Last month, SMU safety Rodney Clemons was chosen to wear the coveted No. 23 in honor of Mustang legend Jerry LeVias. It's been a program tradition for 10 years to choose a player to wear No. 23 to honor LeVias, the first African-American to earn an athletic scholarship in the Southwest Conference back in 1966.

Clemons had a monster first half Saturday against USF and did his part in helping SMU not only earn a 48-21, American Athletic Conference-opening victory, but also ultimately get ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll the following day for the first time since 1986.

Clemons had four tackles and two first-quarter interceptions against USF, and for his efforts, he was one of the 11 defensive players named to the Week 5 Eckrich Team of the Week powered by Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Clemons' multiple-interception game was the first for SMU since Horace Richardson had two picks against East Carolina on Nov. 12, 2016. Clemons now has 22 tackles and three interceptions on the season, and for his career, he has 219 tackles and six picks.

The Eckrich Team of the Week powered by PFF is chosen by a group of analysts who grade each player on every snap in a game. PFF was impressed with his coverage and the fact that he "did all this without missing a tackle."