Sportsvival’s Week 10 Impact HVAC Player of the Week | Dylan Riley, RB, Boise State
Boise State needed one yard on fourth down. Dylan Riley gave the Broncos 42 and a touchdown. That run was part of a three-touchdown performance in which the junior piled up 280 yards from scrimmage and 300 all-purpose yards, finishing one yard shy of Boise State’s single-game all-purpose record. Riley is Sportsvival’s Week 10 Impact HVAC Player of the Week.
The Performance
Final: No. 18 Boise State 64, Colorado State 38
Rushing: 19 carries, 192 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving: 2 receptions, 88 yards, 1 TD
Kickoff returns: 1 return, 20 yards
Riley opened the scoring on the second play from scrimmage, taking a pass from Max Cutforth 73 yards for a touchdown. Colorado State answered to pull within a point, but Riley broke through on fourth-and-1 for a 42-yard score. He added a 31-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, two minutes after the Rams had found the end zone. Boise State extended its winning streak to eight games.
Why Riley Earns the Award
Riley averaged 10.1 yards per carry and scored from 73, 42 and 31 yards out. The fourth-down run was the best example of what made his day special. Boise State trusted him to keep the drive alive in short yardage, and he turned the opening into six points. Add the receiving touchdown on the opening drive, and you can see how quickly he made Colorado State account for him both between the tackles and out of the backfield.
From Rancho Verde to Boise State
The Moreno Valley, California, native played at Rancho Verde High School and is now in his third season with the Broncos. Through nine games this year, Riley has rushed for 1,241 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Colorado State game also earned him his second Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honor this season.
NFL Draft Outlook
Sportsvival believes Riley’s burst through the hole and ability to create explosive plays as a receiver are the two traits that stand out most. The 42-yard run showed how quickly he can accelerate once a crease opens, while the 73-yard catch showed the damage he can do in space. His pass protection and route work are the next areas to study when projecting him for an NFL backfield.
Week 10’s Five Runner-Up Candidates
1) Nate Sheppard, RB, Duke
Final: Duke 41, NC State 3
18 carries, 217 rushing yards, 3 TDs
Sheppard averaged 12.1 yards per carry and broke a 69-yard run. He scored all three of Duke’s rushing touchdowns and had the strongest case behind Riley after carrying the Blue Devils’ ground game in a road rout.
2) Arch Manning, QB, Texas
Final: No. 12 Texas 34, No. 20 Missouri 20
28-of-38 passing, 297 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
Manning threw a 25-yard touchdown to Jermaine Bishop Jr. late in the third quarter to tie the game, then found Raleek Brown for a 23-yard score in the fourth to put Texas ahead for good. Two of his three touchdown passes came after Missouri took a 20-13 lead.
3) Max Cutforth, QB, Boise State
16-of-19 passing, 317 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, 1 rushing TD
Filling in for injured starter Maddux Madsen, Cutforth threw touchdown passes to four different receivers and added a 1-yard rushing score. His first touchdown pass went to Riley, and Boise State had 29 points by halftime.
4) Ty Dieffenbach, QB, UCLA
Final: No. 4 UCLA 34, Minnesota 20
8-of-16 passing, 303 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Dieffenbach broke a 10-10 halftime tie with a touchdown pass to Noah Fox-Flores, then hit Aidan Mizell for 75-yard touchdowns on consecutive UCLA offensive snaps in the fourth quarter. The Bruins improved to 9-0.
5) Arion Carter, LB, Tennessee
Final: No. 16 Tennessee 34, No. 8 Kentucky 6
13 tackles, 10 solo, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks
Carter led the way for a Tennessee defense that held Kentucky to six points. He set career highs in sacks and tackles for loss, including a fourth-and-1 sack in the fourth quarter that gave the Volunteers the ball back.
Congratulations to Dylan Riley, Sportsvival’s Week 10 Impact HVAC Player of the Week!
Sportsvival thanks Impact HVAC for sponsoring our College Football Player of the Week. If you need an air conditioner or furnace, you need to call Impact HVAC! Call 412-297-1852.
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