What a weekend! We think Georgia and Alabama are done scoring for now. Last week, we had an entertaining and eye-popping performance in Tuscaloosa that gave us two new names on our list. Our #1 from last week’s Heisman poll stumbled in Oxford. The Group of Five representatives continues to feast on the former Pac-12 members and climb our polls. Our new #1 this week continues to do a little of everything. We will continue to track whose stock is rising and whose stock is falling in our Week 5 Heisman poll. We are just left with one question before we get to the poll; can our Week 5 Heisman Honorable Mention hit the jackpot on a new NIL deal?
Strike the Pose: Week 5 Heisman Poll
Honorable Mention: Hajj-Malik Williams, QB, UNLV
UNLV was in the news a lot last week. Between rumors of leaving for the Pac-12 (7?) and quarterback Matthew Sluka opting to sit out the rest of the 2024 college football season after not receiving a $100,000 NIL name, image, and likeness payment, last week might have seemed like a month. It was a lot of distraction, but Sluka’s replacement put in a Heisman-worth performance last week. The senior from Atlanta went 13 for 16 for 182 yards and three touchdowns through the air. He also had 12 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown. Williams helped lead the Rebels over Fresno State 59-14. Hats off to the UNLV social media team that left no doubt that Williams was their guy going forward this season.
#5 Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide (NR)
Did you know that Ryan Williams is just 17 years old? Before you hit the comments, let’s take a moment to appreciate Williams’s performance on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. The Freshman was dynamic and arguably the best player on the field. He disrupted Georgia’s comeback with his acrobatic 75-yard touchdown with just over two minutes remaining to seal the game for the Tide. After the game, Williams said he was just “doing his part.” “I just had to do my part in helping us finish that game,” he said. “We’d come too far. Somebody had to make a play.” If you rewatch the video, you will see that Williams catches the ball with 2:26 remaining in the game. Somewhere, DeVonta Smith and Tua Tagovailoa are smiling.
ABSOLUTE SCENES IN TUSCALOOSA!!!
RYAN WILLIAMS WITH A 75-YARD TD TO RETAKE THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/pvc9ML7E7G
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 29, 2024
#5 Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss (⬇️ 4)
Jaxson Dart and the Rebels stumbled at home on Saturday in their opening SEC game against Kentucky. The Rebel defense held strong, but Dart and the offense had trouble getting going all day. Things started well, with Ole Miss scoring on its first drive. It was tough sledding after that. Dart finished 18-for-27 passing with 261 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. This week Dart and the Rebels will head to Columbia to take on the Gamecocks.
#4 Cam Ward, QB, Miami Hurricanes (⬇️ 2)
Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good. Unlike Dart, Cam Ward guided his team through a shaky performance and pulled out the victory on Friday night. Ward showed off his right arm, finishing the day 24 for 38 for 343 yards and four touchdowns but throwing two interceptions. Ward led the game-winning drive and completed a 1-yard pass to Isiah Horton at 1:57 to put the Hurricanes ahead. War and Miami head west to Berkley to take on Cal in ACC action this weekend.
#3 Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama Crimson Tide (NR)
No player got higher praise this weekend than Jalen Milroe did from Georgia’s Kirby Smart. Smart told Holly Rowe at halftime that Milroe was the reason why the Tide was able to build up a 30-7 halftime lead. “Alabama has been really explosive tonight,” Smart said, “we’ve had no answer for Milroe; he’s a great athlete, a phenomenal athlete, we’ve struggled to tackle him, we don’t have the edges. They’ve done a really good job throwing with him out of empty, and that’s been new.”
Milroe could seemingly do no wrong running and throwing Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. He finished the game 27 for 33 for 374 yards, two touchdowns throwing, two more running, and had an interception that bounced off his receiver’s hands. The only thing missing Saturday night was Milroe looking into the camera saying “Roll Tide” in his interview with Jenny Dell of CBS. (ABC has been nice, but this writer still misses the SEC on CBS.)
Jalen Milroe is the #2 most efficient passer in the country after this weekend, with a passer rating of 204.67. pic.twitter.com/iRZyNSyPX1
— Sidelines – Bama (@SSN_Alabama) September 30, 2024
#2 Ashton Jeanty, RB, Bosie State Broncos (⬆️ 2)
What will Ashton Jeanty do next? The junior had another big day against a former Pac-12 opponent as he rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns on the day. Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson had high praise about what makes Jeanty so special for the Broncos. “He was relentless,” Danielson said. “Talk about a guy who puts his team on his back, loves this team, and will find a way to score because that’s what the team needs — that’s Ashton. When your best players are your hardest workers, you’ve always got a shot.” Jeanty has helped put Boise State in prime position to secure the Group of Five Champion playoff bid.
#1 Travis Hunter, ATH, Colorado Buffaloes (⬆️ 2)
Travis Hunter finally made it to the top of our weekly Heisman poll. He put together another star-studded performance on both sides of the ball Saturday at the Bounce House in Orlando. Hunter led the Buffaloes in receiving with nine catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, he grabbed his second interception of the season helping the Buffaloes improve to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12. The more the Buffaloes continue to win the more the national media will keep their focus on them and increase the likeliness of Hunter staying top of mind come December.
