****Conference Players of the Week: Week #4 (9/23)****

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2021 Co-PotY
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Link: ACC

QUARTERBACK – Kenny Pickett, Pitt, Jr., QB, Oakhurst, N.J.
Pickett was an all-around offensive threat in the Panthers’ 35-34 victory over No. 15 UCF • Threw for 224 yards and a touchdown, rushed for 61 yards on 12 carries and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass off a gadget play from receiver Aaron Mathews for the Panthers’ winning score • Did not throw an interception for the third consecutive game, and his 139 straight passing attempts without an interception is the second longest streak among FBS passers • Pickett ranks fifth in the nation with an average of 26.75 completions per game.

CO-RUNNING BACK – AJ Dillon, Boston College, Jr., RB, New London, Conn.
Dillon earned ACC weekly running back honors for the second consecutive week with 150 yards on 32 carries in BC’s 30-16 win at Rutgers • Second consecutive game of at least 150 rushing yards for Dillon and the ninth of his career, which is second among active players in the country • Dillon’s two rushing touchdowns moved his career total to 30, tied for fourth-most among active players and third all-time at BC.

CO-RUNNING BACK – Cam Akers, Florida State, Jr., RB, Clinton, Miss.
Akers set a career-high with three rushing touchdowns in FSU’s 35-24 win over Louisville • Ran for 112 yards, his third 100-yard rushing game of the season (most in the ACC) • Nationally, Akers ranks fourth in rushing yards (499), fourth in touchdowns (8), fifth in total points (48), sixth in rushing touchdowns (6), seventh in points per game (12.0), ninth in rushing yards per game (124.8) and 11th in all-purpose yards per game (149.0) • He leads the ACC in all seven of those categories.

RECEIVER – Trishton Jackson, Syracuse, Jr., WR, West Bloomfield, Mich.
Jackson made six catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns for the Orange in a 52-33 victory over Western Michigan • Averaged 23.5 yards per reception and had touchdown grabs of 59 yards and 46 yards in the third quarter • It marked his second 100-yard receiving game in the last three weeks • Jackson ranks fourth in the ACC in receiving yards per game at 83.8 per contest.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Bryce Hargrove, Pitt, Jr., OG, Akron, Ohio
Pitt’s starting left guard, Hargrove was the Panthers’ highest-graded offensive lineman in Saturday’s 35-34 victory over No. 15 UCF • Hargrove was air-tight in pass protection and the spearhead up front for a running game that produced 196 yards on 37 carries (5.3 avg) • Pitt compiled 439 total yards against a UCF squad that entered the game giving up only 85.7 yards on the ground and 253 total.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Marvin Wilson, Florida State, Jr., DT, Houston, Texas
Wilson set career-highs with 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks in FSU’s 35-24 win over Louisville • He also recovered the first fumble of his career on the final play of the game • Wilson’s 10 tackles are the most for an FSU defensive tackle since Timmy Jernigan had 10 against Duke in the 2013 ACC Championship Game • Wilson led a defense that allowed Louisville to run for less than half its per-game rushing total and just 2.6 yards per carry • Wilson and the Seminoles recorded a season-high 11 tackles for loss.

LINEBACKER – Charles Snowden, Virginia, Jr., OLB, Silver Spring, Md.
Also named the Walter Camp FBS National Defensive Player of the Week, Snowden caused havoc throughout the game as the Virginia defense helped the Cavaliers score 28 unanswered points in their come-from-behind 28-17 victory against Old Dominion • Snowden finished with a career-high 15 tackles with two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss • Virginia held ODU to just 46 yards of total offense in the second half • Snowden’s pressure on the quarterback led to a poor throw on the Monarch’s first drive in the second half, and linebacker Zane Zandier picked off the pass and returned it for a touchdown that brought UVA within 17-14.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Chris Ingram, NC State, Jr., CB, Salisbury, N.C.
Ingram played a career-high 89 snaps in the Wolfpack’s 34-23 win over Ball State • Helped hold the Cardinals to just three explosive plays on offense (10 yards or more running/20 yards or more passing) • Registered a career-best nine stops, all on solo hits • Ingram picked off a pass in the end zone to seal the win and broke up two other passes.

