Kirk Herbstreit reveals top performing players from Week 7

After an exciting Week 7, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit has revealed his top-performing players from this past weekend’s college football slate.

Listing eight players across six programs, as well as a team’s entire defense — here’s who made his list this week:

Elic Ayomanor, Stanford

Stanford‘s double-overtime comeback victory against Colorado on Friday night will be remembered by most as the game where the Buffaloes blew a 29-point lead. On Stanford’s side — it’s the Elic Ayomanor game.

The sophomore wideout posted 13 receptions for 294 yards and three touchdowns en route to the upset victory. The game more than doubled his season totals on the year and is now sixth-best in the Pac-12 in receiving yards.

Michael Penix and Rome Odunze, Washington

Washington capped off its signature win of the season against Oregon with a touchdown from Michael Penix Jr. to Rome Odunze during the final minutes of regulation.

The duo combined for eight receptions, 128 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon. Penix, however, went on to throw for his lowest mark of the season with 302 yards and four touchdowns. Which puts into perspective how monsterous Penix’s season has been to this point.

The entire Notre Dame defense

Being the first team in college football to pick off Caleb Williams three times during a single game deserves some credit, and Herbstreit is willing to give it.

Defeating USC 48-20, the Notre Dame defense held Williams to under 200 passing yards and just over 100 rushing yards on the afternoon. Questions about how the Irish defense would fare against the regining Heisman Trophy winner were answered and then some during the blowout victory.

Landon Jackson, Arkansas

Arkansas might have lost to Alabama 24-21, but Landon Jackson was unstoppable for the Razorbacks over the weekend. Jackson totaled 3.5 sacks and led the team with 11 tackles on the afternoon. Hs team would total five tackles for loss on the afternoon.

While the Crimson Tide offense went on to put up 415 yards and score three touchdowns, Jackson’s performance, in part, is what kept the Hogs in the game.

Omarion Hampton and Tez Walker, North Carolina

The wait for Tez Walker was well worth it after his performance against Miami this past weekend. Half of his receptions went for touchdowns and covered 132 total yards en route to a 41-31 North Carolina victory.

Teammate and running back Omarion Hampton was just as impressive. He rushed for 197 yards and two total touchdowns. Now, UNC is 6-0 ranked in the top ten in the latest AP Top 25 poll.

Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech

12 tackles, four sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. Those types of stats are typically reserved for a late-night Madden 24 session. Virginia Tech DL Antwaun Powell-Ryland turned those numbers into reality over the weekend against Wake Forest.

The Hokies have now won two of their last three games after beginning the season 1-3.

Josh Hoover, TCU

TCU partied like it was 2022 on Saturday following the Horned Frogs’ 44-11 victory over BYU. Quarterback Josh Hoover was tasked with throwing the ball 58 times, where he completed 37 of his attempets for 438 yards, four touchdowns and two interception.

The win snapped a two-game skid for TCU, and the Horned Frogs look to piece together a more positive streak when they face Texas Tech this weekend.