The Official Website of the Southeastern Conference
The Official Website of the Southeastern Conference

Week 10: Football Players of the Week

2099 days ago
SEC Staff
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.