By Jack Leo
FWAA.com
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 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 10, the weekend of Nov. 7:
FIRST-YEAR PLAYERS: THE FRESH FOUR
BYU WR Legend Glasker (6-1, 175, Lehi, Utah): 7 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD; 2 rushes, 5 yards
Glasker shined on the national stage despite BYU’s 28-20 loss at Utah on Saturday. The Cougars’ star freshman notched his second 100-yard receiving game this season. His biggest gain came on his fifth touchdown of the season, as he sped behind Utah’s secondary on a go-ahead 75-yard score in the first half. Glasker hopes to erupt again when Baylor visits Provo this Saturday.
Boise State WR Rasean Jones (6-2, 215, Baker City, Ore.): 6 receptions, 116 yards, 1 TD
Jones followed last week’s 117-yard, three-touchdown performance with another electric outing on Saturday. The freshman helped Boise State hammer Colorado State 66-34. Jones’ 670 receiving yards this season lead the Broncos and are good for second in the Pac-12 behind Oregon State freshman Jesse Legree. The freshman phenoms will share a field on Saturday when Boise State hosts the Beavers.
Vanderbilt DB Mason Lewis (6-0, 195, Queen Creek, Ariz.): 10 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 2 passes defended
Lewis introduced himself to the SEC in a 25-23 win over Mississippi State. Lewis’ team-leading 10 tackles helped the Bulldogs hold the Commodores to just 43 yards rushing. It was the first double-digit tackle game for Lewis, who now co-leads Vanderbilt with seven passes defended this season. He’ll try to stand out again when the Commodores host Alabama on Saturday.
Auburn LB Shadarius Toodle (6-3, 235, Mobile, Ala.): 11 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 pass defended
Toodle didn’t wait to impress in his college debut, as the young linebacker helped Auburn top Arkansas 26-23. He led the Tigers with 11 tackles, but many of his best plays happened in the backfield as he racked up 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Toodle became the first SEC freshman since at least 1996 to get three sacks in his debut, according to an Auburn release. Toodle will try to keep the momentum rolling at Mississippi State on Saturday.
STEVE SPURRIER FIRST-YEAR COACHES
Matt Campbell, Penn State: Campbell’s Nittany Lions exploded out to a 28-6 halftime lead and held on for a 28-25 win over slight favorite Washington. Penn State outgained the Huskies 414-306 and was two of three on fourth down conversions. Campbell earned his second Big Ten win — and his second in a row — to move to 5-4 on the season. Penn State can clinch bowl eligibility against Minnesota on Saturday.
Bob Chesney, UCLA: Chesney’s Bruins simply kept rolling Saturday, remaining perfect with a 34-20 win at Minnesota. UCLA averaged 18.9 yards per pass and rushed for 163 yards on 39 carries. The Bruins never trailed, and they pulled away for good with Aidan Mizell’s 75-yard touchdown catch halfway through the fourth quarter. UCLA can improve to a 10-0 start for the first time since 1998 with a win over Illinois Friday night.
Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State: In the middle of a Saturday loaded with top-25 matchups, Michigan State pulled off one of the most impressive results of the day. Fitzgerald’s Spartans shocked rival Michigan with a 15-6 win, their first in the series since 2021. Michigan State didn’t score a touchdown, but it did convert five field goals and force four turnovers in the win. Fitzgerald hopes to chase his first Big Ten win at Michigan State with another against Washington on Saturday.
Morgan Scalley, Utah: Alongside Chesney, Scalley remained the only other undefeated coach with a 28-20 win over rival BYU. The Utes snagged four interceptions en route to their first win over the Cougars since 2022. Utah is trending towards its first College Football Playoff appearance, and the Utes are also contenders to be ranked No. 1 in the CFP poll for the first time. Scalley’s team will fight to stay perfect at Arizona on Saturday.
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