College Football "Helmet Stickers" nominations: Week 7
Oh boy! What a weekend of College Football!
Seven of the Top 7 teams all lost this weekend and nine of the Top 25 teams. You could also argue that Ohio State also lost because Julian Sayin was injured against Indiana and will be out "several weeks."
Weekends like this usually mean there's a big crop of players to choose as "Players of the Week." Several teams stepped up on big stages and showed up when push came to shove!
Each week on The Onside Kick Podcast, we pick three players to earn the prestigious honor of earning a Helmet Sticker from the podcast. Here are the nominees this week for Helmet Stickers for Week 7 in College Football.
Make sure to check out the podcast this Wednesday on the MVP Sports YouTube channel to see which three players will earn Helmet Stickers! If I missed someone this week that you think should have been nominated, let me know on Twitter, @RickyWidmer.
(NOTE: All stats are from the REAL App.)
Byrum Brown (Auburn)
58% Completion Percentage, 150 Passing Yards, 115 Rushing Yards, 2 Total TDs
It takes some BALLS to walk into Athens, Georgia for a game against the #1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs and WIN!!!! No one in the world was taking Auburn seriously heading into this game. A great mind once told me, "Fade the teams coming off big emotional wins in their previous game because they will likely come out sluggish." Although people wouldn't apply this to a team like Georgia because of how well coached they are, this seemed to be the case again. Well, not exactly 100% because Georgia didn't come out "sluggish" It was more on Auburn and their ability to get punched in the mouth (0-14 deficit) and still fight in order to win the game. Byrum Brown is a BIG reason why the Tigers were able to come back and win. There's a reason why they say, the quarterback gets all the blame if the team loses and they get all the praise if the team wins.
Bear Bachmeier (BYU)
64% Completion Percentage, 224 Passing Yards, 6.2 Yards Per Completion, 3 Total TDs
A whole lot of people might start taking the Bear Bachmeier and the BYU Cougars more seriously after this weekend! If we are being honest, the BYU schedule to begin the season hasn't been the toughest schedule. The only other "tough" opponent on their schedule could be Arizona, but they were unranked when BYU played them. Yes, two quarterbacks to start the nominations, but this one isn't like the first one. Bachmeier and BYU were up 21-10 at half, and needed to reach into the reserves when Notre Dame came back in the 2nd Half. After being held scoreless the entire 2nd Half, Bachmeier was able to reach deep down and find his tight end Walker Lyons for what would be the game-wining touchdown. Notre Dame fans will be ready to call BYU frauds if the Cougars somehow lose to ASU on Halloween or get bested by the Utes in The Holy War.
Conner Weigman (Houston)
77% Completion Percentage, 343 Passing Yards, 10.4 Yards Per Completion, 5 Passing Touchdowns
Full honesty here, I would much rather be writing about the OTHER quarterback from this game. Nothing against Conner Weigman and Houston, but Drew Mestemaker is MY DUDE! He is my favorite quarterback in this draft, but I need to give pop to the quarterback who bested him on Saturday. This was a classic Big 12 battle. The type of game where both teams tell the defenses to go home because it was ALL OFFENSE! Houston is a quality team in the Big 12 this season. There only loss this season is to a Texas Tech team ranked in the Top 10 after this weekend. If the Cougars can beat Utah next week, we might be having a serious conversation about this team.
DeSean Bishop (Tennessee)
32 Carries, 175 Total Yards, 5.0 Yards Per Rush, 2 Rushing Touchdowns
This definitely ain't your daddy's Bama team... There's no way Nick Saban would allow his teams to lose back-to-back SEC games... I say this because the last time the Crimson Tide lost back-to-back SEC games was Nick Saban's first year at Bama back in 2007. Tennessee now holds it's own destiny in it's hands for a chance to play in the SEC Championship game. Currently, there are four 1-loss SEC teams (UGA, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ole Miss). Things will play on in due time however as Tennessee/Kentucky play later this season and Georgia/Ole Miss play later this season. The winners of those two games MOST LIKELY will meet for the SEC Title.
