Y-Option's Go Go Go Awards - Week 7
Our distinct take on college football weekly awards and as always, seen through the lens of the West Coast
Week 7 had some of its highest highs and lowest lows for West Coast teams. One of the most anticipated games of the season lived up to the hype as #3 Oregon beat #2 Ohio State and came down to literally the final seconds. Despite the return of Cam Rising, #16 Utah was not able to overcome a surging Arizona State team. Washington State got a late Pick 6 to secure a win on the road at future conference opponent Fresno State. But it was heartbreak in late-game losses for USC, UCLA, Cal, Colorado and Oregon State.
A reminder on what these awards are: they will honor the top players and coaches of the week through the eyes of the West Coast. The 4 honors we will give out every week to coaches and players that pump passion into every play and just keep GO GO GO-ing:
“My 5-Star QB” - whether or not you were a 5-star recruit out of high school, you played like one this weekend.
“Go Go Gone” - the most explosive player of the week. Think big chunk plays as explosives and turnovers are the biggest predictor of wins and losses.
“That Dude!” - player who made an impact on either side of the ball. Not always about your numbers on the stat sheet.
“Headset Hero” - either a head coach or assistant coach who had their team ready and/or made the right in-game adjustments
Here are our Week 7 winners as we keep you in the know and on the GO GO GO!
“My 5-Star QB” - Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel
For the 2nd time this season, the Oregon signal caller earns the “My 5-Star QB” award. After taking home the honor following Week 3’s win over Oregon State in Corvallis, Dillon Gabriel had a masterful performance in Saturday’s 32-31 win over then #2 Ohio State.
The Oklahoma transfer in his first year with the Ducks, Gabriel completed 23 of 34 passes (67.6%) with 341 pass yards and 2 pass TD while adding 32 yards on the ground on 4 carries with another score. The 27-yard TD run came early in the 4th quarter to give Oregon a 29-28 lead. Gabriel reached 300 yards passing in game for the 2nd time this season, 25th of his career and 1st ever against an AP Top 10 opponent.
The lefty now sits in the Top 10 in FBS this season in completion percentage (76.1%, 2nd), passing yards per game (298.3, 9th) and passing yards (1,790, 10th). Gabriel has multiple TD passes in every game this season and a rushing TD in 4 of the 6 games. A 69-yard strike to Evan Stewart in the 2nd quarter which set up a Stewart TD, was his 6th pass of 50+ yards this season which is tied with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart for the most in FBS in 2024.
The former 3-star recruit who originally committed to Army before signing with UCF out of high school, Gabriel moved into 3rd place in NCAA history on Saturday with 16,655 career passing yards while also sitting in the Top 3 in passing touchdowns (3rd), total touchdowns (2nd) and total yards (2nd)
“Go Go Gone” - Arizona State RB Cameron Skattebo
In Week 2, the Sun Devil running back earned our “That Dude!” award and now becomes the first player to win 2 different Go Go Go Awards. Arizona State once again leaned on Cameron Skattebo in Friday night’s win over #16 Utah and he again delivered with 158 yards and 2 scores on the ground.
While the senior running had broken some longer runs this season, the majority of them were in the 10-19 yard range. Friday in Tempe, he busted out his first 2 runs of 40+ yards of the season and came through in the clutch. Late in the 3rd quarter, Skattebo broke a few tackles, regained his balance and then sprinted down the sideline for a 50-yard score to put ASU back in the lead 20-16. 2 possessions later and with the lead cut to 20-19, the Sacramento State transfer went to work again. After an athletic, twisting reception for a 21-yard gain on 3rd & 6 brought the Sun Devils just past midfield, Skattebo finished the drive with a run up the middle, through traffic, for a 47-yard TD.
Skattebo ranks 5th nationally in both rushing yards (773) and rushing yards per game (128.8) while his 170.5 All-Purpose yards per game is 3rd best in FBS. He has rushed for at least 150 yards in back-to-back games and 3 times on the season while topping 150 total yards in 4 of the last 5 games.
“That Dude!” - Arizona State Caleb McCullough
Part of the 2020 Sun Devil recruiting class, McCullough is in his 5th season with the Sun Devils. Last year, the former 3-star recruit out of Oxnard, California saw his first extensive playing time including 3 starts. The addition of linebackers Keyshaun Elliott, Zyrus Fiaseu, and Jordan Crook through the transfer portal this offseason put McCullough once again in a reserve role. But with Elliott (“the quarterback of the defense”) missing the first half against Utah due to a targeting penalty the previous game, McCullough was back with the starters and shined in his opportunity.
The redshirt senior led the Sun Devils with a career-high 12 tackles, his first career game with 10+ tackles, while adding in 1.5 TFL and a pair of key interceptions. McCullough is the first Sun Devil with 2 or more interceptions in a game since Darien Butler in 2021 against Southern Utah and first to do it in a conference game since Jack Jones against Arizona in 2019.
The first interception came in the 2nd quarter with ASU holding a 14-6 lead but Utah driving and in the Red Zone. McCullough picked off Cam Rising with a leaping grab at the 9-yard line to kill the drive and ASU managed to hold a 14-9 lead at the half. McCullough’s second interception came on the Utes final drive. Protecting a 27-19 lead, he stepped in front of a Rising pass near midfield and the Sun Devils were able to run out the clock, improving to 5-1 on the season.
“Headset Hero” - Oregon head coach Dan Lanning
It was the first ever Top 5 matchup at Autzen Stadium with #2 Ohio State visiting #3 Oregon, and the game lived up to the hype. The final 7 scoring plays, going back to the 2nd quarter, all saw the lead change hands. But in the end, the Ducks pulled it out, matching their highest ever win over a ranked opponent (#2 Florida State in the 2014 CFP Semifinals) and the first ever Top 5 win in Dan Lanning’s career.
The game saw plenty of Lanning’s trademark aggressiveness with a successful onside kick in the 2nd quarter following a Dillon Gabriel to Evan Stewart touchdown. This came after two unsuccessful 2-point conversion attempts on the Ducks first pair of touchdowns. Oregon went for it on 4th down twice in the 3rd quarter. The first, on 4th and 1 near midfield, when Gabriel faked a handoff and found a wide-open Terrance Ferguson for a 32-yard gain. Later on that drive, they tried again on 4th and goal from the 2, but the pass fell incomplete.
Oregon now sits atop the Big Ten standings in a 3-way tie with Indiana and Penn State, all at 3-0 in conference play. The Ducks are now 6-0 for the first time since 2013 and the 9th time in program history and moved up to #2 in this week’s AP Top 25.
You could go with either Ashton Jeanty or Cam Skattebo every week they don't have a bye for the Go Go Gone award.
Hard to understand giving Lanning the Headset award, even though the Ducks did win. As stated in the article, Lanning made 4 bonehead reckless gambles, and 3 of 4 blew up, costing Oregon points. The 4th eventually didn't accomplish anything a well placed punt wouldn't have, though possibly because of another coaching error. Eventually this kind of reckless, low to no chance of success decision making will cost the Ducks another win, and probably another championship. That's not a headset hero, it is a headset hardhead that still hasn't recognized his biggest weakness, much less learned from and addressed it.