Week 9: Football Players of the Week

OFFENSE
Nick Fitzgerald, QB, Mississippi State

• Fitzgerald accounted for 329 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, including a career-long, game-clinching 76-yard TD run with 2:17 to play, as Mississippi State knocked off No. 16 Texas A&M, 28-13.
• Fitzgerald threw for a season-best 241 yards on 14-of-22 passing and two touchdowns through the air. The passing yards output was his best in an SEC game since throwing for 328 on Nov. 19, 2016 as a sophomore against Arkansas.
• Fitzgerald rushed for 88 yards and two scores against an Aggie defense that led the SEC and ranked fourth nationally against the run. In the process, Fitzgerald tied the MSU career record for rushing scores with 42, matching running back Anthony Dixon (2006-09).
• Fitzgerald threw touchdown passes of 25 and 38 yards, and he fired a career-long 84-yard pass to Stephen Guidry on a 3rd-and-21 that set up one of his rushing scores in the fourth quarter.

Jacob Fromm, QB, Georgia

• Went 17-for-24 for 240 yards and three touchdowns, which tied his career high, to stay perfect against the #9 Gators.
• Fromm, who had no interceptions in the matchup, connected on all three of his touchdowns on third downs for 16, 12 and 24 yards.
• Directed an offense that piled up 429 yards against Florida's respected defense and connected with seven different receivers, including leading receiver TE Isaac Nauta for five catches for 73 yards.

DEFENSE
Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky

• Totaled a career-high 11 tackles, including two quarterback sacks (-17 yards), in Kentucky's 15-14 win at Missouri
• Both of his sacks came in the second half and also caused fumbles
• Spearheaded an incredible team defensive effort
• Did now allow Missouri a first down during the entire second half, eight straight three-and-outs, making it possible for UK's comeback victory
• Limited Missouri to 14 points - 24.6 below the team average of 38.6
• Limited Missouri to 249 yards total offense - 252.1 below the team average of 501.1
• Leads the SEC and ranks in the top three nationally in sacks, tackles for loss and fumbles caused
• Moved into second place in school history in career sacks with 24.5 and career tackles for loss with 34
• Also named National Defensive Player of the Week by the Walter Camp Football Foundation

SPECIAL TEAMS
Lynn Bowden, PR, Kentucky

• On the first punt return of his collegiate career, he zipped 67 yards for a touchdown
• Trailing 14-3 in the fourth quarter, his punt return with 5:18 remaining sparked the comeback for UK's eventual 15-14 win at Missouri
• Set career highs on offense with 13 pass receptions (second-most in school history) for 166 receiving yards (ninth-most in school history), including two catches on UK's game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter
• Totaled a career-high 229 all-purpose yards
• His punt return TD was UK's first vs. an SEC opponent in 15 years

FRESHMAN
Dylan Wonnum, OL, South Carolina

• True freshman Dylan Wonnum made his first career start in the 27-24 win over Tennessee.
• He graded out at 71 percent and did especially well in the run game, which saw Carolina ground out 224 yards and a 5.6-yard average.
• The 224 yards rushing was the second-most in the Will Muschamp era against Power 5 schools.
• Wonnum became the first true freshman to start on the offensive line since Mike Matulis in 2011.
• With Dylan starting at right tackle and D.J. Wonnum starting at Buck, they became the first set of brothers to start for Carolina since the 2014 season when Gerald Dixon and Gerald Dixon Jr. were starters along the defensive line.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Justin Skule, OT, Vanderbilt

• A three-year starter on the Commodore offensive front, Skule had a pivotal blocking role in three Vanderbilt's four rushing touchdowns in a 45-31 road win at Arkansas Saturday.
• While earning a winning block grade playing 72 offensive snaps, Skule also contributed two pancake blocks and allowed zero hurries or sacks of VU quarterback Kyle Shurmur.
• Skule had key blocks on all three of Ke'Shawn Vaughn's rushing touchdowns. Vaughn ended the game with 172 rushing yards, the most by a Commodore in SEC play since Lew Thomas ran for 173 yards versus Auburn in 2001.
• In the win over Arkansas, the VU offensive attack produced 442 total yards, 250 rushing yards and the team's highest point production in a SEC road game since 1971.

DEFENSIVE LINE
D.J. Wonnum, DL, South Carolina

• Junior defensive end D.J. Wonnum returned to the lineup 27-24 win over Tennessee and made his presence felt with a pair of sacks, including one in the waning minutes to seal the victory.
• It was Wonnum's first appearance since the season opener, as he left that contest with a foot injury and had not played since.