Joel Klatt
Lead College Football Analyst
Which player had the best performance in a game that I’ve called?
A fan named Roy L asked me that question in the latest episode of my podcast.
Honestly, that’s such a difficult question to answer. I can’t pick just one because there have been so many incredible performances. So, I’m going to share my top five individual performances I’ve ever called instead. Throughout this week, I’ll go one by one through my top five, in descending order.
We’re now down to my No. 1 pick. Before sharing which performance tops the list, I have a pair of honorable mentions that I want to give shout-outs to. Kyler Murray in the 2018 Red River Showdown was phenomenal. Texas won that game, but the former Oklahoma quarterback had a run down the sideline in that game that’s still probably the singular best play I’ve ever seen.
The other honorable mention I had was Ohio State quarterback JT Barrett’s comeback performance against Penn State in 2017. If you remember, Saquon Barkley took the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but Barrett was incredible in that game. I just couldn’t find a spot for him on that list.
Here’s the full list to this point:
5. Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. & EDGE JT Tuimoloau at Penn State (2022)
4. Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson vs. Ohio State (2021)
3. Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield vs. Oklahoma State (2017)
2. Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter vs. TCU (2023)
No. 1 might come as a surprise to some, but it was truly an incredible performance.
I had to go into the way-back machine for my No. 1 pick. I feel like not many people remember this game, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
Austin wasn’t West Virginia’s running back. He was one of the Mountaineers’ leading receivers in 2012 and in the two seasons prior to that. But because of injuries at running back, West Virginia threw a bit of a curveball. Austin lined up at tailback from the jump. I thought, “Well, this is really strange.” We weren’t told that this was happening in any of the pre-production meetings, so we were caught by surprise.
To add some more context, this was a night game in Morgantown, as West Virginia was hosting Bob Stoops’ Oklahoma squad at the height of his run with the Sooners, who had won three of the last five Big 12 titles at that time. Oklahoma looked poised to win another conference title that year as well, entering that game at 7-2.
But there was Austin, playing running back and threatening to upset Oklahoma. He had 21 carries for 344 yards (16.4 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. He also had four receptions for 82 receiving yards in that game, giving him 426 yards of total offense on 25 total touches. He essentially gave the Mountaineers 17 yards every time he got the ball.
Tavon Austin torched Oklahoma’s defense in 2012 to the tune of 426 yards of total offense. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
It was really a remarkable performance. I felt like I was coming out of my skin every single time Austin touched the ball. It was incredible. Unfortunately, his efforts that day didn’t result in a victory. Oklahoma won 50-49 after putting up 554 yards and six touchdowns on offense. The last of those six touchdowns was the game-winner with 24 seconds remaining.
Austin’s performance was a highlight in a largely forgettable 7-6 season for West Virginia, but I’ll certainly remember this game for years to come.
Joel Klatt is FOX Sports’ lead college football game analyst and the host of the podcast “The Joel Klatt Show.” Follow him at @joelklatt and subscribe to the “Joel Klatt Show” on YouTube.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
recommended
Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
