College Football's All-Week 13 First Team: Top Performers at Every Position
Rivalry weekend is when big-time performances become legendary ones. The added bragging rights and championship implications have a way of making certain players go down in history.
Week 13 of this college football season saw a few more players add their names to the history books, etching their spots in the hearts and minds of fans for a long, long time.
Alabama's rock-solid running back had an unreal performance against rival Auburn and closed in on the Heisman Trophy. TCU had a linebacker post a stat line that was just as mind-boggling in a rain-soaked upset of Baylor on Black Friday. Elsewhere, several title contenders got top-of-the-line performances from their star players at the perfect time of the season.
As the regular season starts to wind down, here is a look at the All-Week 13 first and second teams. In case you haven't followed these teams on Sundays this season, the players here are chosen by their statistical dominance, with bonuses going to players in high-profile games—and there were quite a few of those this weekend.
There's always room for debate and discussion after a weekend of fantastic football, so share your thoughts and offer your own nominees in the comments below.
Quarterback: Kevin Hogan (Stanford)
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17-of-21 passing for 269 yards, four TDs and zero INTs
Other quarterbacks had bigger yardage numbers and threw for more touchdowns, but Stanford's Kevin Hogan arguably had the best overall stat line of Week 13.
Hogan had as many touchdown passes as he had incompletions, and his 27-yard strike down the middle of the field to Devon Cajuste set up a game-winning field goal that put Stanford over rival Notre Dame. The senior finished the day with a pass efficiency rating of 251.41—an incredible career-high mark.
"To the naked eye sometimes, with all the spread offense that’s out there and all the yards … I understand when someone looks past him," Stanford head coach David Shaw told Paul Myerberg of USA Today. "But there’s a reason why the NFL scouts right now are coming by and saying, 'Wow, he’s good.' Because he’s playing an NFL game right now."
Second Team: Paxton Lynch (Memphis)
9-of-14 for 222 yards, seven TDs and zero INTs
Plenty of quarterbacks have arguments for the second-team nod this week—Clemson's Deshaun Watson, Cal's Jared Goff and Ohio State's J.T. Barrett, to name a few. But let's go with Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, who threw for seven touchdowns on nine completions in the first half of the Tigers' rout of SMU. It's hard to get any more efficient than that.
Running Backs: Derrick Henry (Alabama) and Chris Warren III (Texas)
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Henry: 46 carries for 271 yards and one TD
Derrick Henry may have wrapped up the Heisman Trophy race Saturday afternoon with an all-time performance. "Workhorse" doesn't begin to do Henry justice, as he carried the ball a school-record 46 times for 271 yards against the Auburn defense.
Henry's third 200-yard performance of November gave him the Alabama record for most yards in a single season, and he'll have at least two more games to add to that mark. His late touchdown in the fourth quarter extended his streak of finding the end zone to a ridiculous 17 games, dating back to last season.
"We’d really like for somebody else to run the ball, but it got tough to take him out, and he seemed to get stronger as the game goes on," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said, per Bleacher Report's Christopher Walsh. "It’s hard to take him out at the end though."
Warren III: 25 carries for 276 yards and four TDs
First-team spots normally don't go to players whose teams lost, but freshman Chris Warren III basically did everything he could to give his Texas Longhorns a win over Texas Tech on Thanksgiving night.
With Jonathan Gray and D'Onta Foreman out with injury, Warren III—the son of former All-Pro running back Chris Warren—got his opportunity to shine. He led the nation in both rushing yards and touchdowns in Week 13, scorching the Texas Tech defense time and time again.
"He's just a big, strong, physical runner, and you look at him, he can break tackles, he can run through people, and that's why I wasn't concerned going into this game," Texas head coach Charlie Strong said, per quotes released by the program. "Everybody kept saying, well, you've got two down, but I knew we'd be OK with the running game with him."
Second Team: Elijah Hood (North Carolina) and Ezekiel Elliott (Ohio State)
Hood: 21 carries for 220 yards and two TDs
Elliott: 30 carries for 214 yards and two TDs
Elijah Hood continued to excel in the one-two punch with UNC quarterback Marquise Williams as he averaged more than 10 yards per carry against rival NC State. Ezekiel Elliott got plenty of touches after his frustrated postgame comments last weekend, and the Buckeyes had a huge day against rival Michigan behind him.
