True Freshman Standouts from Week 13 of College Football

Week 13 of college football saw true freshmen make huge impacts across the national landscape. Two former Five-Star Plus+ prospects starred in upset wins over ranked teams, two true freshman quarterbacks led their teams to wins in league play, two defenders made big impacts in wins and a pair of touted running backs eclipsed the 100-yard mark.

Let’s highlight some true freshmen who stood out in week thirteen of college football.

True Freshman of the Week: WR Cam Coleman – Auburn

Cam Coleman turned in a huge game for Auburn for the second consecutive week. The 6-foot-3, 197-pounder turned in the best game of his career in the Tigers’ thrilling 43-41 four overtime win over No. 15 Texas A&M. Coleman was dominant in the first half. The elite athleticism was on display early in the contest, as the former Five-Star Plus+ prospect torched the Aggie secondary on a vertical route for a 63-yard touchdown – the longest of his young career.

THORNE TO COLEMAN. 63 YARDS. https://t.co/me1iRgQArD pic.twitter.com/zf5rKQbk7U

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) November 24, 2024

Coleman scored again early in the second quarter, getting behind the A&M defense again for an easy touchdown from 15 yards out. The true freshman’s huge first half was instrumental in Auburn racing out to a 21-0 lead to start the game. Coleman, who ranked as On3’s No. 3 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle, finished the game with seven receptions for 128 yards and the two touchdowns. He has combined for 228 receiving yards and five touchdowns over the past two weeks, showing why he was considered to be in the same tier as fellow elite true freshman wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams as a high school prospect.

2. QB DJ Lagway – Florida

DJ Lagway led Florida to another big SEC win, this time against No. 9 Ole Miss. The former Five-Star Plus+ prospect played very well in the 24-17 upset that put a dent in the Rebels’ College Football Playoff hopes. Lagway made his presence felt early in the game, proving tough for the ferocious Ole Miss pass rush to bring down in the pocket. On more than one occasion, the true freshman stepped up in the face of pressure and shrugged off arm tackle attempts while finding open receivers downfield. In the first quarter, Lagway hit Elijah Badger for the game’s first touchdown on an out-breaking route from eight yards out. He later connected with fellow true freshman Jadan Baugh on a perimeter screen that went for Florida’s second touchdown. One of Lagway’s biggest plays of the game came in the fourth quarter, when he hit Chimere Dike on a deep ball that set up the game-deciding score. Lagway completed 10 of 17 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns with one interception (that went off of a Florida receiver’s hands).

The Willis (Texas) High product has had a clear effect on winning early on in his career. So far he’s 3-0 in SEC games that he’s started and finished, with wins over Kentucky, LSU and Ole Miss. The combination of athleticism and tackle-breaking combined with the ability to threaten defenses vertically makes the On3’s No. 2 overall 2024 prospect one of the more exciting young quarterback talents in college football.

3. QB Aaron Philo – Georgia Tech

Aaron Philo had a big night, highlighted by late-game heroics in Georgia Tech’s thrilling 30-29 win over NC State on Thursday. With starting quarterback Haynes King not full strength, the true freshman saw the bulk of the action for the Yellow Jackets and dueld with NC State true freshman quarterback, CJ Bailey. Philo answered the bell, completing 19 of 33 passes for 265 yards in addition to 57 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Athens, Georga native proved to be the difference in the wild back-and-forth game, engineering game-winning drive with under two minutes left, capping it off with an 18-yard touchdown run with 22 seconds remaining. Philo was aggressive in pushing the ball downfield and showed nice mobility throughout the game. Like DJ Lagway, his interception was off the hands of a wide receiver. Philo, who was a prolific passer at Athens (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian will look to carry the momentum into this week in a rivalry matchup against his hometown Georgia Bulldogs.

4. EDGE Colin Simmons – Texas

Colin Simmons continued his dominant true freshman season on Saturday, creating constant disruption in Texas’ 31-14 win over Kentucky. The former Five-Star Plus+ pass rusher finished with two tackles for loss, a sack and six pressures. He was Texas’ highest graded defender and won on 17.6% of his pass rush snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Simmons harassed Kentucky true freshman quarterback Cutter Boley, who was seeing his first extended SEC action of his career. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound pass rusher is now up to seven sacks on the season and is clearly one of the top true freshman in college football, regardless of position.

5. CB Eli Bowen – Oklahoma

Oklahoma came away with its biggest win of the season on Saturday, shutting down Alabama’s offense, en route to a 24-3 win over the No. 7 Crimson Tide. The Sooner defense made Jalen Milroe uncomfortable all evening, limiting the Alabama signal caller to 164 yards and picking him off three times. True freshman corner Eli Bowen played a big role in Oklahoma’s strong defensive effort, picking off Milroe, breaking up a pass and allowing just one reception on five targets, according to Pro Football Focus. Bowen’s interception came on Alabama’s first drive of the second half. The true freshman jumped a screen pass and raced deep into Alabama territory, setting up an Oklahoma touchdown that extended the lead to 17-3. Bowen’s high level instincts, ball skills and tackling ability stood out in the big win on Saturday.

6. QB Dylan Raiola – Nebraska

Dylan Raiola and the Nebraska offense turned in their best outing in weeks en route to a 44-25 win over Nebraska, securing the coveted bowl eligibility in the process. The true freshman signal caller looked comfortable and confident in new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen’s second game as the Nebraska play caller, completing 28 of 38 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown. Raiola looked comfortable and confident as a distributor, particularly in the quick passing game. He was assertive and did a nice job getting the ball out in a timely manner. Raiola’s touchdown pass came right before halftime, as he found Jahmal Banks in the back of the end zone. The touted true freshman was kept clean for much of the game and was not sacked for the first time since September. Raiola and Nebraska will look to carry the momentum into this weekend with a matchup against Iowa.

7. RB Nate Frazier – Georgia

Nate Frazier showed why he was considered to be one of the top running back prospects in the 2024 cycle, turning in a big second half in Georgia’s 59-21 win over UMass. After Carson Beck aired the ball to start the game, the Georgia staff leaned more on Frazier and the ground game in the second half. The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei showed eye-raising burst, looking to move at a different speed than others on the field. Frazier showed outstanding pace and was able to get to the second level and reach the edge with ease. Frazier found the end zone three times in the second half and finished with 136 yards on 21 carries. The 5-foot-10, 210-pounder ranked as the No. 49 overall in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking.

8. RB Jordan Lyle – Miami

Miami leaned on true freshman Jordan Lyle to pull away from a pesky Wake Forest squad in the fourth quarter. The true freshman back ran for 115 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries in the 42-14 win. Miami found itself in a one-score game mid-way through the fourth quarter. The Hurricanes blew the game open in the final minutes, in part due to Lyle’s play. After Wake Forest fumbled a kick return, Lyle ripped of an impressive 18-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to three touchdowns. On the next Miami drive, Lyle bounced off a Wake Forest defender before trucking another Demon Deacon while rumbling for a 61-yard gain. Lyle finished the game with 115 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries with 93 yards after contact, per Pro Football Focus. Lyle, who ranked as On3’s No. 1 running back in the 2024 cycle, is an exciting young talent for Miami who has shown a considerable amount of promise in limited opportunities. We could see the true freshman build on his big fourth quarter performance and Miami has several big contests remaining.