I played offensive line for eight seasons in the NFL, and before that I spent my Saturdays in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, blocking for guys who ended up on lists like this one. So when I watch college football now, I watch for the stuff that signaled to me in the huddle whether a guy was for real. I’m picking the 10 players who impressed me most during the previous weekend. Not just the gaudiest stat lines, but the performances that hold up when you turn the tape on. Some weeks, that’ll be a quarterback carving up a defense. Other weeks, it’ll be a lineman you’ve never heard of who didn’t lose a rep all afternoon. I have a soft spot for those guys. Week 7 gave us plenty. Let’s get into it. Bear Bachmeier led BYU to a histroric upset win against Notre Dame this weekend. He threw for 224 yards with a touchdown and interception but what he added on the ground can’t be overlooked. The sophomore signcall caller had 13 rushing attempts for 45 yards and two touchdowns, including an opening drive run that set the tone for BYU’s offensive performance against the Irish defense. Texas Tech dominated Arizona State this weekend. They beat the Sun Devils by almost 30 points and Williams’ rushing ability helped the offense produce these points. He had only 11 carries but rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns. The rushing scorers were both explosive runs. The first went 62 yards and the second went 38. This was the best weekend the Tech offense has had all season. Weigman was so good on Saturday night as the Cougars took another step towards a Big 12 title game appearance. He was 24 of 33 for 343 yards and five touchdowns through the air. He also added 11 carries for 52 yards. Just an all-time gritty performance when it was needed the most. Elijah Brown made his first start as Washington’s quarterback after Demond Williams was injured for their game against Purdue. He was absolutely wonderful on Friday night, throwing 21 completions on 27 pass attempts for 302 yards and three touchdowns. He did throw three interceptions but played well enough for them to win. The Vols defense was stout and disruptive against Alabama Saturday afternoon. Bama’s offense is high-powered machine, but it wasn’t against these Vols defensive lineman. Both Telander and Weathersby had two sacks, accounting for 80% of the team’s sack production. Burgess Jr. had 24 carries for 224 yards against Colorado State on Friday night. He also caught three passes for 52 yards. He is another fantastic performance away from 1000 yards, which is always an incredible feat in FBS play. The Army offense scored 56 points with 481 yards against Florida Atlantic this weekend, and Army’s QB was at the forefront of the production. I love watching his offense work to score points. Hellums had 25 carries for 195 yards and five touchdowns. Just remarkable. Toney literally did it all in a double overtime win for the Canes in a rivalry game. He finished with 11 catches for 154 yards, two receiving scores, two rushes for 31 yards, and he also completed a pass on a massive two-point conversion for Miami. He might be the most dynamic player in college football. Robinson was a massive game-breaker for the Noles, finishing with five catches for 113 yards and two scores. His most impressive play was a 75-yard bomb to tie the game at 28 apiece with just 239 left in the game. While Florida State couldn’t pull off the upset, this kid shined brightly all night. James Madison has had three coaches in the last four years, but that hasn’t mattered when looking at their consistency. After a 12-2 season under Bob Chesney last year, Billy Napier currently has them at 7-0. Much of that has to do with George Pettaway, who rushed for 119 against Georgia State— his fourth straight game with over 100 yards rushing. He currently ranks eighth in FBS, with 767 on the year.
Top-10 CFB Showstoppers From Week 7: Bachmeier And Toney Steal The Show
Oct 20, 2026 | 12:19 AM




