College Football "Helmet Stickers" Nominations: Week 8
"I wanted to see what you'd do... and you didn't disappoint!"
We all expected a little come down this week in College Football. NINE Top 25 teams lost last week! How could anything top that?!?! Every weekend can't live up to those expectations!
Although the ladder is definitely true, Week 8 in College Football didn't disappoint. Tons of thrilling games and players who deserve to be recognized for their performances!
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.)
Malachi Toney (Miami (FL))
16 Receptions, 194 Receiving Yards, 12.1 Yards Per Reception, 3 Receiving Touchdowns
Not only is Toney putting in his best resume for a potential Heisman Trophy win this season, he's putting in his case to be the #1 prospect in the 2028 NFL Draft next season as well! Miami currently has five more games left in the regular season. Yes, this team will have a conference championship and College Football Playoff games to play, but Toney is on pace for 1,667 receiving yards in the regular season for 2026. If The Canes finished as a Top 4 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, there's a chance that five more games turns into nine more games for Toney to rack up yards! Toney is on pace to have the best single season for a wide receiver in all of College Football. If Miami runs the table this season and reaches the National Title, Toney will need to average 123-124 receiving yards per game to break the single season record for receiving yards set by Trevor Insley in 1999. Even if he records over 1,600 receiving yards this year, the names in that area made really good names for themselves in the NFL.
Easton Messer (FAU)
12 Receptions, 180 Receiving Yards, 13.5 Yards Per Reception, 5 Total Touchdowns
It might not have been a Power 5 marquee matchup, but the Rice/FAU game in the early window absolutely SLAPPED! There's a pretty good chance that a game was VERY good if it had 100+ points combined between both teams. Messer was the definition of "Do It All" for the Owls this weekend. He left his stamp on the game catching the football, running the football, and on special teams as well. Of his five total touchdowns, two came through the air, two came on the ground, and one came from an 82-yard punt return. Hell, he might have kick the extra point on Saturday if coach let him!
Gael Ochoa (Rice)
339 Total Yards, 16 Yards Per Completion, 23.5 Yards Per Rush, 5 Total Touchdowns
Oh, you thought the Rice/FAU game only was going to have one player on this week's list? DOUBLE NOT SO FAST! The Owls (of Rice this time) run a very unique offense. Head coach Scoot Abell has installed a run-first spread, gun triple option offense. Usually, the Owls use quarterbacks Jacurri Brown and Gael Ochoa, however, Brown is the usual starter. Brown ended up not playing this weekend after being doubtful with an ankle injury. This opened the door for Ochoa and he ran with it...literally. All four of his rushing touchdowns were 50+ yards runs.
Cardae Mack (ASU)
26 Carries, 159 Rushing Yards, 6.1 Yards Per Rush, 4 Rushing Touchdowns
Although both ASU and KSU were only fighting for pride and personal bowl game bids this weekend, that doesn't mean the game wasn't an important one! The Sun Devils were also looking to regain some pride after getting the B.T.A. last weekend from Texas Texas in Lubbock, Texas. For a bit, Kansas State looked poised to potentially win the game after taking a three point lead midway through the 3rd quarter. However, Cardae Mack was not going to let ASU go down without a fight! He already had two rushing touchdowns in the game, but scored two more rushing touchdowns in the 4th quarter to seal the win! Big-time players make big-time plays!
Sam Leavitt (LSU)
71% Completion Percentage, 387 Passing Yards, 54 Rushing Yards, 4 Total Touchdowns
Second straight week for Leavitt on the Helmet Sticker nominations! LSU avoided the "Eliminated" graphic on social media for another week. Like I said last week, remember the quote, "Fade the teams coming off big emotional wins in their previous game because they will likely come out sluggish." If Leavitt continues playing like this for the Tigers, they might be able to make a College Football Playoff At-Large run. However, we did mention last week, they still have a trio if Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee still left on the schedule. One game at a time for Leavitt and the Tigers. That's how they need to view every week here on out.
Charlie Comella (Boston College)
5 Solo Tackles, 2 Interceptions, 2 Pass Deflections, 1 Touchdown
DEFENSIVE PLAYER ALERT! DEFENSIVE PLAYER ALERT! Also, remember folks, Mella is money! Boston College trailed Georgia Tech by a single point at halftime, but they woke up in the 2nd half! They outscored the Yellow Jackets 37-14 in the 2nd half and Comella has big reason why. He first picked off Little Mendoza in the 3rd quarter and rand the return all the way down to the Georgia Tech 39-yard line. Then, he asked "Want to see me do it again?" In the 4th quarter, not only did he picked Little Mendoza off again, he returned that interceptions TO THE HOUSE!!! WHOOOOOSSSSSEEEEEE HOUSE?!?!!? MELLLA'S HOUSE!!!!!!!
Drew Mestemaker (Oklahoma St.)
58% Completion Percentage, 386 Passing Yards, 10.7 Yards Per Completion, 4 Passing Touchdowns
You thought Drew Mestemaker was going to have a game of his life and I wasn't going to put his a a Helmet Sticker Nomination?!?! To be honest, at halftime, it didn't look like Mestemaker would be a Helmet Stick nominee. The Cowboys were trailing by a single point at half, but....wait a second...haven't he heard this story before in their write-up? BOOM! 34-0 Pokes in the 2nd Half! I was saying before the season the Drew was HIMMY and the #1 QB in this class. I'll do victory laps every time he balls out! He's is HIM!
Darian Mensah (Miami (FL))
83.7% Completion Percentage, 387 Passing Yards, 10.5 Yards Per Completion, 4 Passing Touchdowns
We go from the top quarterback in the draft class to the top player in the Heisman Trophy race. Mensah has been a scoring machine with the Miami Hurricane offense this season. He's thrown for 2,151 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only one interception. A 22-1 TD to Interception ratio is completely insane! That's probably why the Hurricanes are undefeated and the #1 team in the country. Mensah torched the Panthers and completely continued his dominance on College Football this year.
Aidan Chiles (Northwestern)
76% Completion Percentage, 219 Passing Yards, 8.8 Yards Per Completion, 5 Total Touchdowns
I feel disgusting. Did Ricky Widmer just put a Northwestern Wildcat player on his Helmet Stickers nominations? Am I feeling okay? Yes, I am feeling fine. Even though I'm a avid Illinois fan, I can't deny Aidan Chiles a spot on the nominations for this week. Yes, he played Rutgers who aren't great, but five touchdowns in a game is no easy feet. Northwestern is also played very well this season under head coach David Braun. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has this offense cooking and has gotten the most out of Chiles following his transfer from Michigan State.
LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina)
56% Completion Percentage, 210 Passing Yards. 96 Rushing Yards, 3 Total TDs
LaNorris Sellers had probably some of the best runs of his entire career this past weekend. The first one came in the 1st quarter to put the Gamecocks up 14-0 on the Volunteers. The second one coming late in the 4th quarter to help tie the game at 24-24. It was nice to see Sellers making plays like these this past weekend. He was so hyped up in last year's draft class, but had a less than stellar year. Lower on boards this year, but still able to make some big time plays for South Carolina. He put the team on his back to help get the big upset win!
