DALLAS (FWAA) – Each week during the 2026 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.
For the sixth straight year, the top first-year coach in the FBS will be honored at a special reception on Monday Feb. 22, 2027 at Spurrier's Gridiron Grille in Gainesville, Fla. The Spurrier Legends Awardee Coach and Freshman Players of the Year will also be honored.
Here are the top performances from Week 8, the weekend of Oct. 24:
FIRST-YEAR PLAYERS: THE FRESH FOUR
Illinois QB Michael Clayton II (6-4, 205, Orlando, Fla.): 11/18, 84 yards, 2 TD
Clayton’s statistics don’t stand out, but his first career start certainly did. Both of his touchdown passes took the lead and sealed the win in Illinois’ 21-10 upset of Oregon on Saturday. Clayton became the first true freshman quarterback in school history with multiple touchdown passes in a Big Ten game. Clayton will try to shine more when the Fighting Illini visit a struggling Maryland team Saturday.
Arizona LB Dash Fifita (5-7, 190, Huntington Beach, Calif.): 6 tackles, 2 sacks, 2.5 TFL
Fifita led Arizona’s defense in tackles as the Wildcats hammered Iowa State 39-3. The younger brother of Arizona quarterback and former FWAA offensive freshman of the year Noah Fifita, Dash tallied the first two sacks in conference action on Saturday. He also helped stifle the Cyclones’ run game to 52 yards on 31 carries. Fifita can introduce himself to the country this week with another strong performance at Texas Tech on Saturday.
UCF Tyren Hornes (6-0, 175, Bradenton, Fla.): 6 receptions, 137 yards; 2 rushes, 16 yards
Hornes picked a great time for his breakout performance, as it keyed UCF’s 39-31, double-overtime upset of then-No. 2-ranked BYU. He created several explosive plays after the catch, including a 56-yard catch-and-sprint where he broke several tackles before flipping the field. Hornes also scored the last points of the game, hauling in a two-point conversion before the Knights stopped the Cougars in double overtime. Hornes will try to dominate again on short rest when UCF hosts Baylor on Friday.
Arizona State RB Cardae Mack (5-10, 215, Houston, Texas): 26 rushes, 159 yards, 4 TD; 1 reception, 7 yards
Somehow, Mack topped his breakout 154-yard performance against Hawaii on Oct. 10. Mack rushed for a few more yards and doubled his touchdown total in a 28-17 win over Kansas State on Saturday. He also became the first Sun Devil since Kalen Ballage in 2016 to rush for at least four touchdowns in a single game. Mack can introduce himself to the country with another strong outing against No. 8 BYU on Saturday.
STEVE SPURRIER FIRST-YEAR COACHES
Blake Anderson, Southern Miss: Anderson picked up his first conference win in impressive fashion as the Golden Eagles upset Louisiana 35-31. The teams traded blows throughout the game, but Anderson’s offense got the last laugh when Jamarice Wilder scored the go-ahead touchdown with 58 seconds remaining. Anderson didn’t shy away from risks in the win, as his team was 4-for-7 on fourth-down conversions. Southern Miss can move to 2-2 in the Sun Belt with a win at UL Monroe on Saturday.
James Franklin, Virginia Tech: Franklin notched his first signature win as Virginia Tech’s coach on Saturday, toppling Clemson 20-16. The Hokies outscored the Tigers 10-0 in the fourth quarter, taking the lead for good on an Ethan Grunkemeyer touchdown pass with under two minutes left. Franklin’s defense was particularly strong in the clutch, as Clemson converted just three of its 14 third downs. The Hokies will rest this Saturday before visiting SMU on Nov. 6.
Tavita Pritchard, Stanford: Pritchard’s offense jumped out to a hot start and held on for a 31-28 upset of North Carolina State. The Cardinal led 28-14 by the end of the third quarter thanks to four touchdown passes from quarterback Davis Warren. Stanford out-gained the Wolfpack 477-381 and averaged over 6.8 yards per play. Pritchard can earn his first road win at Louisville on Saturday.
Morgan Scalley, Utah: Scalley’s Utes improved to 7-0 with a 21-13 win over Houston on Saturday. Utah outscored the Cougars 14-0 in the fourth quarter to take the lead for good and seal the win. The Utes also out-gained Houston 430-368 and averaged 6.5 yards per rush. Scalley, trying to outlast UCLA coach Bob Chesney as the last-surviving undefeated first-year coach, will lead his team into Cincinnati on Saturday.