SPECIALIST – Aaron Mathews, Pitt, Sr., WR, Clairton, Pa.
A receiver by trade, Mathews was responsible for critical plays in three different facets to lift Pitt to a 35-34 win over UCF • With Pitt facing a fourth down at the UCF 3 and just over a minute remaining, Mathews passed to quarterback Kenny Pickett off a gadget play (known as the “Pitt Special”) for the game-winning score• Mathews also blocked a punt that was returned by teammate Wendell Davis for an 18-yard touchdown and had a spectacular 24-yard catch-and-run reception in which he hurdled two defenders to set up a short touchdown.

ROOKIE – Jarren Williams, Miami, R-Fr., QB, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Earning ACC Rookie honors for the second week in a row, Williams finished 17 for 24 for 250 yards and one touchdown in a 17-12 win over Central Michigan • Williams has completed at least 70 percent of his passes in each of his last three starts • Has not thrown an interception yet this season and has seven touchdown passes • Williams is the first Miami quarterback to not throw an interception over the first 100 passes of his career.
 
Link: AAC

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jalen McCleskey • Tulane • Sr. • WR • Covington, La.

McCleskey scored the game-winning touchdown on a 53-yard catch and run with three seconds left in regulation to give Tulane a 38-31 victory against Houston. McCleskey finished the game with four receptions for a game-high 120 yards and two touchdowns.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cooper Edmiston • Tulsa • Sr. • LB • Gatesville, Texas

Edmiston had a team-high nine tackles, including the pivotal defensive play in the final minute of Tulsa’s 24-21 win against previously unbeaten Wyoming. With the Cowboys threatening for the go-ahead touchdown, Edmiston registered a forced fumble at the 3-yard line with 50 seconds left to give Tulsa the ball and clinch the win.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jake Verity • ECU • Jr. • K • Bremen, Ga.

Verity accounted for 13 of the Pirates’ 19 points as ECU evened its record at 2-2 with a 19-7 win against William & Mary. Verity scored the last 12 points of the game, breaking a 7-7 tie with four field goals, connecting from 31, 33, 22 and 45 yards.
 
Link: Big 12

Offensive: QB - Brock Purdy, Iowa State (SO)
Purdy broke ISU’s school record for total offense in a game with 510 yards, registering 435 yards through the air and 75 yards on the ground in the Cyclones’ victory over ULM. The sophomore is the first player in Big 12 history with 400 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns in the same game.

Defensive: S - Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State (SO)
Harvell-Peel was credited with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in Oklahoma State’s six-point loss at Texas. The sophomore finished the contest with nine tackles.

Special teams: K - Evan Staley, West Virginia (JR)
Staley registered a season-high three field goals in the Mountaineers’ win at Kansas. The junior hit a season-long field goal of 44 yards, while also connecting from 22 and 37. He averaged 62.8 yards per kick off in six attempts, resulting in four touchbacks.

Newcomer: WR - Andrew Parchment, Kansas (JR)
Parchment recorded his second-consecutive 100-yard receiving game with 132 yards on five catches. He hauled in a career-long 75-yard scoring touchdown in the third quarter and put KU within one score of West Virginia in the final minutes of the game with his second touchdown.
 
Link: Big Ten

Offensive Players of the Week
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
Jr., RB, Salem, N.J./Salem

  • Rushed 23 times for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns, topping the 100-yard rushing mark for the 25th time in his 30-game career, to become the first Wisconsin player in history to rush for at least 200 yards against Michigan
  • Scored his ninth overall touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run to open the scoring in the first quarter, carrying eight times for 51 yards on the game-opening drive
  • Only Ron Dayne (33) and Montee Ball (26) have more 100-yard games as Badgers
  • Earns his sixth career Offensive Player of the Week award and second of the season
  • Last Wisconsin Offensive Player of the Week: Jonathan Taylor (Sept. 2, 2019)

Defensive Player of the Week
Joe Bachie, Michigan State
Sr., LB, Brook Park, Ohio/Berea

  • Recorded a career-high 14 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss, in Michigan State’s win against Northwestern
  • Added a 9-yard sack in the first quarter and two pass break-ups
  • Recorded his fifth career interception and returned it 19 yards in the fourth quarter
  • Receives his fourth career Defensive Player of the Week honor and first since Nov. 15, 2018
  • Last Michigan State Defensive Player of the Week: Kenny Willekes (Sept. 2, 2019)

