College football Week 6: 15 players to watch

Brown currently leads the nation in rushing (733 yards) and has reached 100 yards in each of the Illini's games this season. He's been a workhorse for the surprising Illini, already chalking up 120 attempts (second only to Marshall's Khalan Laborn), including 25 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown in Illinois' dismantling of Wisconsin last week. He's put in the work and isn't resting on his 1,000-yard season of a year ago, something his head coach demands from his lead back. Remember that Bret Bielema has coached runners like Melvin Gordon III, James White, Montee Ball, and Alex Collins. Illinois hosts Iowa's tough defense on Saturday.  

Let's show some love to undefeated James Madison, an FCS power that has now turned into a legit FBS program. Quarterback Todd Centeio has had one of the more interesting college careers. He began at Temple ... back in 2017 ... and was known for his ability in the classroom than on the field. He threw just 71 passing attempts with Temple but made the AAC All-Academic team. After three years with the Owls, he transferred to Colorado State, where he started 13 games over two seasons. In 2021, he threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 15 TDs. He found his way to James Madison this year, where he's already made a mark for the Dukes in his sixth year of college football. In his debut, he tied the record for most passing touchdowns in a game with six, and his win over Appalachian State (down 28-3) is one of the greatest comebacks in years. JMU travels to Arkansas State on Saturday night. 

This is a huge week for Kansas football. The undefeated Jayhawks -- the Big 12 leading Jayhawks -- will be host for ESPN's College Gameday for the first time as they take on a TCU team that just destroyed Oklahoma. While Jalon Daniels didn't have a great game last week against Iowa State (just 14 pass attempts and 93 yards), he is the leader of this Kansas team and the face of the program. He's dangerous with his arm and legs -- he's had three games of 85 yards or more rushing and has run for a TD in four of five games. 

Arizona has had a rollercoaster season, and quarterback Jayden de Laura has been a big part of those ups and downs. In the Wildcats' three wins, the Washington State transfer has thrown 11 touchdowns and one interception. In their two losses, he's thrown 3 TDs and 5 picks. In any event, he's been letting the football fly -- last week, he threw for 484 yards and an Arizona single-game record-tying 6 touchdowns in a win over Colorado. Arizona welcomes Oregon down to Tuscon on Saturday. Last season, de Laura threw for 280 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 picks in a loss to the Ducks. 

What a week for Max Duggan. The Horned Frogs' QB threw for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushed for 116 yards and 2 TDs in a huge win over Oklahoma last week. Remember that Duggan wasn't even named the starter when the season began -- new head coach Sonny Dykes named Chandler Morris the opening day starter. When Morris got injured in the opener against Colorado, Duggan took full advantage of his opportunity. Sure, tossing 390 yards and 5 touchdowns against Tarleton is impressive, but throwing for 278 yards and 3 TDs against Dykes' old team, SMU, showed that Duggan could really be the guy. Last week's performance against Oklahoma has the nation on notice. Now TCU heads to Kansas for ... get this ... the football game of the week. 

With Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young injured, Nick Saban leaned on running back Jahmyr Gibbs in their win over Arkansas. Two of those runs were huge -- a 72-yard TD run in the 4th quarter to put distance between the TIde and the Razorbacks and then a 76-yard TD run to close out the game. If backup QB Jalen Milroe has to start this week against Texas A&M (um, the Saban-Fisher showdown), expect the Crimson Tide to be more of a ball-control team and for Gibbs to get a lot of touches. 

After a wild overtime over Wake Forest in Week 4, Clemson's defense was the story of their win over NC State last week. The ascension of K.J. Henry has been key to Clemson's attempt to reclaim the ACC. He was a big-time recruit who has been a solid contributor for four seasons but has now, in his senior season, really taken the reigns of this defense and become a leader. He flies all over the place, knows where everyone needs to be and is able to sniff out plays (he was key in helping stop all those Wolfpack screens last week). He's also someone to root for. He used the new NIL rules to hold a Clemson players' autograph session to raise money for his father (who needed a kidney transplant) to help pay his medical bills. Henry is a guy we can celebrate on and off the field. Clemson takes on Boston College on Saturday. 

