College Sports Journal FBS Group of Five National Players of the Week-Oct. 21

The honorees are listed here with their achievements and their school, position, class, and hometown.

Courtesy of SMU Athletics

Shane Buechele, QB, SMU, Jr., Arlington, Texas
Buechele completed 30 of 53 passes for a career-high 457 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-21 win against Temple keeping the Mustangs undefeated at 7-0. Buechele became one of five FBS players with at least six touchdown passes in a game this season.

Courtesy of Memphis Athletics

Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis, Fr., Yazoo City, Miss.
Gainwell rushed for a game-high 104 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and had game highs of nine receptions, 203 receiving yards and two TDs in Memphis’ 47-17 win against Tulane. Gainwell, who finished with 307 all-purpose yards, became the first FBS player with 100 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards in a game since Troy Edwards of Louisiana Tech in the 1997 season.

Courtesy of Marshall Athletics

Brenden Knox, RB, Marshall, So., Colubus, Ohio
Knox ran 23 times for a career-high 220 yards (the nation’s second-highest rushing total last weekend) and two touchdowns in Marshall’s 36-31 win at Florida Atlantic. The final score came on a 17-yard run with 36 seconds left to propel the Thundering Herd past the Owls. It was the sophomore’s second touchdown of the evening after plunging in from one yard out in the waning seconds of the first half. Of those 23 carries, none went for negative yardage. He also caught one pass for four yards. He has scored a rushing touchdown in five of the last six games and has 11 rushing scores in his 12 career games.

Courtesy of Ohio Athletics

Nathan Rourke, QB, Ohio, Sr., Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Rourke threw for a career-high 342 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores in a 45-38 win over Kent State. Ohio racked up a season-high 45 points, 571 yards of total offense and 31 first downs with Rourke recording his first career game with at least 300 passing yards. He completed 19-28 passes (67.9%) and became the first Ohio quarterback to pass for at least 300 yards in a game since Greg Windham threw for 380 against Texas State in 2016. Rourke has been responsible for at least four touchdowns in a single game 10 times in his career and extended his school record for career touchdowns responsible for to 94. d.

Courtesy of Lousiana Tech Athletics

Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech, Jr., Thibodaux, La.
Robertson put together one of the best individual defensive performances in college football last week, leading Louisiana Tech to a 45-30 victory over Southern Miss. Robertson led the four takeaway day for the Bulldog defense, as the junior intercepted C-USA passing leader Jack Abraham three times. He became just the third player in program history and 12th in C-USA annals to record three interceptions in a single game. For his career, Robertson has secured 14 interceptions – good for fifth-most in program history, and most among FBS active career leaders. Against Southern Miss, he added two additional pass breakups, giving him five total passes defended on the day. He is the NCAA leader in total passes defended this season with 16 and his 5 INTs in 2019 are tied for second-most among national leaders.

Courtesy of Miami OH) Athletics

Maurice Thomas, KR/PR, Miami (OH), Sr.,
Thomas had three kick returns for 133 total yards, including an 86-yard return in a 27-24 win over Northern Illinois. Thomas added 15 punt return yards, finishing the contest with 148 return yards.