College Sports Journal FBS Group of Five National Players of the Week-Oct. 18

Six players including Brady White from Memphis, Zach Wilson from BYU, Johathan Adams, Jr. from Arkansas State, Jason Bean from North Texas, Arnold Ebiketie from Temple, and Massimo Biscardi from Coastal Carolina have been selected as the College Sports Journal All-Stars for the week ending Oct. 18, 2020 from the NCAA Division I FBS Group of Five schools.

Brady White, Memphis, QB, Grad., Santa Clarita, Calif.

White led Memphis to a 50-49 win against UCF as the Tigers overcame a 21-point second-half deficit for their largest come-from-behind win in program history. White completed 34 of 50 passes for a career-high and school-record 486 yards and six touchdowns, while he also had 30 rushing yards with another score, tying The American’s single-game record with seven total touchdowns. White threw two touchdown passes in the final 3:41 of the fourth quarter, including the game-winning TD with 1:08 left to help Memphis end a 13-game series slide against the Knights.

Zach Wilson, BYU, QB, Jr., Draper, Utah

Wilson had a career night at Houston, connecting on 25 of 35 passes for 400 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for another 40 yards on the ground. Wilson helped orchestrate a run of 29 unanswered points in the second half after BYU trailed 26-14. The Cougars came back to defeat Houston 43-26 to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2008. This is the third honor CSJ weekly honors spot already in 2020. 

Jonathan Adams, Jr., Arkansas State, WR, Sr., Jonesboro, Ark.

Adams Jr. tied the Arkansas State school record for receptions in a game with 15 catches for a career-high 177 yards and two touchdowns during the Red Wolves’ 59-52 win over Georgia State. Adams’ 15 receptions not only matched former wideout J.D. McKissic’s school-record total against Missouri in 2013, they tied the most in the nation this season and tied the second most in Sun Belt Conference history. His 177 receiving yards were the 13th most by an FBS player this year as well, while the game also marked the third time this season Adams has posted multiple touchdown receptions. He is currently ranked second in the nation in touchdown catches (7), seventh in receptions per game (8.2) and 11th in average receiving yards (107.8 ypg).

Jason Bean, North Texas, QB, R-Soph., Mansfield, Tex.

Bean entered the game against Middle Tennessee with the Mean Green down 21-7 early in the second quarter on Saturday. He was a game-changer, accounting for 350 total yards and five touchdowns in a little under three quarters, while leading North Texas to a 52-35 win on the road. Bean completed 12-of-17 passes for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions, while rushing 10 times for a career-high 169 yards and three scores as the Mean Green outscored the Blue Raiders 45-14 with Bean in the game. The 350 yards accounted for 46% of North Texas’ total of 768 yards, a new program record, and also the second-highest offensive output in college football this season (UCF put up 798 this week in a losing effort). He accounted for a touchdown run of four yards and a pair of scores from 48 yards out.

Arnold Ebiketie, Temple, DE, Jr., Silver Spring, Md.

Ebiketie keyed Temple’s 39-37 win against USF, giving the Owls their first win of the 2020 season. Ebiketie finished with six tackles, including a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss, and delivered the biggest defensive play of the game when he returned a fourth-quarter fumble 11 yards for a touchdown, giving Temple a lead it would not relinquish.

Massimo Biscardi, Coastal Carolina, PK, Jr., Downingtown, Pa.

Biscardi kicked a 40-yard field goal through the uprights with just four seconds remaining to hand the Chanticleers their first-ever win over an FBS top 25 nationally ranked program last week with their 30-27 road win at AP No. 21 Louisiana. The game-winning field goal was the second of his career (2018 at Georgia State) and puts him at 11-for-13 from 40 yards or longer for his CCU career. He also had three PATs and six kickoffs with two going for touchbacks.