Wide Receivers: Keyarris Garrett (Tulsa) and Jakeem Grant (Texas Tech)
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Garrett: 10 receptions for 216 yards and one TD
Keyarris Garrett has been one of the top playmakers from the Group of Five conferences all season long, and he played a key role in getting his Tulsa team bowl-eligible this weekend.
Garrett had a Week 13-high 216 receiving yards for the Golden Hurricane, who got to 6-6 with a 45-34 victory over conference foe Tulane. He now has 1,451 receiving yards this season, which is the most of any player in college football. He was constantly targeted in the second half as Tulsa rallied for the important win.
"He is probably one of the most unselfish receivers I’ve ever been around," Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery said, per Kelly Hines of the Tulsa World. "He’s never once complained. ... He just goes to work every day and when his number gets called, he just continues to make plays. He’s a special player."
Grant: Two receptions for 105 yards and one TD; two carries for 42 yards and one TD
Texas Tech wide receiver Jakeem Grant only needed four offensive plays to make a tremendous impact for the Red Raiders in their road win over in-state rival Texas.
Grant started his big night with a 65-yard touchdown reception after teammate Devin Lauderdale forced a crazy deflection on what was sure to be a Texas interception. The 5'6" receiver also closed Texas Tech's scoring by hiding behind the offensive line on what appeared to be a kneel and taking the surprise handoff 40 yards for the touchdown.
"Texas told me I was too small to play for them," Grant said, per Max Olson of ESPN.com, "so I came into this game with a chip on my shoulder, telling myself there’s no way they can stop me."
Second Team: Bralon Addison (Oregon) and Devin Lucien (Arizona State)
Addison: Eight receptions for 106 yards and three TDs
Lucien: Eight receptions for 200 yards and three TDs
Oregon needed Bralon Addison's big night to hold off pesky rival Oregon State in a high-scoring Civil War. Arizona State couldn't knock off Cal on Saturday night, but Devin Lucien put the Sun Devils in a fantastic position to win with three touchdown grabs and exactly 200 yards through the air.
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Tight End: Tyler Higbee (WKU)
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Six receptions for 92 yards and two TDs
It's been a while since we've heard from Tyler Higbee, the excellent Western Kentucky tight end who started the season on a ridiculous tear.
But after missing the last four games with injury, Higbee returned to action Saturday and helped his Hilltoppers beat fellow Conference USA power Marshall by three scores. Higbee had two touchdown catches and 92 yards on the day—his best marks since late September.
With Higbee back catching passes from star quarterback Brandon Doughty, the WKU offense will be running at full speed next week when it faces Southern Miss in what should be an entertaining C-USA Championship Game.
Second Team: Cam Serigne (Wake Forest)
Five receptions for 135 yards and one TD
Wake Forest couldn't pull out the rivalry win over Duke on Saturday, but the Demon Deacons got a big-time performance from Cam Serigne, who led all tight ends with 135 receiving yards in Week 13.
Offensive Line: Ohio State
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482 yards of total offense (369 rushing) and one sack allowed
One week after the Michigan State defense held it well in check, Ohio State's offense roared back to life Saturday afternoon in a blowout win over rival Michigan. The front five of Ohio State returned to form, paving the way for the J.T. Barrett and Ezekiel Elliott-led rushing attack to rack up 369 yards.
ESPN.com's Austin Ward seemed impressed: "This is a good Michigan defense being absolutely demolished by Ohio State. Easily the best performance of the season for the Buckeyes."
This is what Ohio State's offense was supposed to look like all season, with a veteran line standing tall against a tough defensive front. The Buckeyes got that against their most hated rival, and they still have an outside shot for the playoff after that dominant display.
Second Team: Michigan State
436 yards of total offense (188 rushing) and zero sacks allowed
Michigan State didn't rack up the yardage on the ground like Ohio State, but the stat to circle here is the "sacks allowed" one. Penn State's defense leads the nation with 44 sacks this season, and it didn't get a single one against the Spartans.
Defensive Ends: Demarcus Walker (Florida State) and Joey Bosa (Ohio State)
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Walker: Eight tackles (2.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks and one blocked kick
Demarcus Walker is shown in the above picture carrying off a Gator head in the Swamp, and that's exactly what he did to the Florida offense Saturday night.
