There is only one way to describe Week 1 of the 2022 college football season: Colossal!
With so many games to watch, it may be somewhat overwhelming, but it is enjoyable nonetheless. This week, we received numerous impressive individual performances.
Then there were the ones who stood above the rest, who possessed star potential. In what was an incredible week, here are the ones we chose as the top overall performers.
Oklahoma State Quarterback Spencer Sanders
Stats vs. Central Michigan: 28 Completions, 406 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, 57 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns
Simply put, Spencer Sanders played a near-flawless game against Central Michigan. In the process, he made history, joining former Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes as the only players in Big 12 history to register 300 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns in a half. When your name is mentioned with an All-Pro quarterback like Mahomes, you know that you're doing something right. Sanders' senior year has gotten off to a booming start, and it is only going to get better.
Penn State Cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Stats vs. Purdue: 8 Solo tackles, 5 pass breakups, 47.1 reception% allowed, 0 touchdowns allowed
For whatever reason, Purdue continuously threw the ball to Porter Jr.'s side and found out the hard way why he was the wrong cornerback to test. He was the very definition of a shutdown corner in the game, as he forced six incompletions on 17 targets, the most by a Power Five CB since Pro Football Focus started charting College Football in 2014. As it stands, Porter Jr. is the best player in the nation at his position, and one that is destined to be a top pick in next year's NFL Draft if he continues producing in this manner.
Alabama Quarterback Bryce Young
Stats vs. Utah State: 18 Completions, 195 passing yards, 5 passing touchdowns, 100 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
It took less than a quarter for Bryce Young to demonstrate why he is the best quarterback in the nation. When it comes to pre-snap reads, few quarterbacks do it better. When it comes to accuracy and ball placement, Young is levels ahead of everyone else. Utah State's defense unfortunately found out all these things quickly, and the game was essentially over midway through the second quarter. The last player to repeat as a Heisman Trophy winner was Archie Griffin way back in 1974 and 1975. If Young continues to produce performances like he did against the Aggies, it would be hard to deny him as the Heisman favorite.
Georgia Quarterback Stetson Bennett IV
Stats vs. Oregon: 18 Completions, 368 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 80.7 completion%
Oregon had no answers in this game to stop Bennett IV and the Georgia Bulldogs from running wild on them. From the very first offensive sequence, he was efficient and often exploited holes in the Ducks' defense on a consistent basis. Truth be told, this was not a very competitive game at all, and the main reason for that was that one team's quarterback was far better than the other. Last year, Bennett IV was a feel-good story after winning the National Championship. This season, he is a baller who should be taken seriously as a Heisman Trophy contender.
Michigan State Linebacker Jacoby Windmon
Stats vs. Western Michigan: 7 Tackles, 4 sack, 4 tackles for loss, one forced fumble
The transfer out of UNLV showed everyone why he was arguably the best defensive player in the Mountain West conference the last two seasons. There are few defensive players you will see this season that possess his relentless motor, closing speed, and flexibility, which were on full display against Western Michigan. In essence, the Spartans have found a gem in Windmon, and he is just getting started.
Appalachian State Quarterback Chase Brice
Stats vs. North Carolina: 25 Completions, 361 passing yards, 6 touchdowns, 96.2 Completions%
This was a heartbreaker of a game for Appalachian State, who came inches away from tying a game that was seemingly out of reach at one point. Brice did everything you could ask a player to do, as he accounted for 412 total yards and six touchdowns. If it is consolation for App State, they have a bright future with Brice at the helm.
Rest of The Pack
QB Anthony Richardson - Florida
QB Will Rogers - Mississippi State
QB Michael Penix Jr. - Washington
QB Brennan Armstrong - Virginia
RB Anthony Grant - Nebraska
QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson - UCLA
RB Chase Brown - Illinois
QB Mike Wright - Vanderbilt
DL Michael Hall Jr. - Ohio State
LB Tommy Eichenberg - Ohio State
LB Marlowe Wax - Syracuse
DE Barryn Sorrell - Texas
DL Reggie Grimes - Oklahoma
LB Jack Campbell - Iowa
DE Joe Evans - Iowa
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