The outlook in the top-25 received another major shakeup in Week 6 with Houston dropping a tough loss that likely ended any shot it had at reaching the college football playoff while both Oklahoma and Texas A&M pulled out big wins. Standout performances on the defensive side of the football were among the biggest reasons for the Sooners and Longhorns picking up notable wins with a couple of key players in particular delivering in clutch situations. Here is a look at the top performers at each position on defense for Week 6 of the college football season.
DE: Bradley Chubb, NC State
Hurricane Matthew brought the heavy winds and rain that the Wolfpack defense needed and they took full advantage by getting after DeShone Kizer and Notre Dame’s offensive weapons. Chubb in particular was a disruptive force as he recorded three sacks and finished with five tackles, including 3.5 for losses. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly was furious after the game about the fact that his team had to deal with the conditions they did in a 10-3 loss but NC State had absolutely no problem with it as they set up its defense to dominate from start to finish.
DT: Montravius Adams, Auburn
Adams was an absolute force in the middle of the field for Auburn in its 38-14 win over Mississippi State. The senior defensive tackle dominated the line of scrimmage and put his stamp on this game with a fumble return for a touchdown that gave the Tigers a 35-0 lead heading in to halftime. Adams finished with two quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown in the lopsided win.
It was a bit win for Auburn as they desperately needed something to get their program back on track. Head coach Gus Malzahn has been heavily criticized, but producing an effort like this – especially with the defense looking so strong – has to be encouraging for the Tigers faithful. They have now won three straight games and have a big showdown at home against Arkansas this Saturday.
LB: Josiah Powell, Navy
The Midshipmen deserve a ton of credit for finding ways to hold the Houston offense in check long enough to pull out one of the biggest upsets of the season so far with a 46-40 win. Powell was at the heart of Navy’s defensive effort as he made two key interceptions in the game. The first of them led to a field goal that allowed the Mids to tie the game at 20 before the half and he returned the second pick for a touchdown to give Navy a 27-20 lead in the third quarter. Powell was all over the field for the Midshipmen in a statement win and he was a unanimous pick at the linebacker position.
CB: Jordan Thomas, Oklahoma
Thomas stepped up big time for Oklahoma in a close 45-40 win over Texas, finishing with four pass breakups including two in particular that denied Longhorns touchdowns. Thomas did an excellent job in a lockdown role and his ability to keep Texas from finding the endzone may have very well be the difference in the latest installment of the Red River Rivalry. Thomas finished with four tackles in Week 6 including the game-ending stop as time expired on the Longhorns’ final play of the game.
S: Justin Evans, Texas A&M
Evans gets the nod here for slightly better numbers than his teammate but both he and Armani Watts deserve a ton of credit for their performances in a 45-38 win over Tennessee. The two A&M safeties combined for 20 tackles, three pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble, including one play in particular where Watts stole the ball inside the 10-yard line and sealed the Aggies’ win with his pick. A&M held on for a massive SEC win and its safety tandem was a big reason for it in Week 6. One of the reasons this team is back in the Top 10 is because John Chavis has helped turn this defense around. They now have playmakers at every single level, including Evans as evidenced this week. Next up is their toughest test to date as they’ll square off with the No. 1 Crimson Tide on the road in Alabama this week.
