Toddrick Pendland, RB, McNeese State: Pendland accounted for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the Cowboys' 40-35 victory over Appalachian State, the No. 2-ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision. Pendland, a senior from Newton, tallied his second straight 100-yard rushing game with 19 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown. He also caught 10 passes for 121 yards and two scores. A field goal by freshman Josh Lewis gave McNeese a 38-35 lead with four seconds left, and a safety as time expired provided the winning margin. McNeese entered the contest ranked No. 16 in the FCS (formerly Division I-AA).
Darrell Jenkins and Seth Thomas, DBs, McNeese State: Jenkins forced a fumble that Thomas recovered near the goal line to prevent Appalachian State from scoring a touchdown less than a minute before halftime of McNeese's 40-35 victory. Thomas, a former West Orange-Stark standout, returned the fumble to the McNeese 22, where the Cowboys ran out the clock. Jenkins, a former Newton standout, also notched a team-high 9 tackles, two more than Thomas. The fumble and recovery let McNeese take a 14-7 lead into halftime.
Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri: Weatherspoon tallied a team-high 14 tackles -- including one for a loss -- to help Missouri, which scored the game's final 21 points in a 27-20 victory against Bowling Green in Columbus, Mo. The most important tackle for Weatherspoon, a former Jasper star, came on a third-down pass that forced Bowling Green to punt and gave the Tigers a chance to tie the game, reported the Columbia Missourian newspaper. Missouri scored tying and go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Kheeston Randall, DT, Texas: Randall made his first collegiate start and had two tackles Saturday in UT's 41-10 victory against Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo. UT coach Mack Brown has credited Randall, a sophomore from Kelly, and defensive end Sam Acho as showing the most improvement of any players since spring training. Brown said both are "completely different than the players we saw last year," Brown said in the Austin American-Statesman. Randall had two tackles in eight games as a true freshman last season.
Tramain Thomas, DB, Arkansas: Arkansas did not play over the weekend, but here's a nod to Thomas for his first collegiate interception, snagged near the goal line in the Razorbacks' 48-10 victory over Missouri State on Sept. 4. The interception set up a touchdown that put Arkansas ahead 38-10 early in the third quarter. Thomas, a former East Chambers football and basketball star, also had six tackles. Thomas made 29 tackles in 12 games as a true freshman last season.
