College Football's All-Week 7 First Team: Top Performers at Every Position
Superstars dominated the headlines, but lesser-known college football players provided the biggest performances in Week 7.
And it's their turn to have some time in the spotlight.
Every player from any game involving an FBS team was considered. Other factors include competition level, clutch plays and efficiency, but not necessarily wins or losses.
Don't see your favorite performer of the weekend? Feel free to add that player in the comments section.
Quarterback
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First Team: Matt Linehan, Idaho
Idaho hasn't managed bowl eligibility since 2009, but Matt Linehan is guiding the Vandals dangerously close.
The junior completed 29 of 36 passes for 476 yards and four touchdowns in a 55-23 victory over New Mexico State. Linehan added a rushing score, and the Vandals notched their fourth win of the season.
"Today we were rolling on all 11," head coach Paul Petrino said, per the Idaho Statesman. "It was fun. It was fun calling plays today."
Second Team: Ryan Higgins, Louisiana Tech
Sometimes, this quarterback thing can be fun. Ryan Higgins had a clear go-to target in Week 7, but we'll get to him later. Higgins amassed 484 yards and five touchdowns, and Louisiana Tech rolled to a 56-28 win against Massachusetts.
Running Backs
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First Team: Phillip Lindsay, Colorado
Colorado continued its pursuit of a surprise conference title with a 40-16 thrashing of Arizona State, and Phillip Lindsay led the way.
Lindsay ran in scores from 13, 75 and four yards while accumulating 219 total, nearly doubling his previous career-high mark of 114. The junior also chipped in four receptions for 20 yards.
First Team: Jarvion Franklin, Western Michigan
The leading rusher in Week 7, Jarvion Franklin had a school-record day and helped Western Michigan improve to 7-0.
He amassed 281 yards on 33 attempts, scoring once during a 41-0 rout of Akron. Franklin grabbed an 18-yard catch, too.
Second Team: James Gilbert, Ball State
James Gilbert has been on a roll. Over his previous two games, he ran for 260 yards and five touchdowns. In Week 7, Gilbert shredded Buffalo for a personal-best 264 yards and two scores, propelling Ball State to a 31-21 triumph.
Second Team: Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State
San Diego State didn't score many points, but the offense rode Donnel Pumphrey. He carried the ball on more than half of the Aztecs' snaps, gathering 220 yards and two touchdowns to keep the Oil Can in San Diego State's possession.
Wide Receivers
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First Team: Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech
Most receivers would love to post Carlos Henderson's Week 7 stat line over a three-week period. In short, it's madness.
Henderson snagged 12 passes for an absurd 326 yards and an even more ridiculous five touchdowns. He scored from 83, 50, 42, six and five yards out.
First Team: Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma
Both Henderson and Dede Westbrook made the list in Week 6 because it was impossible to keep them off.
The senior scored each of Oklahoma's last three touchdowns, totaling nine catches and 184 yards—including an 88-yard score to put the game out of reach in a 38-17 victory.
"When Dede gets one-on-one, he can win down the field," said Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, per Eric Bailey of Tulsa World. "That's been important for us. Teams have tried to load up to stop our run game, and it’s given us those matchups, and he's winning most of those right now."
Second Team: Richie James, Middle Tennessee
Richie James is among the best sophomore receivers of 2016. On Saturday, he had a career-best performance. James reeled in 16 passes for 223 yards, his first time eclipsing 15 catches and 200 yards. Middle Tennessee lost in overtime, but James scored twice.
Second Team: JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
Ever since USC inserted Sam Darnold, JuJu Smith-Schuster's production has soared. The top NFL draft prospect recorded his third straight 100-yard game, finishing with 132 and three touchdowns on nine catches during a 48-14 win over Arizona.
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Tight End
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First Team: Michael Roberts, Toledo
Michael Roberts didn't catch the game-winning touchdown, but he basically did everything else.
The senior tight end put Toledo's first three scores on the board, scoring from 41, 22 and five yards. Roberts notched six receptions for 94 yards, adding a two-point conversion catch.
Second Team: Cole Herdman and Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
Purdue attempted 60 passes, so tight ends were bound to receive a handful of targets. But Cole Herdman and Bryce Hopkins made them count. Together, they collected 10 receptions, 184 yards and three touchdowns despite the 49-35 loss to Iowa.
Offensive Line
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First Team: West Virginia
West Virginia was only a one-point favorite against Texas Tech. The margin of victory was just a bit more.
Skyler Howard completed 21-of-31 passes for 318 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. Daikiel Shorts Jr. paced the Mountaineers with 100 receiving yards, but the offense did a majority of its damage on the ground.