Special Teams Player of the Week
Blake Hayes, Illinois
Jr., P, Melbourne, Australia/Brighton

  • Dropped five punts inside the 20, including a 59-yard boot to the 2-yard line that set up a fumble and Illini score on the next play against Nebraska
  • Averaged 45.9 yards on eight punts against the Huskers
  • Ranks second on Illinois' career punting average list (43.1 ypp) behind Steve Weatherford (43.5)
  • Claims his first career Special Teams Player of the Week honor
  • Last Illinois Special Teams Player of the Week: David Reisner (Nov. 24, 2014)

Freshman of the Week
Wan’Dale Robinson, Nebraska
WR, Frankfort, Ky./Western Hills

  • Recorded a career-high eight receptions for 79 yards, while adding 89 rushing yards in Nebraska’s come-from-behind win against Illinois
  • Doubled as a receiver and running back and totaled 168 yards from scrimmage and his first three career touchdowns
  • Scored the go-ahead touchdown with 8:00 in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run
  • Earns his first career Freshman of the Week award
  • Last Nebraska Freshman of the Week: Adrian Martinez (Nov. 5, 2018)
 
Link: C-USA

Offense: WR - Deangelo Antoine, Florida Atlantic (SR)
Antoine was asked to move from wide receiver to slot last week and the move was not only breakout, it was record-breaking. Antoine had 11 receptions for 173 yards and four touchdowns in the win over Wagner. His four TDs marked just the eighth time in C-USA’s 25-year history that a player has caught four or more TDs in a game. Two players have caught five and Antoine is the sixth player to catch four in a game and is the first since 2016. The four TDs one-upped the bar set by teammate John Mitchell, who had three a week ago at Ball State, and set a new single-game record for FAU, breaking the previous mark of three set by Coretz Gent in 2008 and tied by Mitchell. The Orlando, Florida native’s TD receptions were for 37, 17, 28 and 57 yards and most yardage was made after the catch.

Defense: DE - Keion White, Old Dominion (SO)
White had six tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack for Old Dominion in the Monarchs' 28-17 loss at No. 21 Virginia. In just his third game playing defense (played tight end last year) and his first game at the bandit position, White registered a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss, the third most in a single-game in school history. The Garner, North Carolina native also blocked a field goal early in the fourth quarter that kept ODU's 17-14 lead at the time. With White leading the way, the Monarchs defense allowed the fewest total yards (244) against any ranked FBS opponent this week.

Special Teams: K - Bailey Hale, Louisiana Tech (SR)
Hale continued his success in the kicking game on Friday evening, connecting on all five of his field goal tries (5-for-5 from 25 (twice), 29, 41 and 45) and all four of his extra-point attempts in a conference-opening win over FIU. His 19 points were the most scored by a C-USA kicker since September 2014 and tied for the third-most ever by a C-USA kicker. Hale’s 5-for-5 outing tied the LA Tech program record (which Hale also matched last season at North Texas). The Iowa Park, Texas native became just one of four Bulldog kickers to connect on five FGA twice in a career. Since missing his first two FG attempts of the season in Tech’s opener, Hale has made seven consecutive field goals. He is also a perfect 13-for-13 on extra points this season.
 
Link: MAC

East Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Kent State QB Dustin Crum
Kent State junior quarterback Dustin Crum (Grafton, Ohio) set a career-high throwing for 310 yards and three touchdowns in a 62-20 win over Bowling Green. Crum was 26-31 passing for 83.8% completion rate, the most accurate a Kent State passer has been since 2015 (min 20 attempts). He added 65 yards rushing on nine carries. Crum found wide receiver Mike Carrigan on a 53-yard strike, the third-straight game he has had a touchdown pass of 50 yards or longer. His three touchdown passes were the most from a Kent quarterback since 2016.

Defensive Player of the Week: Buffalo S Joey Banks
Buffalo senior safety Joey Banks (Sacramento, Calif.) had six solo tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown in a 38-22 win over Temple. Banks spearheaded a defensive effort that held the Owls to only 31 yards rushing. Banks sealed the win with a 46-yard pick six, the first by a Buffalo player since the 2015 season.

