Week 0 Stars

Every week is a new opportunity for college football players to shine. Here’s a look at a few of the stars from week 0:

The Northwestern Offensive Line

Northwestern went to Ireland and started their 2022 campaign with a 31 – 28 win over Nebraska behind the strong play of their offensive line. Peter Skoronski and company controlled the Cornhuskers defensive front all day, helping the Wildcats to control the game. Northwestern quarterback, Ryan Hilinski, was given the time he needed to pick the secondary apart. Nebraska did not have a sack all game and only recorded one quarterback hurry on the day. That kind of protection allows the quarterback to feel comfortable and make good decisions, which Hilinski did all game long. The Wildcats offensive line also paved the way for a consistent running attack that kept the offense on schedule with 214 rushing yards at 4.6 yards per carry. Northwestern was balanced and dominated at the point of attack against what was widely believed to be a good defensive front for Nebraska, setting the tone for an offense that was much improved from 2021.

Northwestern Wildcats Gear

RB – Chase Brown – Illinois

Brown had a good year in 2021, starting this year on our Top 25 RB list, but he was even better in the season opener for 2022. Brown wasted little time making an impact in the 38 – 6 win over Wyoming with a 38 yards run on the first play from scrimmage and a 14 yard touchdown catch on the next play. That was just a taste of things to come, Brown was quick in and out of his cuts and made defenders miss with ease. He ran for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19 carries and caught 3 passes for 16 yards and another touchdown. Illinois won comfortably, but Brown was the main offensive weapon in the game, accounting for more yards from scrimmage than any four other players on his team combined. The explosive running back will be counted on to be a star in 2022 and did not disappoint in the season opener.

Illinois Fighting Illini Gear

QB – Drake Maye – North Carolina

Drake Maye was making the first start of his career against Florida A&M, but showed plenty of promise in the 56 – 24 win. Maye made several big plays for his offense, starting with a 42 yard run that seemed to get the young quarterback and his team on track. After that run, Maye was precise, picking apart the Florida A&M defense and spreading the ball around to all of his weapons, completing passes to ten different receivers and touchdowns to four different players. Maye made some great throws and showed enough mobility to be a threat with his legs. He finished the game with 29 completions on 37 attempts for 294 yards and 5 touchdowns without an interception, while also running for 55 yards on 4 carries. The competition will get tougher as the season moves forward, but Maye played about as well as he could in week 0.

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