Former Imhotep, St. Joe’s Prep standouts lead best Philly-area performances in college football’s Week 7

During a weekend when four top-10 teams in college football took their first losses of the season, No. 1 ranked Georgia and No. 4 Clemson handled their business against conference opponents led by excellent defensive performances from Philadelphia-area standouts.

Former Imhotep Charter star Tykee Smith is looking more and more like his old self this season, while St. Joseph’s Prep alum Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is playing with a high level of confidence in just his second year with the Tigers.

Both players made outstanding plays in their team’s wins over the weekend and lead this week’s roundup of the best Philadelphia-area performances in college football’s Week 7.

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Opponent: Vanderbilt

Stat line: Two tackles, one pass breakup, one forced fumble

Game recap: For the third straight week, West Philadelphia’s Smith received the start for Georgia, and he put forth his most complete outing this season in the Bulldogs’ 55-0 win over Vanderbilt. After collecting a pass breakup on the first drive, closing quickly on a slant route, Smith later forced a fumble, punching the ball out as Vanderbilt inched closer to the goal line.

That was Smith’s first forced turnover since transferring to Georgia before the start of the 2021 season, proving he’s getting back to the freshman All-American form he displayed at West Virginia. More plays like that could mean more playing time for the Imhotep Charter grad.

Opponent: Florida State

Stat line: 13 tackles (one for loss)

Game recap: In Clemson’s narrow 34-28 victory over Florida State, Trotter made plays all over the field, from chasing down screens to making tackles from behind to prevent explosive plays. The former Prep star’s game-high 13 tackles marked a new career high for the linebacker.

This week, Trotter and the Tigers will face No. 14 Syracuse, which boasts a top-notch running game led by Sean Tucker. The Philly native will have to be at his best to slow down Tucker and the Orange offense.

Opponent: No. 20 Utah

Stat line: Nine tackles, one forced fumble

Game recap: Although No. 7 Southern Call fell to Utah in a shootout, 43-42, on Saturday night, former Neumann Goretti linebacker Eric Gentry continued to be a bright spot for the Trojans defense. Against the Utes, Gentry led the team in tackles for the fourth time in seven games. He also forced a fumble near the goal line in the third quarter.

Unfortunately, Gentry left the game in the fourth quarter after suffering an apparent lower-body injury, but he still provided a viral-worthy moment, firing up his teammates by hopping from the medical tent to the field to give some words of inspiration. He remains an important piece for the Trojans, who may have lost a College Football Playoff berth but are still fighting for a spot in the Rose Bowl.