J'Koby Williams (Texas Tech)
11 Carries, 173 Total Yards, 15 Yards Per Rush. 2 Rushing Touchdowns
It's funny to me where we are at with this Texas Tech team seven weeks into the season. Before a single game had been played, we were all discussion the possibly of the Red Raiders being barred from playing for the Big 12 Title because of Brendan Sorsby. Now, the team has a chance to go undefeated and play the winner of The Holy War in the Big 12 Title game. Yes, Texas Tech still needs to play Arizona and Oklahoma State. If this offense can put up the type of points and yards it did this weekend against Arizona State, then they will be able to complete with any team in the Big 12 Conference.
Sam Leavitt (LSU)
82% Completion Percentage, 289 Passing Yards, 7.6 Yards Per Completion, 4 Passing Touchdowns
The LSU season was thought to be dead, but it may be on life support after the Tigers pulled off a big win over Mississippi State. I say life support because the LSU Tigers already have two losses on their resume and still have a trio if Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee still left on the schedule. You can also tack Auburn onto that list after them beating Georgia this week. However, remember the quote, "Fade the teams coming off big emotional wins in their previous game because they will likely come out sluggish." Auburn could be a fade spot in Week 8 or the under 1st half because LSU is coming off an emotional win as well. Leavitt also did some this weekend that he hasn't done all season long. This is the first game all season where he DIDN'T throw a single interception.
KJ Duff (Rutgers)
9 Receptions, 113 Receiving Yards, 12.6 Yards Per Reception, 2 Receiving Touchdowns
You thought that KJ Duff was going to make THIS CATCH and I WASN'T going to nominate him for a Week 7 Helmet Sticker?!?! You crazy Joe Rogan, you crazy! The dude has measurable like Mike Evans and makes catches and SOME PEOPLE have him ranked 45th on their Big Board and LAST among all wide receivers on their board (Yes JD, that's a dig at you wink). Yes, KJ Duff will not be playing in the playoff. Yes, he plays at Rutgers and usually won't get the same media coverage as Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith. However, Duff is 1st Round talent all day and TWICE on Sunday's! Hell, if Randy Moss is giving praise to a wide receiver, they MUST be damn good! Have I been on the KJ Duff bandwagon since Week 1? Yes. Will I say you can't get on the bandwagon now? No. I'll just be keeping the seat warm from you because I know you'll be on the bandwagon eventually.
Malachi Toney (Miani (FL))
11 Receptions, 185 Receiving Yards, 14.0 Yards Per Receptions, 2 Receiving Touchdowns
I hope everyone is keeping an eye on wide receiver Malachi Toney because he's putting in early work for next year's draft scouts. He's racked up 100+ receiving yards in four of the six games this season, and he's scored touchdowns in every game except for one (Clemson). I'll be honest, I kind of wanted to "spur" the Hurricanes for the bullshit that happened at the end of their win over Florida State, but Toney has been too good! Miami should win the ACC and they should make the College Football Playoff. The only "tough" opponent left on the schedule is Notre Dame, who will be looking for a #1 resume builder if Miami is still #1 at that time.
Ty Bryant (Kentucky)
5 Solo Tackles, 4 Assisted Tackles, 2 Interceptions, 2 Pass Deflections
Is Oklahoma HOT GARBAGE this season? Yes. Well, maybe not "hot garbage," but definitely not living up to expectations. I know some people who had Heisman Futures on John Mateer for this season. Safe to say those wagers can be considered "donations." The Kentucky defense feasted this past weakened, forcing three total interceptions in their win. Ty Bryant led that charge with with two of those interceptions. Kentucky is a second half against Alabama from being undefeated this season, but they still find themselves surprisingly in the race for a SEC Title Game appearance. However, they do still have Tennessee, Florida, and Missouri left on their schedule. It'll be fun to see where this team is come the night of November 21st.
Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss)
241 Passing Yards, 6.7 Yards Per Completions, 3 Passing Touchdowns, 1 Rushing Touchdown
Ole Miss has the chance to do one of the funniest things this upcoming weekend. They could probably knock Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorn OUT of contention for the College Football Playoffs. You better believe Pete Golding is going to have his team locked in for each of there remaining games. They can't afforded to overlook Texas because they play Auburn the next weekend and can't afford to overlook Auburn because they play Georgia the next weekend after that game. They need to avoid any Trap Games. Trinidad Chambliss has performed fairly well this season. They should be able to make the College Football Playoff if they lose one more game, but they definitely cannot lose more than that if they want to be in the Playoff. They can also still make the SEC Title Game if they can somehow run the table in the SEC to end the regular season.
