Week 1 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 1:

CB – MJ Devonshire – Pittsburgh

Pitt and West Virginia met in the Backyard Brawl for the first time since 2011. The Panthers won an exciting game 38 – 31 and Devonshire was responsible for the biggest play of the game. With the game tied at 31 and West Virginia taking over after Pitt just tied the game. Devonshire was the beneficiary of a dropped pass that popped up in the air, he corralled the interception and hit the turbo, weaving along the sideline for a 56 yards touchdown return that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. He may have made the biggest play of the game, but it was not the only play Devonshire made. He only had two tackles but was responsible for two more pass breakups in addition to that critical interception and return. In a game that showcased all there is to love about college football, Devonshire shined bright.

Pitt Panthers Gear

DE – Jacoby Windmon- Michigan State

Michigan State started their season with a 35 – 13 win over Western Michigan, in a game that featured several big plays by the Spartans. Several of those plays were made by Jacoby Windmon. Michigan State has made a habit of adding impact transfers to the roster, Windmon looks to be another such addition from UNLV. He was a force rushing the passer, proving to be too much for the Western Michigan offensive line to handle. Windmon made an impact on run defense in the second quarter but began to do damage as a pass rusher later in the game. He recorded his first sack on third down late in the third quarter, which was just foreshadowing for a bigger fourth quarter. Windmon recorded a sack on each of Western Michigan’s three fourth quarter drives, helping the Spartans pull away and secure the win. He finished with 7 tackles, 4 sacks and a fumble forced in an impressive debut with Michigan State.

Michigan State Spartans Gear

QB – Stetson Bennett – Georgia

Despite quarterbacking Georgia to a national championship last season, Stetson Bennett doesn’t get the notoriety other top quarterbacks do. That may be changing after his magnificent performance in Georgia’s 49 – 3 shellacking of Oregon this week. Bennett was on fire from the word go in the highly anticipated match-up. He made good decisions, was accurate with the football and made plays with his feet. He even played magician in the red-zone, scrambling away from pressure and avoiding a near sack before finding an open receiver for the touchdown that essentially put the game away at 28 – 3. Bennett finished the game 25 of 31 for 368 yards with 2 touchdown passes and no interceptions, while also carrying the ball 2 times for 8 yards and another touchdown. Bennett picked apart the Oregon defense and showed he is a star in his own right.

WR – Jacob Cowing – Arizona

Arizona opened their 2022 season with a 38 – 20 win over a San Diego State team that went 12 – 2 a year ago. Jacob Cowing was a key spark for the Wildcats’ offense, making several big plays to propel his team to a win. He scored the first touchdown of the game when he caught an out route and accelerated past the defender along the sideline for the score. Cowing would tack on two more scores later, helping Arizona pull away for the win. He was open all game and did a good job of picking up yardage after the catch. For the game, Cowing made 8 catches for 152 yards with 3 touchdowns. It was an impressive start to the season for the transfer from UTEP.

Arizona Wildcats Gear

DT – Mike Hall – Ohio State

Ohio State gutted out a physical 21 – 10 win over Notre Dame on Saturday night, led by the strong play of their defense. Hall was a force on the defensive line for the Buckeyes, disrupting plays throughout the game and keeping Notre Dame’s offense out of sync. He started on the first drive of the game. After a long pass and a 15 yard penalty the Irish were in business. Hall made a tackle for short gain on the ensuing first down run and then blew by his blocker for a tackle for loss on the second down run, forcing a third down and eventual field goal. He also effectively finished the game with a third down sack of Tyler Buchner on Notre Dame’s last possession. Hall proved too much for a good Notre Dame offensive line, tallying 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss. 1 sack and 1 QB Hurry on the evening. This was the first significant game action of Hall’s carer and the sophomore did not disappoint.

Ohio State Buckeyes Gear

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