Rushel Shell III had 104 yards and two scores, Kennedy McKoy added 99 and Howard scampered for 89 yards and two touchdowns. West Virginia tallied 7.2 yards per carry in the 48-17 win.
Second Team: Idaho
In addition to Linehan's 476 passing yards, Idaho's running game collected 169. Isaiah Saunders, Linehan and Denzal Brantley each scored a touchdown. The Vandals also had three receivers—Deon Watson, Alfonso Onunwor and Jordan Frysinger—who reached 100 yards and had one trip to the end zone.
Defensive Ends
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First Team: Drew Bailey, Louisville
Louisville needed a strong defensive effort to outlast Duke, and Drew Bailey helped provide it.
A junior, Bailey shattered his previous career high of six tackles with 11. Bailey had just 2.5 tackles for loss in his career but collected three stops behind the line of scrimmage in the 24-14 triumph.
First Team: Randy Allen, South Alabama
Randy Allen isn't a well-known player, but he's earned a rare place as a repeat performer on this list. Against Arkansas State, Allen posted 13 tackles with 4.5 for loss and two sacks.
"He's probably one of the best defensive ends we've ever had," head coach Joey Jones said, per Creg Stepherson of AL.com.
Second Team: Tyrik Jones, Bowling Green
Bowling Green fell just short against rival Toledo, but Tyrik Jones put together a breakout game. The freshman recorded his 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, which were his first career stops in the backfield. Jones had nine total tackles and a quarterback hurry.
Second Team: Dawuane Smoot, Illinois
Dawuane Smoot is among the best draft prospects you've probably never heard of. Saturday was a perfect example of why he's on NFL radars. The senior notched three tackles for loss with one sack, adding two hurries and a forced fumble.
Defensive Tackles
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First Team: Solomon Thomas, Stanford
Stanford's defense played an integral role in its 17-10 victory at Notre Dame, and Solomon Thomas was a reliable force.
He amassed a stunning 12 tackles. Not only was Thomas' previous career-high mark five, no other Cardinal defender more than a handful of stops Saturday night. Thomas had 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
First Team: Larry Ogunjobi, Charlotte
Although Charlotte came up one point short against Florida International, Larry Ogunjobi kept making plays for the 49ers.
Ogunjobi recorded his second consecutive 10-tackle game and tied his career high with 4.5 stops for loss, including 1.5 sacks. He also had one pass breakup and one hurry while limiting FIU to a meager 1.9 yards per rushing attempt.
Second Team: Ed Oliver, Houston
Houston narrowly avoided a loss to Tulsa, but that's not the only important storyline. Ed Oliver is living up to his 5-star potential. Oliver collected a team-high 12 tackles and is now tied for the most (43) on the defense this season. Plus, he broke up two passes and hurried the quarterback once.
Second Team: Jamiyus Pittman, UCF
Like Charlotte, UCF lost by a single point. Like Ogunjobi, Jamiyus Pittman helped his team stay close. The junior tied his personal best of eight tackles, posting 2.5 for loss and one sack. He registered one quarterback hurry and recovered a fumble.
Outside Linebackers
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First Team: Jack Cichy, Wisconsin
Jack Cichy was a primary reason the Badgers nearly pulled the upset against second-ranked Ohio State.
The junior racked up a career-high 15 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss with one sack, chipping in one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble in the overtime loss.
First Team: Nathan Ricketts, Central Michigan
Central Michigan survived a three-overtime battle with Northern Illinois, though Nathan Ricketts gave the Chips a chance to end it sooner. In the first extra frame, he grabbed an interception.
Although a missed field goal extended the tilt, Central couldn't have asked for much more from the senior. He led the defense with nine tackles and three for loss.
Second Team: Raaquan Davis, Baylor
Iowa State put a scare into Baylor in Week 6, but the Bears didn't allow Kansas to stay anywhere close. Thanks to Raaquan Davis, they limited the Jayhawks to just 1.7 yards per rushing attempt. Of his 15 tackles, 13 came on a running play. Davis had two stops for loss and one quarterback hurry.
Second Team: Sae Tautu, BYU
Forcing an opponent to work behind the sticks in overtime is a huge boost to a defense. Sae Tautu's first-down sack put Mississippi State in a precarious spot from which it couldn't recover. He finished the 28-21 victory with eight total stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, as well as one pass breakup.
Inside Linebacker
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First Team: Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt earned a surprising win because it shut down Georgia's two-headed rushing monster of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. They mustered a combined 68 yards on 29 attempts.
Go ahead and credit Zach Cunningham for that.
A first-team All-SEC player in 2015, he accumulated a career-high 19 tackles with 2.5 for loss and added a pass breakup.
