Malachi Toney headlines what could already be a generational race for the Biletnikoff Award after Week 1
Multiple wide receivers delivered unbelievable performances during the Week 1 college football slate, proving we could be in for a generational Biletnikoff Award race this season.
The Biletnikoff Award race is about to be generational this season. That’s the biggest takeaway from the early slate of college football Week 1 games, and frankly, it wasn’t even close to the most exciting set of matchups. The slate was relatively mid. But the individual performances? Those told a different story entirely.
Jeremiah Smith and Malachi Toney look as advertised as top offensive threats
Ohio State vs. Ball State went about how you’d expect with a 56-3 blowout. The Buckeyes looked as advertised. Jeremiah Smith put up an incredible game totaling 151 yards and two touchdowns to open his junior season. And Ryan Coleman-Williams is just a roller coaster ride of a player at this point. Some of the worst drops you will ever see, but once he has the football in his hands, he is absolute prime time money. Looks incredible.
Going back to Smith though, he needed a big game to stay on pace and match the production of Miami’s Malachi Toney, who set a school record in Week 1 with 234 receiving yards while scoring three touchdowns. So that Biletnikoff race is going to be must-watch television between those two all season long.
Other names that stood out as threats to sneak into the Biletnikoff conversation after Week 1
The defending champs also looked good against North Texas. I like a lot of the offensive pieces Indiana showcased, and Charlie Becker can virtually just go up and get any football he ever wants after scoring two touchdowns over the weekend.
It might have been a loss for Rutgers in Week 1, but don’t overlook the individual performance KJ Duff had in that game with 196 yards and three touchdowns. Another name to shout is Koby Howard at Penn State, who averaged over 26 yards per reception on six receptions in the Nittany Lions’ shutout against Marshall.
The early returns from Week 1 might not have delivered the most thrilling slate of games, but the individual talent on display — particularly at wide receiver — signals that this college football season is going to deliver in an exciting way.
Especially looking at this Biletnikoff race between Smith and Toney, which is going to be one of the best positional battles we’ve seen in college football in a long time.
