Maxwell Award Watch: Atkinson, Brown and Roberts Lead Week 6 Standouts

By Habari Sports

College football’s Week 6 performances brought prolific passing, explosive rushing and game-changing defensive plays into focus in the Maxwell Football Club’s latest roundup.

Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson, Louisville running back Isaac Brown and Missouri running back Jamal Roberts headlined the offensive standouts. On defense, Oklahoma’s Peyton Bowen, Georgia’s Chris Cole and Utah State’s Asher Cunningham were among those highlighted.

The club also recognized Notre Dame running back Jonaz Walton as its Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Player of the Week.

The Maxwell and Bednarik “Who’s Hot” sections highlight notable performances; inclusion is distinct from winning a weekly award or being named a finalist.

Atkinson Fuels Oregon State’s Offense

Atkinson threw for 409 yards and five touchdowns, completing 29 of 38 passes against San Diego State.

The Mercer transfer led the FBS with 2,257 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes at the time of the report. Oregon State’s offense had scored 122 points across its first two conference games, putting Atkinson at the center of the Beavers’ productive start to Pac-12 play.

Brown and Roberts Deliver Big Rushing Games

Louisville fell behind Florida State 14–0 before Brown helped change the game with a 97-yard touchdown run, the longest play from scrimmage in program history.

He finished with 235 yards on 17 carries and added a 68-yard touchdown run as the Cardinals won 44–20. Those two scoring runs alone accounted for 165 yards.

Roberts continued his own productive stretch for Missouri, rushing for 222 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries against Texas A&M.

That followed a 211-yard, three-touchdown performance against Florida. Across those two games, Roberts totaled 433 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

According to the roundup, Roberts led the FBS in rushing after taking on a larger role following an injury to Ahmad Hardy.

Ijeboi, Moulton and Phillips Power Their Teams

Purdue running back Fame Ijeboi delivered against his former team, rushing for 195 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries in a 41–13 victory over Minnesota.

The report credited him with 18 forced missed tackles, citing Pro Football Focus as the source of that FBS-leading Week 6 figure.

Iowa’s Kamari Moulton rushed for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in a 41–24 victory over Washington. The Hawkeyes also recorded six sacks while playing without their starting quarterback.

For South Alabama, Keenan Phillips contributed in the running game and on special teams during a 56–49 win over Arkansas State.

Phillips totaled 264 all-purpose yards, including 157 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 19 carries. He also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a fourth touchdown, helping the Jaguars move to 2–0 in Sun Belt play.

Overmyer Catches Four Touchdowns; Sellers Accounts for Five

Houston tight end Patrick Overmyer caught all four of quarterback Conner Weigman’s touchdown passes in a 35–16 victory at Kansas State.

The UTSA transfer finished with six receptions for 83 yards. According to the Maxwell Football Club report, his four touchdown catches tied the NCAA single-game record for a tight end.

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers accounted for all five Gamecocks touchdowns in a 38–19 victory over No. 16 Florida.

Sellers completed 23 of 35 passes for 279 yards, helping South Carolina end a three-game losing streak.

Bowen and Cole Highlight Bednarik Roundup

Oklahoma safety Peyton Bowen made seven tackles, including six solo stops, in the Sooners’ 27–24 victory over No. 1 Texas.

His biggest play was a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, supplying a pivotal score in the rivalry win.

Georgia linebacker Chris Cole contributed eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two pass breakups in the Bulldogs’ 20–17 victory at Alabama, according to the roundup.

Cole’s range helped Georgia contain Alabama and remain unbeaten.

Cunningham Forces Turnovers in Utah State Comeback

Asher Cunningham produced one of the report’s most extensive defensive stat lines as Utah State rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat Washington State 17–16.

He recorded 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, a half-sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Both forced fumbles led to Utah State touchdowns, according to the report. The Aggies held Washington State scoreless in the second half.

Other defensive standouts included:

• Javen Gibson, Old Dominion: Four tackles, all for loss, including two sacks in a 10–7 win at Appalachian State.
• Langston Hardy, Wake Forest: Eight tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries in a 38–14 victory at NC State.
• James Kreutz, Illinois: A game-high 15 tackles and a sack in a 38–37 overtime win at Michigan State. The report cited PFF for his 83.4 tackling grade, the highest among Week 6 linebackers.
• Tate Romney, Oklahoma State: Fourteen tackles, two tackles for loss and a half-sack as the Cowboys defeated UCF by two touchdowns.
• Jalen Woods, UCLA: Nine tackles, two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery in a win at Oregon that moved the Bruins to 5–0.

Notre Dame’s Walton Earns Freshman Recognition

Jonaz Walton earned Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Player of the Week recognition after rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries against Stanford.

The true freshman from Carrollton, Georgia, followed his first 100-yard game against North Carolina with an even larger performance.

According to the report, Walton now led Notre Dame in rushing and was averaging nearly eight yards per carry.

Four Week 7 Matchups to Watch

The newsletter identified four games with potential conference and College Football Playoff implications. Records, kickoff times, and television assignments below are as listed in the supplied report.

Ohio State at Indiana offers a rematch of the previous season’s Big Ten Championship Game, which the report says Indiana won 13–10. The Hoosiers enter after rallying past Nebraska 20–17, with two long fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Josh Hoover to Nick Marsh.

Missouri at Ole Miss puts Roberts and the Tigers’ offense into another consequential SEC matchup. It also brings Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons back against the program where he began his college career.

Notre Dame at BYU matches unbeaten teams in Provo. The newsletter reports that BYU running back LJ Martin will miss the matchup, placing greater emphasis on quarterback Bear Bachmeier and the Cougars’ remaining offensive options.

Oklahoma State at Houston pairs two offenses building momentum in the Big 12. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker has helped the Cowboys win four straight, while Houston enters after its road victory over Kansas State.

Source: Maxwell Football Club Week 6 roundup supplied to Habari Sports. Statistics, rankings, records, and scheduling details reflect the supplied report.