner Deatrick Nichols was a constant menace against Cincinnati's pass-happy attack Friday night. The cornerback came up with eight tackles and two interceptions, and he returned one of them back for a touchdown in the first half. He forced two of Cincinnati's four turnovers on the evening.
"It blew my mind," USF running back Marlon Mack said, per Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times. "But I knew with our defense getting those turnovers and locking down … I just knew if they did that and our offense excels, that's what's going to happen."
Those impact plays on the defensive side of the ball sparked a rout for USF, which stayed alive in the race for the American Athletic Conference title with a 65-27 win over the Bearcats.
Sanchez: Four tackles (one for loss) and two INTs
Zack Sanchez didn't make the biggest defensive play of the night for Oklahoma—that was attributed to teammate Steven Parker on TCU's late two-point conversion—but he came through with two interceptions that were just as important.
Sanchez's two interceptions both came near midfield, halting a pair of prospective scoring drives for a banged-up but resilient TCU offense. Saturday marked Sanchez's second multi-interception game of his career, with the other one coming earlier this season against Kansas State.
The veteran cornerback also landed on the Horned Frogs' late onside kick attempt, preserving the 30-29 win for the Sooners and their chance at making the College Football Playoff.
Second Team: Jamar Summers (UConn) and Jalen Tabor (Florida)
Summers: Four tackles, one INT and one pass breakup
Tabor: Four tackles, one INT and five pass breakups
Jamar Summers came down with the play of the season for Bob Diaco's UConn program, picking off Greg Ward Jr. with under a minute left in regulation to seal a huge upset win over previously undefeated Houston. Florida star cornerback Jalen Tabor was busy all day long with five pass breakups and an interception in the Gators' narrow overtime win over upset-minded FAU.
Safeties: Montae Nicholson (Michigan State) and Kai Nacua (BYU)
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Nicholson: Eight tackles
A decent-sized amount of tackles usually doesn't land a defensive back on these All-American teams, but the stat to watch from Montae Nicholson's performance Saturday is Ohio State's total offensive yardage.
The Michigan State safety led the Spartans in tackles and came up with plenty of key stops in their upset win over defending national champion Ohio State in the Horseshoe. Ohio State only put up 132 yards against Michigan State as Nicholson led a sure-tackling defense to great success. The Buckeyes' only touchdowns came on drives that went a combined 38 yards.
Nicholson went from starter to backup earlier this season in the Michigan State defense, but now he's back in the first-team picture, making big plays for a team that has its sights set on making it to the Big Ten Championship Game.
Nacua: One tackle, two INTs and one TD
Kai Nacua was on fire at the beginning of the season, picking off four passes in games against Boise State and UCLA. But since then, Nacua has been quiet in the stat sheets.
That all changed Saturday as BYU smacked Fresno State by a score of 52-10. Nacua picked off two passes—his first since the UCLA loss—and ran one back for a touchdown to bolster the Cougars' blowout. With the BYU offense starting slow against Fresno State, the defense needed to step up, and Nacua delivered with a couple more interceptions.
"I caught it, and I returned it. It was fun," Nacua said, per Sean Walker of KSL.com. "I was showing away from where I needed to go. When the ball was snapped I moved back over to where I thought the receiver was going to go, and the ball came that way and I caught it."
Second Team: Mike Hilton (Ole Miss) and Justin Simmons (Boston College)
Hilton: Nine tackles (one for loss) and three pass breakups
Simmons: Eight tackles, two INTs and one forced fumble
Hard-hitting senior Mike Hilton rattled LSU's offense all game long Saturday, breaking up three passes and coming up with nine tackles in Ole Miss' 38-17 victory over the Bayou Bengals. Justin Simmons was a turnover machine for Boston College, frustrating a Notre Dame offense that came close to a disastrous loss at Fenway Park.
Kicker: Taylor Bertolet (Texas A&M)
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6-of-7 on field goals (long of 46) and 1-of-1 on extra points
No kicker in college football had a busier Saturday than Taylor Bertolet. The Texas A&M specialist drilled six of his seven field-goal attempts in the Aggies' shutout road win over Vanderbilt, as noted by Gabe Bock.
Bertolet's six field goals tied both a Texas A&M and an SEC record for the most in a game, according to Brian Perroni of 247Sports. Half of those successful kicks were from 40 or more yards. Bertolet has definitely come a long way from the start of his career, when he only connected on 59 percent of his attempts in 2012 and later lost his starting job.
Second Team: Michael Badgley (Miami)
1-of-1 on field goals (long of 57) and 5-of-5 on extra points
There was a temptation to put Michael Geiger, the game-winning and passionately celebrating Michigan State kicker here, but the second-team honor this week goes to Miami's Michael Badgley. He drilled one of the longest field goals of the season and was automatic on extra points in the U's win over Georgia Tech.
Punter: Tyler Newsome (Notre Dame)
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Four punts for average of 47 (long of 55)
Tyler Newsome continued to come up big for Notre Dame when the Irish needed it the most.
The young punter booted four punts in a tight win over Boston College—three of them went for more than 50 yards and three of them were downed inside the BC 20-yard line.
Since his bad performance against Temple a few weeks ago, Newsome has averaged a little more than 47 yards per punt for Notre Dame. He has become a real weapon in flipping the field, which is something the Irish will need next weekend against Stanford's successful offense.
Second Team: Trevor Daniel (Tennessee)
Seven punts for average of 45.3 (long of 61)
Trevor Daniel impressed for Tennessee in a low-scoring road win over Missouri, as four of his seven punts were downed inside the 20-yard line. Three of those went for more than 50 yards, and he now ranks sixth nationally in yards per punt this season.
Returner: Cyrus Jones (Alabama)
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Two punt returns for 115 yards and two TDs
Sure, it came against FCS program Charleston Southern, but that shouldn't take anything away from Cyrus Jones' standout special teams performance for Alabama.
Both of Jones' punt returns on Saturday went back for touchdowns, and he became the first player in Alabama history to run a punt back for a score in consecutive weeks. Jones is the only player in college football this season to have three punt return touchdowns—and he's gotten all three in the span of two games.
On top of all that, Jones recorded three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a defensive back. By the way, that all came in one half of action. No matter who the opponent is, that's stunning production.
Second Team: Morgan Burns (Kansas State)
Four kick returns for 168 yards and one TD
For the second straight week, Morgan Burns returned a kickoff for a touchdown. More importantly, his 100-yarder in the second quarter helped Kansas State stay in the game against Iowa State and later snap a six-game losing streak.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics courtesy of CFBstats.com.
Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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