Second Team: Auggie Sanchez, South Florida
Auggie Sanchez is a reliable linebacker, but he had just 3.5 sacks entering Week 7. The junior nearly doubled that mark, posting three during a 42-27 triumph over UConn. Sanchez led the Bulls with 11 stops, bringing his season total to 65.
Cornerbacks
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First Team: Ryan Reid, Baylor
While Davis shut down Kansas' running game, Ryan Reid controlled the air. The cornerback grabbed two interceptions, returning one 64 yards for a score and the other 52 yards inside the red zone.
"A lot of people thought that the Iowa State film is who we are, which it's not," he said, per John Werner of the Waco Tribune. "So we had to make a statement with our next game. I told you Kansas was in the way and we were going to come out fired up."
First Team: Quenton Meeks, Stanford
For a variety of reasons, Stanford's offense struggled to finish drives in the first half. Quenton Meeks offered a much-needed boost to the Cardinal, who avoided a third straight loss.
Meeks stepped in front of a DeShone Kizer pass and returned the interception 50 yards to the end zone, sparking a run of 17 consecutive points for Stanford in the second half.
Second Team: Darius Mouton, UNLV
Long after East Coasters hit the pillow, Darius Mouton started swatting passes. The sophomore corner broke up five passes, adding six total tackles in a 41-38 win at Hawaii. Most importantly, Mouton jumped on a fumble that led to UNLV's game-winning field goal.
Second Team: Teez Tabor and Quincy Wilson, Florida
Florida committed more turnovers than Missouri, but the Gators made their takeaways count. Literally. Both Teez Tabor and Quincy Wilson turned their interceptions into touchdowns, returning the picks 39 and 78 yards, respectively. Wilson also had a pass breakup.
Safeties
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First Team: Ronnie Harrison, Alabama
How's this for a scary thought: To beat Alabama, a team must keep the defense off the scoreboard.
Ronnie Harrison snatched an interception and sprinted 58 yards to paydirt. His touchdown marked the 11th non-offensive score for the Crimson Tide, which is just silly. Harrison tallied a team-best seven tackles and one pass breakup.
First Team: Tabari McGaskey, Rice
The bad news? Rice still hasn't won a game. The good news? Tabari McGaskey assembled his best game since switching to safety.
McGaskey posted 10 total tackles with three for loss, one sack and one quarterback hurry. He also forced and recovered a fumble.
Second Team: Chase Hansen, Utah
As long as Utah avoids an upset, the Utes will remain a Pac-12 South Division contender. Chase Hansen helped them clip Oregon State, collecting a team-high eight stops, two tackles for loss and one sack. Hansen also grabbed the first interception of his career.
Second Team: Jalen Young, Florida Atlantic
Jalen Young's production has steadily increased in 2016. Following a 16-tackle (0.5 for loss) performance on Saturday, only three defenders have more stops than his 77 this season. Young intercepted a pass in the end zone, too.
Kicker
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First Team: Tyler Durbin, Ohio State
No kicker accounted for more points than Tyler Durbin and executed a clutch opportunity. He drilled a game-tying 31-yard field goal in addition to converted attempts from 25 and 40. Durbin—who also notched four touchbacks on kickoffs—hit all three extra points.
Second Team: Skyler Simcox, Western Kentucky
Skyler Simcox ended both the fourth quarter and overtime with a made kick. In fact, his game-tying 18-yard field goal was shorter than the game-winning extra point—something that would seem automatic, but Middle Tennessee missed its PAT in the extra frame. Simcox missed one field goal but buried 41- and 52-yarders.
Punter
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First Team: Tyler Sarrazin, Southern Miss
Southern Miss couldn't keep up with LSU after halftime, but the punt team wasn't a problem. Each of Tyler Sarrazin's four kicks in the second half traveled at least 41 yards, including a long of 61—that had a net of 69 yards. Sarrazin tallied 50.2 yards per punt.
Second Team: Cole Moos, Kansas
Consistent? Not exactly. But Cole Moos needs to be mentioned. The junior blasted an 82-yard punt on his first attempt and later boomed a 73-yarder. Moos averaged 50.4 yards on eight kicks.
Returner
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First Team: Quadree Henderson, Pitt
All three of Pitt's units scored on Saturday. Quadree Henderson provided the special-teams touchdown on a 93-yard kickoff return. He also took a punt 29 yards into Virginia Cavaliers' territory, setting up a field goal that put the Panthers up 17 points and sealed the victory.
Second Team: Solomon Vault, Northwestern
After Northwestern ripped off 26 unanswered points to grab a 33-17 lead, Michigan State responded with two quick touchdowns. Solomon Vault halted the comeback with a 95-yard kickoff return for a score, and the Wildcats won 54-40.
All recruiting information via Scout. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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