College football: Top 10 player rankings after Week 4
New York, New York - Week 4 of the college football season exceeded all expectations. With unbelievable upsets and incredible individual performances defining the weekend's action, we've narrowed down the 10 players heading into Week 5.
To no surprise, Heisman favorites CJ Stroud of Ohio State and Bryce Young of Alabama led Week 4 as the most consistent performers, playing to their expected caliber.
Surprisingly, however, the two quarterbacks didn't actually lead in passing. It was Tennessee's quarterback Hendon Hooker who was the talk of the town.
Hooker played perhaps the best game of his career, accounting for 461 yards in total offense and three touchdowns to beat Florida, 38-33.
The shocking upset was the Volunteers first win over the Gators since 2016 and only second victory in their 18 series.
In the Big 10, Ohio State and Michigan led with outstanding game plays by Wolverine running back Black Corum and Buckeye Cade Stover.
Stover entered Saturday night's game with zero career touchdowns. By the end of the first quarter, he already had two scores. In Michigan, Corum earned Conference weekly honors for his career highs in carries (30) and yards (243) with a pair of touchdowns.
With new names and returning talents, here's what our player rankings look like heading into the fifth week of the season:
1. CJ Stroud – QB, Ohio State (+1)
2. Bryce Young – QB, Alabama
3. Hendon Hooker – QB, Tennessee (n)
4. Emeka Egbuka – WR, Ohio State(+2)
5. Will Anderson – LB, Alabama (+3)
6. Julian Flemming – WR, Ohio State (+4)
7. DJ Uiagalelei – QB, Clemson
8. Sam Hartman – QB, Wake Forest
9. Bijan Robinson – RB, Texas (-4)
10. Blake Corum – RB, Michigan (n)
Week 1 spotlight: DJ Uiagalelei and Sam Hartman in epic throw-down
As Clemson and Wake Forest battled, fought, and scraped their way in a double overtime game, which the Tigers clinched 51-45, their quarterbacks were sensational.
In arguably the best game of his career, Clemson's Uiagalelei completed 26 of 41 passes for 371 yards and five touchdowns without a single interception.
Accumulating 559 total offensive yards, the 21-year-old passer became the first Clemson player to throw for 300+ yards, rush for 50+ yards, and throw at least three touchdowns in a single game since Deshaun Watson in 2016.
In Wake Forest's offense, quarterback Hartman threw for a career-high six touchdowns, tying the ACC record for most touchdown passes in a single game. The redshirt junior completed 20 of 29 passes for 337 yards, adding 25 rushing yards.
Hartman stands as the Deacon Demons' all-time leading passer and the sixth best passing quarterback in ACC college football history.
The Deacon Demons next battle will come on Saturday against Florida State at 3:30 PM.
Cover photo: GRANT HALVERSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP / SAM GREENWOOD / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP