College Football Performers of the Week
By BigLeadSports
Sponsored by The U.S. Marines
By Jason Catania
With the Razorbacks down 35-27 against No. 14 Texas A&M and just over 11 minutes left, Wright outhustled a few Aggies defenders to recover an offensive fumble in the end zone. On the play, QB Tyler Wilson – himself a deserving candidate for this space for his school-record 510 passing yards – found Cobi Hamilton in the flat, but the wideout was stripped at the 10-yard line, and the pigskin proceeded to bounce toward the goal line, where Wright jumped on it for the score. The heads-up effort, combined with the ensuing two-point conversion, tied the game, which No. 18 Arkansas would go on to win 42-38. Aside from his getting himself in the right place at the right time on that play, Wright amassed 13 catches for 281 yards, which tied and broke, respectively, the Razorbacks’ records in those categories.
TE Philip Lutzenkirchen
The junior proved that persistence pays off – in more than one way. Lutzenkirchen only had one catch on the day, but it wound up being the winning play with just 1:38 remaining as Auburn handed No. 10 South Carolina its first loss of the season, 16-13. Tigers QB Barrett Trotter hit Lutzenkirchen inside the 5-yard line, but the junior then fumbled at the goal line, only to regain possession of the ball in the end zone just before sliding out of bounds. Lutzenkirchen’s unorthodox 9-yard score was his tenth career TD, tying the Auburn record for most by a tight end.
RB Montee Ball, Wisconsin
Ball was a plowhorse for the Badgers on Saturday night, toting the rock 30 times for 151 yards and 4 TDs. The junior’s third score was a highlight-worthy feat of determination and will power, as he bull-dozed in from the 4-yard line despite getting hit behind the line of scrimmage before spinning around one defender and bouncing off another on his way into the end zone to put the game out of reach at 41-14 with 2:36 left in the third quarter. In the end, No. 7 Wisconsin gave the No. 8 Nebraska Huskers, making their Big Ten debut, a rude welcome to the conference, 48-17.