Week 10: Football Players of the Week
Photo: SEC
OFFENSE
Nick Fitzgerald, QB, Mississippi State
- Fitzgerald guided MSU to its first victory over a Top-5 ranked team since 2014, accounting for four touchdowns and 391 yards of total offense as the Bulldogs defeated No. 4 Texas A&M, 35-28.
- Fitzgerald became just the third SEC quarterback in the last 20 years to pass for over 200 yards and rush for over 175 yards in a game, joining Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel.
- Fitzgerald was 18-of-31 for 209 yards and two scores through the air. He went over the 100-yard rushing mark for the third straight game, carrying it 20 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
- He is now tied for second nationally among QBs in 100-yard rushing games and second among all players in the SEC (5).
- He averaged 9.1 yards per carry against the Aggies. Fitzgerald's gutsy 4-yard TD run carrying defenders proved to be the difference.
Rawleigh Williams III, RB, Arkansas
- Arkansas improved to 5-0 this season when Williams rushes for over 100 yards.
- Williams' 148 yards rushing were the most by a single player against Florida this season while his 41-yard touchdown run was the longest TD run against the Gators.
- Marked the seventh time this season he's rushed for 75+ yards in a game.
- Third time this season he's rushed 25 times or more in a game and leads the SEC with 179 attempts on the season.
- Broke four runs of 10 yards or more, highlighted by the 41-yard run which was the longest touchdown run of his career.
- Moved up to second in the SEC in rushing yards with 955, which ranks 20th nationally and seventh among power 5 players.
- His six rushing first downs against Florida brought his season total to 44, good for fourth in the SEC.
DEFENSE
Ryan Anderson, LB, Alabama
- Recorded six total tackles as the Crimson Tide thwarted the LSU offense, surrendering just 125 total yards, including just 25 yards in the second half and only 33 yards rushing.
- He notched two half sacks for a loss of four yards and batted down one pass.
- Was credited with one quarterback hurry in the game while finishing with four total pressures from the Alabama coaching staff.
- His one tackle for loss increased his team-leading total to 12.5 on the season (-65 yards)
- Helped the defense hold LSU to just 1.2 yards per carry on the ground, 3.8 yards per attempt and forced a 3-and-out on nine of the Tigers 12 possessions.
SPECIAL TEAMS
JK Scott, P, Alabama
- The junior punter averaged 51.6 yards per kick on his five punts (258 yards) and constantly flipped the field position for the Crimson Tide in a 10-0 win at No. 13 LSU.
- He booted a long of 66 yards with four of his five punts going for 50 yards or more.
- Netted 44.4 yards on his five kicks with two punts pinned inside the Tigers' 15-yard line, including 54-yard punt in the third quarter that was fielded and dropped at the LSU 3-yard line.
- Three of his punts were returned for a mere 16 yards (5.3 ypr) with two fielded inside the LSU 10-yard line.
Rodrigo Blankenship, PK, Georgia
- Set career-highs by going 4-for-4 on field goals (25, 42, career long 49, 25) and tallying 13 total points, including a game-winner from 25 yards out as time expired to top Kentucky 27-24 in Lexington.
- He is now 9-for-10 on the year and has connected on his last eight in a row.
- Blankenship became the first Bulldog to hit a game-winning field goal since Marshall Morgan against Missouri last year in a 9-6 victory in Athens and the last Bulldog to do it to end the game since Blair Walsh hit a 37 yarder against Arizona State in 2009.
- Blankenship's four field goals was the most by a Bulldog since Morgan against Nebraska in the 2014 TaxSlayer Bowl.
FRESHMAN
Jake Bentley, QB, South Carolina
- The true freshman, making his third career start, had his best game thus far, leading the Gamecocks to a 31-21 win over Missouri.
- Bentley completed 22-of-28 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
- In three games, Bentley has completed 73 percent of his passes for 622 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions, helping Carolina to three-straight wins.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Lewis Neal, DE, LSU
- Registered a career-high 11 tackles, including a tackle for a 1-yard loss and 2 QB hurries, in 10-0 loss to top-ranked Alabama.
- The Tigers held to season lows for points (10), total yards (323), and passing yards (106) in the loss.
- LSU became first team to hold Alabama scoreless in the first half since 2007 (vs. Florida State).
- LSU and Alabama also became the first FBS game this year to enter fourth quarter scoreless ... The 10 points were also the fewest for Alabama since a 9-6 overtime loss to LSU in 2011 and it was the fewest points by the Crimson Tide in a win under Nick Saban (since 2007).
- In 8 games, LSU's defense has allowed just 9 touchdowns.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
- Rankin had one of the most dominant games by an MSU offensive lineman this season, grading out a champion against one of the elite defensive lines in the nation as MSU defeated No. 4 Texas A&M.
- He recorded three knockdowns and MSU gave up zero sacks as a team. It was the first time this season that A&M did not record a sack and first since Nov. 7, 2015 vs. Auburn.
- He paved the way as the Bulldogs racked up a season-best 365 yards rushing, their highest rushing total since recording 409 vs. Houston on Oct. 9, 2010.
- It was the highest rushing total against an SEC team by MSU since tallying 390 vs. Kentucky on Oct. 29, 1994.