by Commish: Ollie Gordon II – RB, Oklahoma State
The Pokes got a huge conference win over Kansas to improve to 4-2 on the season and Gordon was elite. The sophomore tailback was the hot button on offense, racking up a career-high 168 yards on the ground and catching six passes for a career-high 116 yards (two total TD). He became the first Okie State player since 1989 to have at least 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game.
Dom: Michael Penix – QB, Washington
As the President of the Gameday Journal Michael Penix Fan Club, it would be an impeachable offense to not have Penix as my P5 Player of the Week after Saturday’s win against Oregon. Penix led Washington on a lightning-quick two-play game winning drive that was capped off with a strike to Rome Odunze in the end zone. A go-ahead touchdown in arguably the toughest game on Washington’s schedule should be enough alone to earn my Player of the Week vote; but he also put together a complete game, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns on the day. Penix led Washington to a statement win that put them in the driver’s seat to a Playoff berth later this season.
Clay: Rome Odunze – WR, Washington
Can you say, “Biletnikoff?” Big-time players show up when it matters most and Odunze did just that against rival Oregon, posting a line of 8 catches for 128 yards and two tuddies. He played a pivotal role in a crucial playoff-seeding game.
Snade: Eric Ayomanor, WR – Stanford
The Stanford Cardinal pulled off an improbable 46-43, 2OT win in Boulder after trailing 29-0 at half in what was easily the largest comeback in school history. Ayomanor made some history of his own, setting a school-record 294 receiving yards to go along with 13 catches and three touchdowns, including a highlight reel TD catch over Travis Hunter in OT.
KKarp: Daequan Hardy, CB – Penn State
Penn State steam-rolled UMASS 63-0 as expected, but Hardy’s performance as a return man was too good to go unrecognized. On his first career punt return, the senior CB took the ball 56 yards to the house. Two quarters later, Hardy added a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown to become the second Big Ten player and first Nittany Lion in school history to have multiple punt return touchdowns in one game.
Honorable Mentions:
- Xavier Watts – S, Notre Dame
- Tez Walker – WR, North Carolina
- Travis Hunter – ATH, Colorado
- Antwaun Powell-Ryland – DE, Virginia Tech
- Ashton Daniels – QB, Stanford
- Graham Mertz – QB, Florida
Be sure to cast your vote for Gameday Journal Power Five Player of the Week below!