Walker was all over the field, coming up with eight tackles and 1.5 sacks of quarterback Treon Harris. He cut off Florida's best chance at offensive points, forcing Harris to take an intentional grounding penalty on a third-down sack and then blocking a 37-yard field-goal attempt from Austin Hardin in the fourth quarter.
With his 1.5 sacks against the Gators, Walker now has 9.5 on the season, which is the most any Seminole has had since the 2012 season. That's a good way to quiet a fanbase that isn't quite fond of you.
Bosa: Three tackles (one for loss), one sack, one INT and one forced fumble
Joey Bosa's big day against rival Michigan can be summed up in two plays. First, the star defensive end dominated the Michigan offensive line on an edge rush and forced a fumble from Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock.
Second, Bosa picked off a pass from Rudock and came close to taking it all the way back for a touchdown. He got to throw a mean stiff arm in the process.
Second Team: Derek Barnett (Tennessee) and Trey Hendrickson (FAU)
Barnett: Five tackles (two for loss), two sacks and one safety
Hendrickson: Four tackles (3.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery
Derek Barnett had a big-time game in Tennessee's victory against in-state foe Vanderbilt, notching two sacks—including one that went for a safety. FAU defensive end Trey Hendrickson had one of the best pass-rushing games of the season, coming up with 3.5 sacks and forcing an important turnover.
Defensive Tackles: Viliseni Fauonuku (Utah) and Davion Pierson (TCU)
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Fauonuku: Seven tackles (four for loss), four sacks and one forced fumble
Viliseni Fauonuku had the most dominant performance from a defensive lineman in all of Week 13, taking down Colorado's quarterback four times and forcing a fumble in Utah's tight home win.
Fauonuku's forced fumble turned out to be the biggest play of the game, as the big defensive tackle's strip near midfield was recovered by teammate Jared Norris with less than two minutes to go. Utah's offense was able to run out the clock and hold on to the 20-14 victory.
"It's our job," Fauonuku said, per Kyle Goon of the Salt Lake Tribune. "It's our job to go out there and line up. We just take it one play at a time. It doesn't matter if the offense is rocky, or special teams is rocky, we do what we do."
Pierson: 13 tackles (3.5 for loss) and one sack
Davion Pierson didn't have the most impressive defensive performance of TCU's rain-soaked win over Baylor—more on that later—but his presence down the middle was incredible for the Horned Frogs, as NFL.com's Chase Goodbread noted on Twitter: "Baylor hasn't blocked Davion Pierson all night."
Pierson had a whopping 13 tackles, with 3.5 of them coming behind the line of scrimmage. He stood tall time after time against a Baylor offense that ran the ball 71 times in the overtime thriller.
Second Team: Malik McDowell (Michigan State) and Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss)
McDowell: One tackle (one for loss), one sack, one INT and one TD
Nkemdiche: Four tackles (1.5 for loss) and 1.5 sacks
Malik McDowell was a destructive force all game long for Michigan State against Penn State, and his 14-yard pick-six highlighted a huge game for the Spartans defense. Robert Nkemdiche flashed his All-American credentials by constantly getting after Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott.
Outside Linebackers: Devonte Fields (Louisville) and Nick Holt (WKU)
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Fields: Six tackles (four for loss) and 2.5 sacks
For the third straight game, Louisville outside linebacker and pass-rushing specialist Devonte Fields was borderline unblockable for the Cardinals.
The former TCU star came up with four big tackles for loss in Louisville's comeback victory over rival Kentucky. His fourth-quarter sack of Kentucky quarterback Drew Barker pushed the Wildcats deep in their own territory, and Louisville extended their lead with another touchdown on the ensuing possession.
"We were rattling [Barker] up a little bit, talking a little noise, playing football, just having fun," Fields said, per Rick Bozich of WDRB. "I kept telling him I was going to get him next time. Telling him you’re going to keep seeing me, you’re going to keep feeling me."
Holt: Four tackles, two INTs and one forced fumble
Western Kentucky's Nick Holt—son of current WKU and former Washington defensive coordinator Nick Holt—had a monster senior day in front of his dad and the rest of the Hilltopper faithful Saturday.
Holt picked off a pair of passes from the linebacker position and forced another fumble as WKU held Marshall's offense in check for a 49-28 victory. He also played an important role in shutting down the Marshall rushing attack, which was one of the best in the Conference USA heading into the game.