Special Teams Player of the Week: Ohio K Louie Zervos
Ohio senior kicker Louie Zervos (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) accounted for seven points in a 45-25 loss to Louisiana. In the second quarter, Zervos matched his season high by connecting on a 48-yard field goal attempt, then knocked down a 49-yarder to set a new season high. He also finished the contest with one made extra point. Zervos has now made 63 career field goals, second-most in program history and 175 career extra points, most in program history, for 364 career points, which ranks second-most in program history. He has made his last 83 extra point attempts.


West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Toledo RB Bryant Koback

Toledo sophomore running back Bryant Koback (Holland, Ohio) rushed for a career-high 228 yards and three touchdowns, with 168 yards coming in the third quarter, in a 41-35 win at Colorado State. It was the most yards by a Toledo running back since Kareem Hunt rushed for 271 yards vs. Arkansas State in the 2014 GoDaddy Bowl. Koback ran for touchdowns of 37, 75 and 47 yards in Toledo’s first three possessions of the third quarter. The 75-yarder was the longest run of his collegiate career. Koback also grabbed his first ever touchdown reception, an eight-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter.

Defensive Player of the Week: Central Michigan DE Sean Adesanya
Central Michigan senior defensive end Sean Adesanya (Rahway, N.J.) led with two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble in a 17-12 loss at Miami (Fla.). Adesanya led an outstanding defensive performance by the Chippewas defense at Miami as they limited the Hurricanes to just 17 points and 51 yards rushing, with four team sacks and nine tackles-for-loss.

Special Teams Player of the Week: Eastern Michigan WR Mathew Sexton
Eastern Michigan senior wide receiver Mathew Sexton (Clinton, Mich.) made the game-winning play with a blocked punt and return of 30 yards for a touchdown in a 34-29 win over Central Connecticut State. With Eastern Michigan trailing 29-28 with 20 seconds left in regulation, Sexton made the defining play as he broke through and blocked the punt, recovered the ball in stride and scored the game-winning touchdown for a 34-29 win with 10 seconds left in regulation. Sexton was also responsible for Eastern Michigan’s last blocked punt, which occurred during the 2018 Raycom Media Camellia Bowl against Georgia Southern on Dec. 15, 2018. Eastern Michigan has blocked six punts in six years under head coach Chris Creighton, with three of the blocked punts returned for touchdowns. This year, the Eagles rank first in the MAC, and fifth-nationally, in blocked punts.
 
Link: Mountain West

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
JOSH LOVE, SAN JOSÉ STATE
Senior, Quarterback, Mission Viejo, California / Long Beach Poly HS

  • Quarterbacked San José State to a 31-24 road victory over Arkansas, the eighth autonomous 5 win by Mountain West teams this season.
  • Completed a career-high 32 passes for 402 yards and two touchdowns, while leading the Spartans to their first win over a SEC opponent.
  • Directed a five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, covering 1:43 to give SJSU its final lead of the game.
  • Completed passes to nine different receivers.
  • Saturday’s game was San José State’s first victory over an autonomous 5 opponent since 2006.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
BOBBY BROWN II, SAN JOSÉ STATE
Junior, Defensive Back, Lancaster, California / College of the Canyons

  • Helped lead San José State to a road victory at Arkansas, its first home loss of the 2019 season. This was the Spartans first victory over an autonomous 5 opponent since 2006.
  • Logged seven total tackles and two interceptions, one of just two FBS players with multiple picks this weekend.
  • Made the game-clinching play, picking off Arkansas on its first play of its final drive with just 1:13 remaining.
  • His contributions helped snap a 13-game road losing streak.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DOMINIK EBERLE, UTAH STATE
Senior, Kicker, Nuremberg, Germany / Redondo Union (Calif.)

  • Kicked three field goals in Utah State’s six-point road win at San Diego State, helping put the Aggies atop the Mountain Division standings with Boise State.
  • Connected on kicks from 30, 29 and 32 yards, respectively.
  • Made both extra points, extending his Mountain West record to 137 consecutive successful extra points.
  • Helping snap a 10-game losing streak to San Diego State, kicked off six times for an average of 58.5 yards.
 
