If anyone thought it would be impossible for the Oklahoma Sooners to replace Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, guess again. Kyler Murray is the truth and has likely become the early frontrunner to win college football's most prestigious award.
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In his first-career road start, Murray dazzled to beat Iowa State, 37-27, but he wasn't the only one to have a big-time game over the weekend.
Here are the FanBuzz College Football Players of the Week:
Offense: Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
Statistics: 21-for-29, 348 passing yards, 77 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns
Mississippi State's Nick Fitzgerald put up bigger numbers. Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins picked up a bigger win. However, it was Murray who stole the show this week by picking apart the Cyclones defense in his first-ever road start. The future MLB star is obviously a great athlete and that dual-threat talent will be giving Big 12 defenses fits all season long.
Defense: Dre'Mont Jones (Ohio State)
Statistics: 6 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception return touchdown, 1 pass breakup
Dre’Mont Jones: best @PFF_College pass-rushing grade in the nation among interior D-Linemen.
Best 290-pound running back? pic.twitter.com/Ns3xaxIM0E
— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) September 16, 2018
At 6-foot-3, 286 pounds, the Buckeyes junior defensive tackle is a problem for almost every offensive line to handle. Jones is that good and he proved it during Ohio State's 40-28 victory over TCU in Arlington, Texas. Jones made the biggest play of the game, intercepting a Horned Frogs shovel pass and rushing to the end zone to give the Buckeyes the lead for good. It was just one of many spectacular plays Ohio State fans have come to expect from Jones.
Special Teams: Keegan Brewer (North Texas)
Statistics: 1 punt return, 90 yards, 1 touchdown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHo1-VmxlK0
Are there better punt returners in the country? Probably. Were there better performances over the weekend? Maybe. But don't you dare say the fake fair catch for a 90-yard touchdown against an SEC team wasn't one of the coolest things you saw all weekend long. Brewer sold the play perfectly and the creativity in this alone is the reason it gets there nod here. Not to mention, it helped the Mean Green steal a massive road win at Arkansas.
Freshman: Alan Bowman (Texas Tech)
Statistics: 43-for-59, 605 yards, 5 touchdowns
There are eight players in college football history who have thrown for over 600 yards with five touchdowns. None of them did it earlier in the season than the Red Raiders quarterback. In just his third-career game, Bowman lit up the stat sheet and scoreboard to help Texas Tech beat in-state foe Houston, 63-49, in Lubbock. The 6-foot-3 signal caller from Grapevine, Texas can definitely toss the pigskin and he's just getting warmed up.