"It was huge [early]," Holt said, per James Collier of the Metro News. "We stopped the run very well. They [Marshall] averaged 187 [rushing yards per game], and we held them to 31 yards on 25 attempts. So, if you do that, you’re going to most likely win the game."
Second Team: Mike Hilton (Ole Miss) and Eric Boggs (Appalachian State)
Hilton: 10 tackles (two for loss) and one pass breakup
Boggs: Six tackles (three for loss) and three sacks
Starting at a linebacker position on Saturday, Mike Hilton led the Ole Miss "Landshark" defense in tackles and was a constant threat against Mississippi State's offense. Eric Boggs came up with three big-time sacks in Appalachian State's dominant win over former Sun Belt power UL-Lafayette.
Inside Linebacker: Ty Summers TCU)
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23 tackles (1.5 for loss)
One of the most surprising events of the football weekend in the eyes of this writer is that none of the photo wire services got a picture of Ty Summers against Baylor.
That's hard to believe, considering the TCU middle linebacker had an otherworldly 23 tackles against the Bears—including the biggest stop of the night. When Baylor needed to convert on 4th-and-short to keep the game alive, Summers crashed in on Devin Chafin and made the stand.
Summers won Walter Camp national player of the week for his 23-tackle game, and there probably hasn't been a more deserving player for that honor all season.
Second Team: Elandon Roberts (Houston)
Seven tackles (4.5 for loss) and 2.5 sacks
Elandon Roberts continued his low-key dominance of the stat sheets for Houston against Navy, coming up with several big plays behind the line of scrimmage against the Midshipmen's option attack.
Cornerbacks: Jordan Thomas (Oklahoma) and Iman Marshall (USC)
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Thomas: Six tackles, two INTs and one TD
Jordan Thomas continues to be a fixture on these All-Week teams toward the end of the season, and for good reason. The Oklahoma cornerback proved his worth as a shutdown corner with a pair of interceptions and a defensive touchdown against rival Oklahoma State.
Thomas' pick-six helped Oklahoma take full control of the Bedlam game and move closer to securing a spot in the College Football Playoff.
"We had a lot of unfinished business after last year, the whole punt return deal and whatnot," Thomas said, per Jason Kersey of the Oklahoman. "Obviously, my whole mindset was going out there and doing it for my teammates and my seniors, sending them out with a bang."
Marshall: Four tackles, two INTs and two pass breakups
Another young cornerback who starred for his team in a big-time rivalry game was none other than Iman Marshall, the former 247Sports 5-star recruit for the USC Trojans.
Marshall picked off UCLA quarterback and fellow blue-chipper Josh Rosen twice on Saturday, and he denied the Bruins on a few other plays through the air with his top-notch cover skills. Marshall hadn't recorded a pick since the infamous Washington loss, and now the freshman is tied for the team lead in that category.
"There was Iman Marshall on Jordan Payton," Joey Kaufman of the Orange County Register wrote. "Nobody consistently created easy throwing lanes for quarterback Josh Rosen, who struggled with accuracy as a result. Rosen completed just 51 percent of his passes and was picked off twice by Marshall."
Second Team: Tony Bridges (Ole Miss) and Sidney Jones (Washington)
Bridges: Three tackles, one INT and one TD
Jones: Six tackles, one INT, one TD and three pass breakups
Tony Bridges forced a rare interception from Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott and took it to the house Saturday night in the Egg Bowl victory. Sidney Jones had a monster pick-six, too, as Washington routed a banged-up Washington State team in the Apple Cup.
Safeties: Tanner McEvoy (Wisconsin) and Antwan Cordy (Syracuse)
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McEvoy: Three tackles, two INTs and one pass breakup
Wisconsin quarterback-turned-safety Tanner McEvoy turned in another impressive defensive stat line Saturday and joined the parade of players with two interceptions on rivalry weekend.
Both of McEvoy's interceptions came in the fourth quarter as Wisconsin held on to a 31-21 lead over rival Minnesota and control of Paul Bunyan's Axe. McEvoy has now picked off five passes in the last three games for the Badgers, who returned to the Top 25 this weekend.
"The New Jersey native has intercepted six passes this season so far—tied for fifth in the nation," Jake Kocorowski of SB Nation wrote. "Having a 6'6", athletic safety essentially playing the basketball equivalent of a center in the middle of field has helped Wisconsin contain offenses in the passing game."