Link: Pac-12

OFFENSE: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, So., QB, UCLA (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• Dorian Thompson-Robinson set a school record with 564 yards of total offense while leading UCLA back from a 32-point second half deficit to victory at Washington State in the highest scoring game in conference history.
• Thompson-Robinson threw for a career-high 507 yards and five touchdowns in the contest, including 322 in the second half alone as UCLA rallied past WSU which owned a 49-17 third quarter advantage.
• He averaged 23 yards per completion in the second half (14 completions for 322 yards).
• Thompson-Robinson added two scoring runs, the first of his career, in his total of 57 rush yards.
• He is only the third player to reach the 500-yard total offense mark for a game in school annals and his 507 passing yards ranks third on the all-time school list.
• His previous career high for passing yards was 272 vs. Washington in 2018 and he surged past that figure in the second half alone.
• On the evening, DTR completed 25 of 38 passing attempts (.658) to surpass the .600 completion percentage mark for the seventh time in his career.
• Earned Walter Camp Offensive Player of the Week and Rose Bowl Game Player of the Week honors for his Week 4 performance.

DEFENSE: Evan Weaver, Sr., ILB, California (Spokane, Wash.)
• Weaver recorded a career-high 22 tackles that equaled the most in recorded history at Cal to lead the Golden Bears to a 28-20 win at Ole Miss that was the first road win by a Pac-12 team at an SEC school since 2010 and the first by the Golden Bears since 1977.
• Weaver's final tackle came on the final play of the game when he stopped a quarterback sneak by Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee on Cal's one-yard line.
• Weaver leads the nation in both overall and per game total tackles (63, 15.8) and solo tackles (40, 10.0).
• Cal improved to 4-0 with the victory and jumped eight spots in the AP poll after the win to No. 15 in the nation for its highest national ranking since the Golden Bears were No. 6 in Week 4 of the 2009 AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Demetric Felton, R-Jr., RB, UCLA (Temecula, Calif.)
• Running back Demetric Felton played a huge role in UCLA's comeback win at Washington State, helping key the victory with a 100-yard kickoff return.
• He added a 94-yard scoring catch as one of his seven receptions for a career-best 150 receiving yards on the game and finished with a total of 263 all-purpose yards.
• He also was on the receiving end of a 15-yard pass with 1:07 to play which registered the winning points for UCLA in the highest scoring game in conference history.
• The 100-yard kickoff return was the fifth in school history of at least 100 yards and ties him for second-longest on the all-time list.
• The 94-yard reception was the second-longest play from scrimmage in UCLA history.
 
Link: SEC

OFFENSE
Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

  • Set LSU record for touchdown passes with 6 in leading the Tigers to a 66-38 win over Vanderbilt in Nashville ... Completed 25-of-34 passes for 398 yards and the 6 TDs as LSU scored the most points in regulation in a SEC game in school history.
  • The 6 TDs accounted for tie the school-record he set last year in 7OT game vs. Texas A&M and is the most in regulation in school history ... Extended his school-record streak of games with at least 20 completions to 7 straight.
  • With 398 passing yards vs. Vanderbilt, became first player in LSU history to pass for 350+ yards in three straight games ... 357 of his passing yards came in the first half, the most in LSU history, and the most by a SEC quarterback in a conference game in the last 15 years.
  • Through 4 games, has more completions (100) passing yards (1,520) and passing TDs (17) than any player in LSU history over that span.
  • LSU has scored more points (231) through the first 4 games of the season than any team in school history during the SEC era ... Now 14-3 as LSU's starting quarterback.
DEFENSE
Cale Garrett, DB, Missouri

  • Led the way in another brilliant defensive outing for Mizzou's much-improved defense, with nine tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown that keyed Mizzou's 34-14 SEC-opening win over South Carolina Saturday in Columbia, Mo.
  • Made a huge heads up play in the first quarter with no score, when he alertly picked up a ball in the South Carolina endzone that had been ruled an incomplete forward pass initially. After he jumped on the ball, an instant replay review confirmed that the Gamecock quarterback had thrown a backward pass, giving MU a 7-0 lead, and Garrett his second defensive touchdown of the season - matching the pick six interception he ran back 27 yards against West Virginia in week two.
  • The Tiger defense was stout against Carolina on Saturday, allowing just 271 yards of total offense, a week after the Gamecocks rolled up 459 yards against Alabama. Mizzou held Carolina to just 16 rushing yards on 24 attempts, including four sacks on the day.
  • Garrett leads Mizzou with 37 tackles through four games.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Rodrigo Blankenship, PK, Georgia