Hedon Hooker has been outstanding this season. He's thrown for 1,193 yards, 8 touchdowns, no picks, and coming off a sparkling day against Florida two weeks ago. He completed 22 of 28 passes for 349 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 112 rushing yards, and a rushing TD in the huge win over the Gators and has become a buzzworthy Heisman contender. This week the Vols head to LSU to go up against a very underrated defense. If Tennessee can leave Baton Rouge with a win, it will set up a huge showdown with Alabama next week. 

UNLV has been one of the nice stories of the season. After going 2-16 in their last two seasons, the Rebels are 4-1 in 2022 and are averaging 43.8 ppg in their wins. Running back Aidan Robbins has been UNLV's workhorse, averaging nearly 27 carries over their last three games and rushing for 506 yards and 8 TDs for the season. Robbins carried the ball just seven times over two years with Louisville before transferring to Las Vegas and replacing the Rebs' all-time leading rusher, Charles Williams. UNLV plays at San Jose State for a key Mountain West West Division showdown on Friday night. 

Well, the Red River Rivalry is back, but it doesn't have the weight it typically carries. Oklahoma is coming in with a two-game losing streak, and their quarterback Dillon Gabriel was knocked out of their blowout loss to TCU. Texas did win last week against West Virginia, and quarterback Quinn Ewers could be back after missing a few games with a shoulder injury. So expect running back Bijan Robinson to be the Longhorns' focal point in Dallas. Robinson has piled up three straight 100-yard games and has scored a touchdown in all five Horns' games. In last year's shootout, he rushed for 137 yards and a TD. Oklahoma gave up 361 rushing yards to TCU last week. 

Many names get mentioned when talking about the SEC's top quarterbacks before you get to Mississippi State's Will Rogers, but people need to take notice. He's third in the nation with 1,715 passing yards and tied for the nation's lead with 19 touchdowns. He was outstanding last week in an upset win over Texas A&M, throwing for 329 yards and 3 TDs ... making it 9 touchdown passes over the past two games. Per usual in the SEC West, the Bulldogs have another tough matchup this week as they host reeling Arkansas. 

Scott makes things happen. Last week against Tulsa, Scott caught a 61-yard touchdown pass in the 1st quarter to give the Bearcats a lead they'd never relinquish. In their Week 4 win over Indiana, he caught 10 passes for 185 yards and 3 TDs -- one for 75 yards, one for 34 yards, and one that went for 32 yards. The week before that, he caught a 41-yard TD pass against rival Miami-OH. He's nearly passed all of his career-high stats from last season as Cincinnati attempts to repeat as AAC champs. Up next is last place South Florida. 

The Wolfpack suffered a tough loss at Clemson last week but must regroup to face another tough Atlantic Division opponent in Florida State. It is clear that when NC State quarterback Devin Leary needs to make a play, he looks at senior receiver Thayer Thomas. In Week 4 against UConn, Thomas caught a 75-yard touchdown pass to open the game and set the tone for a dominating win. In the loss to Clemson last week, Leary looked for Thomas for key conversions and to try to get back in the game. He's a physical receiver that is fantastic at finding holes in defenses and is steadily climbing NC State's impressive receiving record books. Expect Thomas to have a big game against the Seminoles.

We've been waiting five years for Dorian Thompson-Robinson to lift UCLA back to the top of the Pac-12, and it seems as if our patience is paying off. DTR has the Bruins 5-0 entering a huge showdown with Utah this Saturday, and his touchdown run last week has gone viral. In that win over Washington, Thompson-Robinson did it all. He threw for 315 yards and 3 TDs while also rushing for 53 yards and that juke-'em-'til-they-crash-into-each-other score. He's shown signs of being this kind of player since arriving in Westwood, but it all seems to be clicking now. Again, UCLA hosts Utah in a major Pac-12 showdown.

The scary thing about the Buckeyes is that they've not really had their full offense available to them this season. Running back Miyan Williams has certainly taken advantage of the opportunities presented to him. After a bruising 4th quarter to close out Notre Dame in the opener, he's been nearly unstoppable over the last two games. Two weeks ago, he ran for 101 yards, and 2 touchdowns on just 11 carries in a win over Wisconsin ... then followed that up with 189 yards and 5 TDs against Rutgers. That five-touchdown effort tied Pete Johnson and Keith Byars for the Ohio State single-game record. His numbers will most certainly go down when TreVeyon Henderson gets healthy, but there's no denying the impact the physical Williams has on this offense. The Buckeyes travel north to face Michigan State on Saturday.