Even on a weekend with only one ranked-versus-ranked matchup, Week 13 of the college football season delivered plenty of exciting games, highlight plays and stunning performances for fans to enjoy.
It started early this week with one of the better rushing performances we’ve seen from a running back this month. The big game set the tone for the entire weekend with some outstanding outings by some phenomenal runners.
Of course, Saturday didn’t lack for star players giving fans award-worthy performances. A few Heisman Trophy hopefuls on both sides of the ball shined and led their teams to victory.
Here are the 15 most jaw-dropping performances from Week 13 of the college football season.
Jaret Patterson, running back, Buffalo Bulls
After suffering a close loss to Kent State, Buffalo needed to rebound this week to maintain a shot at bowl eligibility. So, head coach Lance Leipold turned to one of the nation’s leading rushers. Surprisingly, Patterson’s dominant night didn’t just come in the running game.
Of course, Patterson also starred as the workhorse in Buffalo’s offense in a high-scoring game. He racked up 32 carries, his third consecutive game with 30-plus attempts, for a season-high 192 rushing yards and four touchdowns. The sophomore also hauled in three receptions for 35 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown, picking up a win with 227 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns.
Xavier McKinney, safety, Alabama Crimson Tide
When one star player goes down, another needs to step up. That’s what we witnessed from Alabama’s outstanding safety. McKinney didn’t even need to play very long to make his impact either. He recorded two interceptions in the first quarter, including an 81-yard, pick-six. McKinney added a forced fumble in the second quarter before resting in the second half as the Crimson Tide rolled to a 66-3 victory.
Aidan Borguet, running back, Harvard Crimson
One of the best rivalry games in sports produced one of the best running performances in 2019. Borguet introduced himself to the Harvard-Yale rivalry with an absurd debut. The freshman received 10 carries and generated 264 rushing yards with four 45-plus yard touchdowns. While Harvard didn’t get the victory, Borguet will experience them in future seasons.
Caleb Huntley, running back, Ball State Cardinals
Saturday’s Ball State-Kent State clash put on a fireworks show for all to enjoy. While the Golden Flashes relied on the passing game, the Cardinals turned to Huntley to carry the offense.
The junior dominated touches out of the backfield with 30 carries and made each of them count. After opening the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run, Huntley found the end zone again on a game-tying, 42-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. A 192-yard, two-touchdown performance – not a bad Saturday.
Jackson McChesney, running back, BYU Cougars
Blowouts provide an excellent opportunity for young players to come in and experience the intense speed of college football. McChesney’s biggest chance in his freshman season came Saturday and he proved he’s ready for the competition.
The freshman entered in the second quarter and humiliated UMass. McChesney’s 62-yard run, which showed his elusiveness and lightning speed, capped off a monster day. After coming into Saturday with 46 rushing yards on 10 carries, he ended the day smiling after his 228-yard, two-touchdown game.
Dustin Crum, quarterback, Kent State Golden Flashes
If the Golden Flashes wanted to compete with Ball State’s offense, they needed their junior quarterback to not crumble under pressure. He rose to the occasion in Week 13, especially in the clutch.
Crum’s dual-threat ability caused headaches throughout the game. He recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of the season and picked up a rushing touchdown in the process. Of course, it’s Crum’s arm that won the game. He led an 11-play, 67-yard drive in the final minutes to set up the game-winning field goal, finishing with 369 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Chase Young, defensive end, Ohio State Buckeyes
After serving a two-game suspension, Young returned to the field this weekend and proved he’s the best player in college football. Penn State, foolishly, tried to block him one-on-one and the results were what everyone expected.
He started dominating early with two stunning plays in the backfield to tie Ohio State’s single-season sack record (14). It didn’t take long before he passed it. Young finished the game with three sacks, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. He is simply an unstoppable force and the sport is better when he is playing.
Kedon Slovis, quarterback, USC Trojans
USC is one of the most storied programs in college football, in part, due to legendary quarterback play. Slovis achieved something that no quarterback before him ever did.
On his way to a huge win over UCLA, Slovis set program history twice. He became the first USC quarterback to throw for 400-plus yards in three consecutive games. Slovis then added to his record-setting day by becoming the first Trojan to throw for 500 yards in a game. He finished with 515 passing yards with four touchdowns and has 12 touchdowns and 1,353 passing yards in his last three games.