  • Connected on both of his PATs and drilled a trio of field goals, including a 40 and 43 yarder, to help Georgia knock off #7 Notre Dame.
  • He moved to fourth on UGA's all-time career scoring list with 358 points, passing Hall of Famer Kevin Butler.
  • Has connected on a school record 175 consecutive PATs and is 8-for-8 on his FG attempts this year.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Brett Heggie, OL, Florida

  • Heggie graded out a team-high 95 percent on the offensive line for the Gators with one knock down on Saturday, as the O-line was responsible for 441 total yards on offense in Saturday's win.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn

  • Four tackles with 2.0 sacks (minus 11), 3.0 tackles for loss (minus 16), one forced fumble and two PBUs while helping Auburn to its first SEC road win over a ranked opponent since 2015.
  • Disruptive force that helped hold Texas A&M to just 56 yards rushing (2.7 ypr), the fewest yards per rush by an SEC opponent since 2017 against Georgia (1.4 ypr)
  • Career-high day in TFLs (3.0), sacks (2.0) and PBU (2)
  • First AU player since Carl Lawson in 2016 (vs. Miss. State) to record at least two sacks, two TFLs and a forced fumble in the same game.
  • First Auburn player in seven years to record at least one sack, TFL, forced fumble and PBU in the same game.
FRESHMAN
Garrett Shrader, QB, Mississippi State

  • Shrader, making his first career start, accounted for 305 yards of total offense, including rushing for 125 yards on 11 carries, to lead MSU past Kentucky, 28-13 in its SEC opener.
  • Shrader was just the second MSU true freshman QB to start in an SEC game in the last 12 years (Damian Williams, 2013 Egg Bowl the other). Shrader was an efficient 17-of-22 for 180 yards through the air. Shrader accounted for all six of the Bulldogs' 20+ yard plays in the game, including rushes of 49- and 36-yards. With the score a one-possession game and 4:32 remaining, Shrader engineered a six-play, 75 yard drive and extended the drive with a 49-yard rush on third down.
  • The winning drive culminated with a touchdown and put the game out of reach. Shrader became the first MSU QB in school history to rush for over 100 yards and pass for over 100 yards in his first career start. He was the first to do it overall since senior Nick Fitzgerald last season.
 
Link: Sun Belt

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana (Jr., RB, Erath, La.)

Louisiana junior running back Elijah Mitchell was dominant in Louisiana's big road win at Ohio, carrying the ball 17 times for 143 yards and three touchdowns. The 143 yards were a season best and his performance on Saturday marked the fourth time in his career where he had three touchdowns in a game. He eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the sixth time in his career. Mitchell has now had at least two scores in back-to-back games.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Demetrius Taylor, Appalachian State (Jr., DL, Miami, Fla.)

Appalachian State junior defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor had a career performance in the Mountaineers' 34-31 win at UNC, totaling a career-high 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, while scoring his first career touchdown and snagging his first career interception. He's the first FBS player since at least 2000 with 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble return for a touchdown and an interception in the same game. Taylor was a force in the Tar Heel backfield all game long, starting with his first-quarter strip sack that he located, scooped and returned 20-yards for a touchdown. That gave App State its first lead of the game (13-7) that it would never relinquish. Taylor's next big play was an interception that he tipped to himself and returned 19 yards to set up another Mountaineer score that put the Black and Gold ahead 20-7. In addition to those two takeaways, he forced another fumble on second strip sack and broke up a pass at the line of scrimmage.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Joshua Rowland, Texas State (Sr., PK, Madison, Miss.)

Texas State senior kicker Joshua Rowland scored 13 points in Texas State's 37-34 triple overtime victory over Georgia State. He kicked a season-long 45-yard field goal in the first quarter for the first points in the game and also kicked a 35-yard field goal in the third overtime to clinch the victory for Texas State. Rowland averaged 63.7 yards on six kickoffs with four touchbacks.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
Rodrigo Blankenship, PK, Georgia

  • Connected on both of his PATs and drilled a trio of field goals, including a 40 and 43 yarder, to help Georgia knock off #7 Notre Dame.
  • He moved to fourth on UGA's all-time career scoring list with 358 points, passing Hall of Famer Kevin Butler.
  • Has connected on a school record 175 consecutive PATs and is 8-for-8 on his FG attempts this year.

Not too shabby.
 
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