Take a bow: The On3 conference players of the week for Week 1

Here are the On3 players of the week for Week One of the 2022 season. Each week, we pick players of the week in each Power 5 conference as well as an overall Group of 5 player of the week.

Everything being equal, more weight is given to big performances against “good” opponents.

ACC

QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
The buzz: Maye, a redshirt freshman, rolled up 428 total yards and accounted for five touchdowns as the Tar Heels outlasted host Appalachian State 63-61. Maye was 24-of-36 for 352 yards and four TDs and also rushed for 76 yards and a score. One of his TD passes came in the fourth quarter, which saw the teams combine for nine touchdowns. Maye also threw a TD pass in the first quarter and two in the second; his rushing touchdown came in the third period. He has nine TD passes and zero interceptions in two games.

Big Ten

LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
The buzz: Ohio State’s defense was stifling in its 21-10 victory over Notre Dame. The Buckeyes, who were gashed often last season, allowed just 253 total yards – and 54 came on Notre Dame’s first play. Eichenberg, a third-year sophomore, stood out. He had nine tackles and three tackles for loss, including two sacks; they were the first two sacks of his career.

Big 12

QB Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State
The buzz: Oklahoma State won with defense last season. Maybe the offense will do more heavy lifting this season. Sanders was up to the task against Central Michigan, accounting for six touchdowns in a 58-44 victory. To be fair to the defense, Sanders had helped the Cowboys to a 51-15 lead before CMU had a big fourth quarter. Sanders, a senior, threw for a career-high 406 yards and four TDs, and he rushed for 57 yards and two more scores; the two rushing scores were a career-high, too.

Pac-12

WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona
The buzz: Cowing, a junior transfer from UTEP, had a memorable first game for the Wildcats. He had eight catches for 152 yards (19.0 per reception) and three TDs – with three receptions of at least 30 yards – as the Wildcats pounded San Diego State 38-20. His performance helped Arizona win its opener for the first time since 2017. In addition, the Wildcats matched their win total from last season. Cowing had a TD reception in each of the first three quarters.

SEC

QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia
The buzz: Bennett, a senior, threw for a career-high 368 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs eviscerated Oregon 49-3. Bennett finished 25-of-31 against the Ducks – the completions were the second-most in his career – and he also rushed for a score. Bennett guided the Bulldogs to touchdowns on each of their first seven possessions.

Group of 5

QB Chase Brice, Appalachian State
The buzz: Brice set a school single-game record with six TD passes in the Mountaineers’ 63-61 loss to North Carolina, with four coming in App State’s incredible 40-point fourth quarter. Brice threw two touchdown passes in a 22-second span in the fourth period, including one with nine seconds left; his rushing attempt on what would have been the game-tying 2-pointer failed. He finished 25-of-37 for 376 yards.