• Cam Ward back in the top slot: The Hurricanes pulled off a remarkable late-night comeback, and Ward's spectacular play was at the forefront of the spotlight.
• Eli Stowers powers Vanderbilt's upset of Alabama: The highest-graded tight end in the Power Four secured six catches for 113 yards to help down the then-No. 1 Crimson Tide.
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Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
QUARTERBACK
Power Four: Cam Ward, Miami Hurricanes – 92.3
Cam Ward led an unbelievable comeback last Saturday against Cal where he threw for a season-high 437 yards and recorded two big-time throws. An 84.3 PFF passing grade in this contest was enough to give Ward the edge as the highest-graded Power Four QB thus far. His 2,219 passing yards and 20 TDs both rank first among all QBs, while his 17 big-time throws ranks second only to Kyle McCord.
Group of Five: Blake Horvath, Navy Midshipmen – 93.2
Horvath posted another game with 100-plus yards throwing and rushing. He is one of the only quarterbacks in the country to record those numbers in multiple games this season. Navy is sitting at 5-0 for the first time in a while thanks to Horvath, whose 93.1 run grade tops all quarterbacks in college football.
90-YARD QB TOUCHDOWN RUN!
Blake Horvath has 416 total yards, 6 TD@NavyFB pic.twitter.com/28kQIFHhMm
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 21, 2024
RUNNING BACK
Power Four: Brashard Smith, SMU Mustangs, 93.4
Smith was held to a season-low 52 rushing yards last Saturday, but still managed to pick up 42 of those yards after contact. However, he has continued his perfect receiving record of catching all 15 of his targets this year. His 91.3 receiving grade is highest in the country among Power Four running backs.
Group of Five: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State Broncos, 96.7
Jeanty is currently the betting favorite to be the Heisman right now, and deservedly so. He is leading the nation in rushing yards (1,031), rushing touchdowns (16) and missed tackles forced (49). A 99.8 run grade is the highest PFF has ever seen from a half back.
WIDE RECEIVER
Power Four: Tai Felton, Maryland Terrapins – 91.1
Felton got injured last week and left the game early, which is why he only had 38 yards total. But, he still managed to catch all five of his targets to earn a 76.3 drop grade for the game. Felton actually leads the nation in drop grade with a 91.9 grade, as he hasn’t missed a ball yet.
Group of Five: Nick Nash, San Jose State Spartans – 89.9
Nash has caught a touchdown pass in all five games this season, which makes a total of nine on the year to lead the FBS. Nine is also the same number of contested catches that Nash has made this season, which leads the FBS.
TIGHT END
Power Four: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt Commodores – 86.7
Stowers was just named PFF’s Offensive Player of the Week after a huge game against Alabama in which the Commodores pulled off a historic upset. He was perfect from a receiving standpoint, catching all six of his targets for six first downs on his way to a 93.9 PFF receiving grade. His 113 yards accounted for nearly half of Vanderbilt’s passing yards in this game, and 79 came after the catch.
Group of Five: Harold Fannin Jr, Bowling Green Falcons – 95.5
Fannin continues to put up video game-like numbers with his fourth straight 130-plus yard game. He has nearly 300 more receiving yards than the next-closest tight end and eight more broken tackles than Stowers, who ranks second at the position.
Harold Fannin Jr. yesterday:
9 rec, 135 yds + took a jet sweep 31-yards for a TD on 4th & 2 to win the game
All as a 6’4” 230lb tight end
He’s the best player I’ve even seen put on a Bowling Green uniform and it’s not even close pic.twitter.com/TdCyHmk7Ne
— John Rich (@JohnRichTV) October 6, 2024
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Power Four: Wyatt Milum, West Virginia Mountaineers – 90.9
Milum remains perfect on the year from a pass-blocking blocking standpoint with a 100% pass-blocking efficiency metric, as he has not allowed a single pressure. There are only five tackles left in college football who still have a perfect pass-blocking percentage.
Group of Five: Lucas Scott, Army Black Knights, 87.2
While Army throws the ball a lot less than West Virginia does, Scott is still one of those five tackles who has a perfect pass-blocking percentage. It just happens to stem from way fewer pass-blocking snaps, but it still counts. Scott’s primary strength is his run-blocking, which perfectly fits Army’s offense. His 82.7 run-blocking grade ranks fifth at his position.
OFFENSIVE GUARD
Power Four: Willie Lampkin, North Carolina Tar Heels – 84.6
Amid five pressures and three quarterback hits, Lampkin still hasn’t given up a sack once this year to put his pass-blocking efficiency rate at 98.9. He is second among guards in run-blocking grade as well at 87.5.
