Kirk Herbstreit names top player performances from Week 3

There were plenty of great, and unexpectedly close, games last weekend with standout performers. But on Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Kirk Herstreit singled out a few players for going above and beyond in their Week 3 wins. 

Jake Haener: QB, Fresno State

Fresno State’s Jake Haener had a career night in a 40-37 upset win over then-No. 13 UCLA. The Washington transfer finished with a 73.6% completion percentage, 455 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, including the game winning score with 14 seconds left in the game. Haener was sacked three times in the game, and by the final drive he was clearly in pain, limping down the field to complete a 75-yard go-ahead drive which concluded with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Cropper. Clearly, Haener would not be denied the victory.

Sean Clifford: QB, Penn State

Herbstreit was on site to call this game, as Penn State versus Auburn was a Saturday night game following a College Gameday morning in Happy Valley. Clifford completed 28 of his 32 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a 28-20 win over Auburn. The senior posted an 88.6 QBR, the highest of his career against a ranked team.

TreVeyon Henderson: RB, Ohio State

The true freshman running back put on a show in Ohio State’s 41-20 win over Tulsa, carrying the ball 24 times for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Henderson had touchdown runs of two, 48 and 52 yards and broke Archie Griffin’s freshman rushing record of 239 yards, which Griffin set in 1972. If there were any questions about who is RB1 in Columbus, the No. 1 running back in the country out of high school put them to rest in his first career start. 

Jaxson Dart: QB, USC

In another impressive true freshman performance, USC quarterback Jaxson Dart took the field unexpectedly against Washington State when starter Kedon Slovis suffered a neck injury early in the first quarter. The 2020 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year stepped in and led the Trojans to 45 unanswered points en route to a 45-14 victory. He went 30-for-46 with 391 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Additionally, he led the team in rushing with six carries for 32 yards. While Dart suffered a minor knee injury in the game making him day-to-day this week, when he is ready to go again, he will challenge Slovis for one of the most prestigious starting jobs in the country. 

Josh Downs & Ty Chandler: WR & RB, UNC

After a slow start in Blacksburg, the UNC offense has come alive, and two players in particular helped UNC to a 59-39 victory over UVA this weekend. Wide receiver Josh Downs had eight catches for 203 yards and two scores, averaging out to 25.4 yards per catch. Tennessee transfer running back Ty Chandler is already making an impact in Chapel Hill, as he racked up 198 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. The two skill players accounted for 57% of UNC’s yardage.

D.J. Graham: CB, Oklahoma 

D.J. Graham’s single tackle in Oklahoma‘s 23-16 victory over Nebraska does not hop off the page, but he earned his way onto this list with a single play. Graham came up with what will likely be the interception of the year. On 4th and 17 midway through the fourth quarter, Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez took a chance. Graham snatched that chance out of mid-air and made it into a highlight-reel play. Announcers Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt could not believe their eyes. 

Jaylen Warren: RB, Oklahoma State 

The Utah State transfer is already having big impacts in Stillwater. In Saturday’s game against Boise State, Warren carried the ball 32 times for 218 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard score to open Oklahoma State’s scoring. The Cowboys had just 328 yards of total offense, so Warren’s contribution was 66% of the total yardage in the 21-20 win.