Weekly Spotlight: Abu, Ott, and Garcia Are Players to Watch in Week 6

By Ty Scheiner

Heading into Week 6 of the college football season, I feel like I can write this for Jalen Milroe, Travis Hunter, and Ashton Jeanty each week, but let’s show some love to other players. Each is poised to make a significant impact in their upcoming matchups.

Abu Sama III is Iowa State’s Ground Game Catalyst

Sama is off to a solid start in the first quarter of the season, helping to lead the Cyclones to an undefeated 4-0 record while rushing for 225 yards this season and averaging 5.6 yards per carry. The Baylor Bears' defense, on the other hand, is solid against the run, giving up 141 yards per game at 3.31 per carry. However, they’ve allowed over 100 yards on the ground in four out of five games this year.

For Matt Campbell and the team to remain undefeated, they’ll need to establish the run game. This doesn’t just mean Sama; they should also share the workload with Jaylon Jackson to open up the offense for quarterback Rocco Becht and the team. I’ll be keeping an eye on whether the Cyclones can have a balanced game plan featuring Sama this weekend.

Jaydn Ott is the California Star Poised to Shine

Although the Miami Hurricanes rank in the Top 25 for rush defense, only giving up 93 yards per game, I question what we saw a couple of weeks ago against Virginia Tech when they surrendered over 200 yards on the ground. Now they travel across the country to face one of the best running backs in the nation.

Although Jaydn Ott has been struggling with injuries and hasn’t had his breakout game this year, the talent is still there. He can beat you on the ground and as a pass catcher. Rueben Bain Jr . is set to return for the Hurricanes, which will definitely improve their defensive line , but we’ll see how much he plays and how he looks. Ott will need to replicate his production from last year if the Golden Bears want a shot at pulling off the upset.

Jake Garcia is East Carolina’s Gunslinger Aiming for a Big Day

There is always a bit of variance when backing Jake Garcia , but with this matchup against the Charlotte 49ers and their below-average pass defense, I envision Garcia and the Pirates' offense in for a big day. Charlotte ranks near the bottom, having already given up 1,322 yards through the air in five games, averaging 264 yards per game.

Garcia is 17th in the nation with 1,315 passing yards, completing just under 60% of his passes. As mentioned, Garcia isn’t the most secure with the ball, as he has more picks than touchdowns with 11 interceptions, but I still see potential for a big day for him and the playmakers that the Pirates have, including Anthony Smith and Winston Wright Jr .