From Mandarin to Florida’s quarterback call: Tramell Jones Jr.
Tramell Jones Jr.’s route to Florida’s quarterback room began at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville. Now his name is at the center of a much larger stage.
Hometown Stories
One yard needed. Crystal Springs’ Johnnie Daniels took 48.
Tulane needed one yard to keep Memphis from getting the ball back. Johnnie Daniels gave the Green Wave 48—and a touchdown.
Galena’s Spencer Conrad made the other end of the field matter
Indiana State lost the game. Spencer Conrad still made the other end of the field matter.
Kansas City’s Mudia Reuben took his football reach beyond the field
Mudia Reuben’s story reaches from Kansas City to college football—and to water wells in Nigeria.
Philadelphia’s Khalid Bueno kept finding the backfield
Khalid Bueno left Philadelphia with school tackle records. At Stony Brook, he is giving opposing offenses another reason to remember his name.
Bend’s Jack Foley made eight catches count
Jack Foley’s touchdown gave Wake Forest room to breathe. His eight catches did much more than fill a stat sheet.
Richmond’s Herschel Turner found 72 yards of separation
The run that opened the game up covered 72 yards. The route that brought Herschel Turner to Nevada started in Richmond, California, and passed through Mt. Diablo High School in nearby Concord.
Cypress’s Blake Baker saved the answer for the final minute
With 46 seconds left, Blake Baker found the pass Louisiana Tech needed. Eli Finley caught the go-ahead touchdown, and a night spent chasing Louisiana ended in a 32–31 win.
Madison’s Gio Lopez changed sides. Then he changed the game.
Gio Lopez joined the school that had beaten his previous team. By October, the quarterback from Madison, Alabama, was driving Wake Forest past another North Carolina rival.
Three takeaways. A shutout. Eli Campbell’s Hometown Story
Eli Campbell arrived at Wofford from Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach. Against Elon on October 10, the defensive back from Sanford, Florida, came away with 2 interceptions and a fumble recovery while the Terriers kept the scoreboard at zero.
A family jersey. A touchdown return. Andre Porter’s Hometown Story
Andre Porter’s father played defense for UNLV. On October 10, the Las Vegas native and Liberty High graduate supplied the Rebels’ only touchdown: a 23-yard interception return in a 13–7 win over North Dakota State.
Three touchdowns. A three-point win. Jojo Uga’s Hometown Story
Hyde Park’s Jojo Uga took a route through Weston High School, Worcester Academy and Albany before reaching Lamar. Against UIW on October 10, the Massachusetts running back scored 3 touchdowns in a game the Cardinals won by 3 points.
Two interceptions. Ten tackles. TJ Neal’s Hometown Story
Before he was taking passes away for UTRGV, TJ Neal was throwing them at Wichita South High School. The Wichita, Kansas, defensive back finished with 2 interceptions and 10 tackles in the Vaqueros’ 13–3 win over Southeastern on October 10.
302 yards at Purdue. A first Big Ten win. Elijah Brown’s Hometown Story
Elijah Brown, from Huntington Beach, California, and Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, threw for 302 yards as Washington beat Purdue 38–26 for its first Big Ten win of 2026.
17 tackles. Then 17 more. Ethan Wesloski’s Hometown Story
Two games. Thirty-four tackles. Ethan Wesloski has made himself hard to miss in the middle of Oklahoma State’s defense.
Canfield’s champion. Kalamazoo’s quarterback. Broc Lowry’s Hometown Story
At Canfield High School in Canfield, Ohio, Broc Lowry helped bring the Cardinals their first football state championship before becoming Western Michigan’s quarterback. In the 2022 Ohio Division III final, he ran for three touchdowns, threw another and caught a touchdown pass.
Two high-school field-goal attempts. One college walk-off. Erik Sandvik’s Hometown Story
Erik Sandvik came to Wyoming with an unusual résumé for a college kicker: just two field-goal attempts in high school. His sports in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, included soccer and skiing.
Cocoa built a record breaker. Jmariyae Robinson’s Hometown Story
Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Florida, sent Jmariyae Robinson to Missouri State. He has now caught more passes for the Bears than anyone in the program’s history: 155 after the October 14 game against Kennesaw State.
Four college stops. Five touchdown passes. Tayven Jackson’s Hometown Story
Tayven Jackson’s college path ran through Tennessee, Indiana and UCF before reaching North Texas. His football roots are in Greenwood, Indiana, at Center Grove High School.
41 carries, then a trip home: Navy’s Jackson Gutierrez heads to San Antonio
Forty-one carries is a workload. For Navy against Tulsa on October 10, it belonged to the quarterback. Jackson Gutierrez ran for 232 yards and three touchdowns, adding a passing touchdown in a 34–26 win.