Underclassmen shined while seniors sunk in Week 7

Underclassmen like P.J. Hill, James Hardy and Pat White stole the show on Saturday, while seniors Chris Leak and Brandon Meriweather plummeted, writes Todd McShay.

Updated: October 16, 2006, 2:28 PM ET

By Todd McShay | Scouts Inc.

The opportunity is there every Saturday. Some players seize it. Others let it slide away. Here's a look at the players who shined or slipped in Week 7:

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Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn
Groves was the biggest difference maker for an Auburn defense that turned up the heat on QB Chris Leak during the second half of Saturday night's 27-17 victory over the previously undefeated Gators. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound junior defensive end consistently provided pass-rush pressure off the edge and finished with three sacks, two quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Groves led Auburn with six sacks in 2005, and he has already matched that total through seven games this season.

James Hardy, WR, Indiana
Hardy, who emerged as one of the premier freshman receivers in the country last season, had been practically a nonfactor prior to this game. He served a two-game suspension and notched just 13 catches in four other games played this season. But Hardy stepped up as the biggest difference maker in Indiana's stunning upset of Iowa. The 6-foot-7, 210-pound sophomore had eight receptions for 104 yards plus three touchdowns. QB Kellen Lewis also turned in a gutsy performance in an emotional victory for a Hoosiers team that welcomed their head coach back to the sidelines two weeks ago after his second brain surgery in less than nine months.

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