Week 8 of the college football season has come and gone and with that means the start of the homestretch of the season.
Conference title races get tighter, playoff spots become tougher to grab, and big plays in big games could make you a household name and a campus legend.
Last weekend these four former Arizona high school alumni made plays and showcased their talents on the biggest stages in college football.
Kezion Dia-Johnson, WR, UMass
Making it to the next level is a special accomplishment for any football player. After all, the percentage of high school football players that make it to the Division 1 level is just 3%.
For Kezion Dia-Johnson, Saturday was the payoff of his journey. The redshirt freshman only hauled in one catch for 27 yards but in the process scored his first career touchdown at the next level.
Dia-Johnson’s snap count has gotten higher as the weeks have gone on and appears to be a big piece in the receiving room going forward for UMass.
Parker Navarro, QB, Ohio
Saturday wasn’t the stat sheet stuffing performance many have grown accustomed to with Parker Navarro, however it was a true picture of his game.
Navarro only scored one touchdown in the contest, a 9-yard rushing score in the first quarter. But his ability to extend drives, spread the ball around in the passing game and use his legs were a big reason why the Ohio Bobcats have started off 2-1 in conference play and have the second most points scored in the conference so far with 97.
Ohio goes as Navarro goes, and his ability to keep the offense on the field and strangle the life away from the Bobcats opponents is key in their pursuit for another 9 win season.
Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC
South Bend under Lincoln Riley has been a field of nightmares for USC, and the Trojans loss on Saturday night was another example of that.
Yet, there was one glimmer of hope for USC in the contest and that’s former Red Mountain receiver Ja’Kobi Lane.
Facing off against one of the best secondaries in the country, Lane pulled in 6 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown.
The bulk of his production came late in the third quarter as he caught a 59-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Maiava and proceeded to catch the two point conversion as well to give USC a 24-21 lead at that point in the contest.
Tre Spivey, WR, Arizona
Arizona’s game on the road at Houston didn’t quite go as planned as the Wildcats blew an early 7 point lead to the Cougars in a 31-28 loss.
However none of that falls on the shoulders of former Hamilton Husky Tre Spivey who had the best game of his college career so far.
The ball was only in Spivey’s hands two times throughout the contest yet both times led to Arizona touchdowns.
Immediately in the contest, Spivey set the tone pulling in a 70 yard touchdown pass from Noah Fifita in which he showcased his separation and footwork as well as his speed.
His second touch in the game came on the first play of the 4th quarter in which he took a 3-yard handoff and scored.
With the ball in his hands, Arizona’s offense becomes more dynamic and he’s the key to the Wildcats bouncing out of their current slump and finishing the year strong.
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