Group of Five: Paolo Gennarelli, Army Black Knights – 85.8
Another Army offensive lineman cracks this list, and it shouldn’t come as a total shock. Gennarelli hasn’t allowed a single pressure all year on 30 opportunities, and his 84.8 run-blocking mark (on a significant 215 snaps) ranks fourth among all guards.
CENTER
Power Four: Connor Tollison, Missouri Tigers – 82.1
While Tollison in the interior has been one of the lone bright spots on Missouri’s offense, he had his worst game yet on Saturday, giving up his first sack of the season on three pressures. He has still been fantastic overall with a 98.7 pass-blocking efficiency rate. But, Tollison may now need to be more of a vocal leader to help get this Tigers team back on track.
Group of Five: Jacob Gardner, Colorado State Rams – 84.7
Gardner is as fundamentally sound as they come at the center position of the line. He is the only center in the FBS whose run-blocking grade and pass-blocking grade are both above 80.0.
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Power Four: Vernon Broughton, Texas Longhorns – 87.7
Texas was just on a bye, but the last we saw of Broughton vs. Mississippi State, he had an impressive outing. The Longhorn racked up two pressures, four tackles and a forced fumble. Broughton has still not missed a tackle yet, either. Broughton is doing his best to fill the shoes of T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II on this Texas front-seven from last year and has held his own with an 84.6 pass-rushing grade.
Texas doesn't offer the same fire power at DT this year as last, but Vernon Broughton (45) is among a trio of guys who can wreck a play. Especially in the run: pic.twitter.com/kYY78fk1rw
— Kegan Reneau (@KeganReneau) October 10, 2024
Group of Five: Peyton Zdroik, Air Force Falcons – 91.9
Zdroik retains his status as the nation’s highest-graded defensive tackle. Through five games, he’s tallied 12 pressures, 11 defensive stops and one forced fumble. He is posting an elite 90.5 grade or better in both run defense and pass rush.
EDGE DEFENDER
Power Four: Josaiah Stewart, Michigan Wolverines – 93.9
Stewart returned to action against Washington and recorded his second straight 90.0-plus graded game. He doubled his production vs. the Huskies this season compared to last year’s championship game, racking up four pressures and a sack this time around.
Group of Five: Mike Green, Marshall Thundering Herd – 88.5
Green has been a monster from a production standpoint on the field. His eight sacks and 20 defensive stops both rank in the top three among all edge defenders, while his 23 pressures puts him in the top 10 of that metric.
LINEBACKER
Power Four: Jay Higgins, Iowa Hawkeyes – 91.5
Higgins has been elite when dropping back into coverage this season, securing two interceptions and another pass breakup. This type of play continued vs. Ohio State, where he only allowed six yards all game to earn a 93.3 coverage grade for the day. Higgins even forced a fumble on freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith. This now puts his season coverage grade at 94.0, which is highest among all defensive players at any position.
Ladies and Gentlemen the nations best MLB: Jay Higgins
pic.twitter.com/Xq4mOvDVIA— Streameast News Network (@StreameastNews) October 5, 2024
Group of Five: Shaun Dolac, Buffalo Bulls – 88.0
Dolac is coming off a bye but still leads all linebackers in tackles (56) and defensive stops (36). That shows how amazing he has truly been when on the field this year. His overall tackling grade is 88.5, which is tied for sixth among linebackers.
CORNERBACK
Power Four: Jahdae Barron, Texas Longhorns – 88.2
Barron has played lockdown defense for Texas’ secondary this season, which is much-improved as a unit overall. The Longhorns’ coverage grade as a team is 93.3, which is highest in the FBS. Barron is extremely consistent and versatile for a DB, currently earning an 80.0-plus PFF grade in coverage, tackling and run defense.
Group of Five: Christian Bodnar, Liberty Flames – 89.3
Bodnar may very well help lead the Flames to their second straight undefeated regular season. He is certainly doing his part, allowing only 45 yards on six catches in coverage thus far. On 99 coverage snaps, he has broken up two passes and picked off another. Opposing quarterbacks are enjoying just a 26.7 passer rating any time they throw at Bodnar.
SAFETY
Power Four: Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma Sooners – 87.2
You could make a case that Oklahoma’s defense, and specifically its secondary, is the only reason the Sooners haven’t lost more than one game. Spears-Jennings has been fantastic on all three levels for them, recording a PFF grade in the 80.0s for every single defensive category.
Group of Five: Rayuan Lane III, Navy Midshipmen – 84.4
Navy hasn’t yet lost, and Lane has been a focal defensive reason why. His 89.6 coverage grade ranks third among qualifying safeties, as Lane has given up only seven catches for 113 yards on 18 targets. However, struggled in Week 6 against Air Force, allowing 50 yards in coverage and missing a tackle.
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