One of the beautiful things about college football is the platform it provides for redemption in both short-term and long-term windows. Look no further than this past weekend’s wild slate of games involving highly ranked foes for evidence of both concepts.
South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler faded from the national spotlight last season when he was benched at Oklahoma in favor of Caleb Williams after entering the season with Heisman Trophy hype. He transferred to a mid-tier SEC program and was putting up only decent numbers this season until going nuts against Tennessee in a massive upset victory for the Gamecocks on Saturday.
Rattler’s six touchdown passes highlighted a banner victory for second-year coach Shane Beamer’s squad, and gave Rattler’s college career the type of defining moment that had come to seem unlikely. In terms of a single-game redemption arc, TCU kicker Griffin Kell rebounded from a missed extra point to drill a 40-yard, game-winning field goal as time expired to lift the Horned Frogs to a massive 29-28 win over Baylor.
Those are just two examples from Week 12 of players seizing the spotlight provided by college football to maximize their platform. Let’s dive a little deeper into the recent action to see who else is shining bright as the final weekend of the regular season approaches.
The College Football Star Power Index isn’t a Heisman Trophy watch list or a ranking of NIL earnings potential, nor is it an NFL mock draft. There are plenty of places to find those. This is a rundown of players who are maximizing their platform — be it for quality performance or other reasons — to stand out in the sport, whether that be just for a moment or for an entire career.
College Football Star Power Index
Spencer Rattler, South Carolina quarterback
Through the first 10 games of his stint at South Carolina, Rattler was absolutely average. The Oklahoma transfer led the Gamecocks to a respectable 6-4 start but had thrown more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (eight) entering last week’s game against Tennessee. South Carolina was a 21-point underdog for the contest against a Volunteers squad competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Against that backdrop, Rattler turned in the game of his life. He set new career-highs with touchdowns passes (six) and yards (437), and tied a career-high with 30 completions. He shredded Tennessee’s defense while guiding the Gamecocks to a season-defining 63-38 victory.
Rattler’s ride through college football has been bumpy. Regarded as one of the sport’s top stars entering the 2021 season, he lost his job to Caleb Williams midway through the year. It seems unlikely that a single performance against Tennessee’s porous defense will revitalize Rattler’s draft stock to its 2021 preseason levels, but if nothing else, it was a moment to remember for Rattler and a validation of the marriage between himself and the Gamecocks that seemed a bit strange when it first came to fruition.
Caleb Williams, USC quarterback
What a coincidence that Rattler and Williams each had legendary performances on the same night, and that neither came for Oklahoma. Williams set new career high with 470 yards and 32 completions while leading USC to a pivotal 48-45 win over crosstown rival UCLA. The performance lifted the Trojans into the Pac-12 Championship Game and kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive. It may have given Williams a shot at the Heisman Trophy, too. If USC beats Notre Dame this week and wins the Pac-12 Championship Game, he’ll have a shot at the most coveted individual hardware.
Griffin Kell, TCU kicker
It’s likely not often that a kicker who missed an extra point wins their conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week award. But such was the case for Kell, who lifted TCU to a massively important 29-28 win over Baylor with his 40-yard field goal as time expired. The moment may have been slightly less dramatic if Kell hadn’t clanged a PAT attempt off the upright in the third quarter. That miss forced the Horned Frogs to go after scoring a touchdown with 2:07 remaining. When that attempt failed, TCU trailed 28-26, and it seemed the missed PAT could wind up being a primary culprit in the Horned Frogs’ first loss.
But their defense came up with a stop, the offense moved the ball into field goal range and Kell took care of the rest. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, TCU’s special teams unit sprinted onto the field with just enough time remaining for the senior to complete his transition from scapegoat to hero.
Keion White, Georgia Tech defensive lineman
White earned ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for his three-sack performance in Georgia Tech’s stunning 21-17 win at North Carolina. The redshirt senior totaled four tackles for loss and was the face of a heroic defensive effort for the Yellow Jackets against one of the nation’s top offenses. UNC quarterback Drake Maye entered the game with significant Heisman Trophy buzz but exited with season-lows in yards passing (202), completions (16) and touchdowns (none). White began his career as a two-star tight end at Old Dominion in the Class of 2017. Now, in his sixth season of college football and second at Georgia Tech, he just sparked one of the season’s most unlikely upsets with his play on the other side of the ball.
Jake Moody, Michigan kicker
Moody scored the only points of the fourth quarter in Michigan’s 19-17 win over Illinois, repeatedly rewarding coach Jim Harbaugh’s faith in his leg on a cold day in Ann Arbor. He was 4 for 4 on the day, improving to 25 of 30 on the season and 48 of 55 over the past two seasons. The redshirt senior is 135 of 135 on PATs over his career and has emerged as a trusted weapon for the Wolverines. Without Moody’s game-winner with 9 seconds left against the Illini, the outlook for Michigan entering this week’s rivalry showdown at Ohio State would be a bit more dreary.
Harold Perkins Jr., LSU linebacker
LSU’s freshman linebacker was a one-man wrecking crew in Week 11 when the Tigers clinched the SEC West with a win over Arkansas. His three sacks and two forced fumbles made life miserable for the Razorbacks and put Perkins in the national spotlight. Then, this past week, he made sure the Tigers avoided a letdown as he wreaked some more havoc with five tackles, including two tackles for loss. With Perkins leading the charge, LSU crushed UAB 41-10 while giving up just 12 first downs. It’s rare that a true freshman truly looks NFL ready, but there is little doubt Perkins would be an early-round draft pick if he were draft-eligible.