Cordy: Four tackles (one for loss) and one INT
Syracuse hasn't had a lot of good news this year, and it just fired its head coach. But the Orange can look to sophomore safety Antwan Cordy as a bright spot for the future, as evidenced by his big game against Boston College on Saturday.
CuseNation Sports noted as much on Twitter: "Really hope Syracuse Safety Antwan Cordy (@CORDYKID1) does not transfer. He will be an absolute star here and go to NFL."
Cordy and the secondary held Boston College to just nine passing yards on one completion. He had as many catches as the Boston College offense, picking off a pass near midfield in the first half.
The sophomore came through with a tackle for loss, too, adding to his second straight interception. Boston College's passing offense hasn't been good all year long, but it had an abysmal game thanks in part to Cordy patrolling the secondary.
Second Team: Marcus Maye (Florida) and Malik Smith (SDSU)
Maye: Seven tackles and three pass breakups
Smith: Eight tackles, one INT and three pass breakups
Florida's offense didn't give him any help, but Marcus Maye helped the Gators stay in the game against Florida State with plenty of tackles and pass breakups. Malik Smith stuffed the stat sheet in a big 31-14 win over Nevada for the MWC title game-bound SDSU Aztecs.
Kicker: Adam Griffith (Alabama)
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5-of-5 on field goals (long of 50) and 2-of-2 on extra points
The last time Adam Griffith was inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, his lone field-goal attempt fell short, and Chris Davis made college football history with the "Kick Six."
Two years later, Griffith made sure all of his attempts went the distance. He hit five of them, including one from 50 yards out, in Alabama's 29-13 win over Auburn. His four field goals in the first half made up all of Alabama's points before the halftime break.
"He made some really big kicks today, and I'm really, really proud of him for hanging in there and getting his confidence back and doing the things that this team needs him to do," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said, per Matt Zenitz of AL.com. "He's doing a fantastic job, especially these last three or four games."
Second Team: Conrad Ukropina (Stanford)
1-of-1 on field goals (long of 45) and 5-of-5 on extra points
Conrad Ukropina nailed the most important field goal of the weekend—a 45-yarder as time expired that gave Stanford a two-point victory at home over Notre Dame.
Punter: Tom Hackett (Utah)
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Seven punts for average of 50.6 yards (long of 59)
Tom Hackett would not be denied another spot in the All-Week teams Saturday, capping his regular season with a fantastic punting performance in Utah's close win over Colorado.
It was Senior Day for Utah, and Hackett got some of the most love from the crowd, as KSL.com's Josh Furlong noted: "And Tom Hackett with the biggest cheer so far. #PuntersArePeopleToo."
Almost half of Hackett's punts traveled more than 50 yards, and the majority of them were downed inside the Colorado 20-yard line. He continued to showcase his excellence in flipping field position, and he closed in on Texas A&M's Drew Kaser in the Ray Guy Award race with his great average Saturday.
Second Team: Dalton Schomp (FAU)
Four punts for average of 53.0 yards (long of 56)
The nation's new leader in average punt yardage is FAU's Dalton Schomp, who had three of his four punts go at least 50 yards and get downed inside the 20 in the Owls' 33-31 win over Old Dominion.
Returner: Joe Hansley and Kevin Nutt (Colorado State)
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Hansley: Three punt returns for 136 yards and two TDs
Nutt: Three kick returns for 120 yards and one TD
The All-Week teams haven't had two first-teamers at returner this season, but, then again, there hasn't been a performance quite like the one Colorado State's special teams unit had Saturday night against Fresno State.
Punt returner Joe Hansley returned two punts back for a touchdown, and kick returner Kevin Nutt took a punt to the house in the Rams' 34-31 victory over the Bulldogs. What's even more impressive is that Hansley and Nutt scored the first three touchdowns of the game for Colorado State.
The Rams trailed 24-7 before Hansley took his second punt back in the final minute of the second quarter. Nutt opened the second half with his long return, and the Rams were right back in it. And as if Hansley's two special teams scores weren't enough, he had what would be the game-winning touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.
Second Team: Adoree' Jackson (USC)
Two punt returns for 46 yards and one TD
Adoree' Jackson had an excellent day on the defensive side of the ball, but he had one of USC's biggest plays of the win over crosstown rival UCLA on special teams—a mesmerizing 42-yard punt return to the house.
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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