Jonathan Taylor, running back, Wisconsin Badgers
This is simply one of the best running backs in collegiate history. Even with an inconsistent passing attack that often puts more pressure on Taylor to succeed, he routinely finds ways to deliver monster performances. Of course, it’s fitting that he produced another 200-yard game, the 12th of his career, against Purdue.
Taylor saw a heavy workload on Saturday with 28 carries. While the Boilermakers got into the backfield on a few occasions, he still rushed for 222 yards and a touchdown. One thing is for sure, Purdue will be happy once Taylor heads to the NFL after he posted his third 200-yard game against the Boilermakers.
Malcolm Perry, quarterback, Navy Midshipmen
Navy’s triple-option offense was difficult to stop before Perry arrived on campus. Now that he’s settled in and executing reads and pitches to perfection, it’s nearly impossible to stop.
We’re used to seeing Perry dominate opponents on the ground. He rushed for 195 yards against No. 25 SMU and it’s his legs that won the game on a 70-yard touchdown run. What made this game even better is his passing. Perry finished with 162 passing yards, a touchdown and a 172.7 quarterback rating. It’s rare to see him throw the ball this often, but he excelled in the increased role and got the win.
Jason Huntley, running back, New Mexico State Lobos
On a weekend full of phenomenal stat lines by running backs, Huntley needed to find a way to distinguish himself. So, he went for extreme efficiency and it nearly led him to a 200-yard performance. The 5-foot-10 junior blew past 170 rushing yards midway through the third on seven carries. While he wasn’t quite as efficient in the fourth quarter, Huntley finished with 191 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.
Javian Hawkins, running back, Louisville Cardinals
Head coach Scott Satterfield came to Louisville this offseason hoping to build an exciting offense and to play in a bowl game. Everything is going according to plan and Hawkins deserves plenty of credit.
Louisville decimated Syracuse’s defense. The freshman running back came in with a 1,000-yard season locked up, now he can add a 200-yard game to his resume. Hawkins rushed for 233 yards on 23 carries, while ceding many of the end zone trips to the passing attack. Louisville’s future is bright with Satterfield at the helm and a backfield with Hawkins and quarterback Micale Cunningham.
Shea Patterson, quarterback, Michigan Wolverines
A week after delivering his best game of the season, Patterson surpassed it against Indiana. Despite facing a Hoosiers’ secondary that held opponents to 176.6 passing yards per contest, Michigan’s senior quarterback picked Indiana apart. He threw for 366 passing yards and tied his career high with five touchdown passes.
Patterson is clicking at just the right time and we’re finally seeing Michigan’s offense live up to expectations. Now, can they keep the momentum rolling and pull off the upset next week against Ohio State?
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, running back, LSU Tigers
LSU’s undefeated season began on the shoulders of Joe Burrow. Now that he’s running away with the Heisman Trophy and the Tigers are closing in on a perfect record in the regular season, they’re unleashing Edwards-Helaire.
He put his power, vision and receiving skills on display over the last month with 561 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns on 89 carries. Edwards-Helaire kept his hot streak going against Arkansas. He needed a mere 13 touches to rack up 253 scrimmage yards, including an 89-yard touchdown run, with three touchdowns in three quarters. College football fans deserve to see Burrow and Edwards-Helaire face Justin Fields and J.K. Dobbins in the College Football Playoff.
Jayden Daniels, quarterback, Arizona State Sun Devils
Everyone expected Saturday night’s clash between Oregon and Arizona State to be an NFL showcase for quarterback Justin Herbert. Instead, Daniels left NFL teams hoping for a chance to draft him in a few years.
The freshman looked poised beyond his years against Oregon’s defense. He stood tall in the pocket and unleashed a gorgeous 51-yard touchdown strike in the first quarter. The Ducks kept trying to rattle him and it rarely worked. Daniels stepped up with jaw-dropping dimes and led the Sun Devils to a stunning upset over No. 6 Oregon with a career-high 408 passing yards and three touchdowns. An outstanding performance on the national stage and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Daniels.