LOUISVILLE LINEBACKER STANQUAN CLARK COULD BE OUT FOR THE SEASON FOLLOWING LEG SURGERY
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville linebacker Stanquan Clark had surgery on his lower leg and might miss the rest of the season, coach Jeff Brohm said Monday.
“More than likely out for the year,” Brohm said. “Could he come back, late in the process? Possibly.”
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound junior is one of five returning starters on defense. Clark started 13 games at middle linebacker last season and the first two this season.
Clark had six tackles in the Cardinals’ 28-14 win over James Madison on Sept. 5. He hurt his right leg in the fourth quarter and was replaced by Kalib Perry.
Louisville (2-0) is coming off an open date. The Cardinals host Bowling Green on Saturday.
AP EXTRA POINTS: BREAKTHROUGH WIN AT SOUTH CAROLINA MAKES NO. 20 COMMODORES HUNGRY FOR MORE
Vanderbilt checked a big item off its to-do list by beating South Carolina, and there’s still more work to do.
The Commodores are 3-0 for the first time since 2017 and were rewarded for their 31-7 win over the Gamecocks with a No. 20 ranking in Sunday’s Associated Press Top 25.
Like last year, when their upset of a top-ranked Alabama highlighted a 6-3 start, the Commodores are beginning to hear the kind of things from the public that can make a player’s head get too big for his helmet.
The breakthroughs keep happening for Clark Lea, who grew up in Nashville and played two seasons at Vandy in the early 2000s when the program was the dregs of not just the SEC but the entire Bowl Subdivision. He returned in 2021 as head coach.
Saturday’s 24-point win marked Vandy’s first in the South Carolina series since 2008. It also gave the Commodores three wins by at least 20 points to open a season for the first time since 1930.
“Don’t sleep on us,” fifth-year edge Miles Capers said. “We’re coming for everybody right now. Just get ready.”
The question is, Will the Commodores be ready? Last year’s 28-7 home loss to South Carolina was the first of three straight losses that left Vandy 6-6. That was good enough to get the Commodores into the Birmingham Bowl, their first postseason game since 2018, and their win over Georgia Tech gave them their first winning record since 2013.
What happened against South Carolina, however, ate at Lea for months and served as a cautionary tale.
“That was a hard loss for us,” he said. “In a moment where we really felt we were at a point we could gain some momentum, that scarred us, and over time scars heal and you learn from them.”
The Commodores will be out to settle another score on Saturday when Georgia State visits. Last year, they lost 36-32 on the road to the Sun Belt Conference team.
Vandy will be favored against Georgia State and against Utah State the following week. Five of its last six games will be against Top 25 teams, starting with a trip to Alabama on Oct. 4.
The Commodores are rolling nicely so far with Diego Pavia having one of the nation’s best passer ratings, a ground game churning out 5.8 yards per carry and 203 per game and a defense that already has seven takeaways and allowed a total of three second-half points.
“We’re good enough to win all our games,” Lea said, “but we have to play a certain way. Tonight (against South Carolina) we were able to do that so we were able to come out on top.”
Preventing Ireland hangover
No. 12 Iowa State made it through its first four games undefeated, not a small feat for a team that played its first game Aug. 23 in Ireland and hasn’t had a break since.
Coach Matt Campbell has frequently noted how teams that play in the annual Emerald Isle game tend to struggle as the season progresses. Just look at the team the Cyclones beat in Dublin. Kansas State sits 1-3 and needed a last-minute touchdown to get its only win, over North Dakota of the Championship Subdivision.
Iowa State posted an easy win over FCS South Dakota after its return from Ireland, barely beat rival Iowa and survived Saturday’s 24-16 road scare against Arkansas State. This week brings a well-deserved open date.
“Nobody has been able to do what they’ve done so far in college football from the Ireland piece of it,” Campbell said of his players. “You’re proud of their ability to hang in there. We didn’t flinch, we didn’t waver, we played right through it.”
Extra Points
South Carolina (No. 11) and Clemson (No. 12) each took big falls to plunge out of the Top 25. Last week Arizona State (No. 12) and Florida (No. 13) did the same. Not since 1998 had at least two teams in consecutive weeks fallen 10-plus spots out of the rankings. … The work of Jayden Maiava has played a large part in Southern California’s return to the rankings at No. 25. As impressive as Maiava’s 329 passing yards per game is his average of 14.1 yards per attempt, nearly 3 yards more than the next FBS quarterback. … No. 1 Ohio State’s defense has not allowed a touchdown in the first half through three games.
INDIANA, IOWA, MICHIGAN AND OREGON EARN WEEKLY FOOTBALL HONORS
Offensive Player of the Week
Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
WR – Jr. – Indianapolis, Ind. – Lawrence North
- Set career highs for yards receiving (207), receptions (10) and receiving touchdowns (4) in the Hoosiers 73-0 victory against Indiana State
- His first career multi-touchdown game tied the school-record for most receiving scores in a single game with James Hardy
- His 10-catch effort is the first double-digit catch game since Jaylin Lucas (10) in 2023 versus Louisville
- Last Indiana Offensive Player of the Week: Kurtis Rourke (Dec. 2, 2024)
Defensive Player of the Week
Jerry Mixon, Oregon
ILB – Jr. – San Francisco, Calif. – Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep
- Helped Oregon improve to 3-0 with a 34-14 win at Northwestern to open Big Ten play
- Second straight game with an interception and the first Duck with an interception in back-to-back games since Khyree Jackson in 2023
- Returned his interception 36 yards to set up an Oregon touchdown in the third quarter, while also recording a career-high five tackles and adding first TFL of the season
- Last Oregon Defensive Player of the Week honoree: Matayo Uiagalelei (Nov. 18, 2024)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Kaden Wetjen, Iowa
WR – Gr. – Williamsburg, Iowa – Williamsburg
- Recorded a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter in Iowa’s 47-7 win over UMass
- The return ties a Big Ten and Iowa record (Michigan State’s Al Brenner at Illinois, 1966 and Iowa’s Bill Happel vs. Minnesota, 1984) and is the longest punt return in Kinnick Stadium history, besting Bob Longley (94 vs. Oregon in 1949)
- Wetjen finished the with a career-high 216 return yards (182 punt and 34 kickoff) and a career-high 236 all-purpose yards
- Last Iowa Special Teams Players of the Week: Drew Stevens (Dec. 2, 2024)
Freshman of the Week
Bryce Underwood, Michigan
QB – Detroit, Mich. – Belleville
- Completed 16 of 25 passes for 235 yards with one touchdown and one interception in Michigan’s 63-3 victory against Central Michigan
- He accounted for 339 yards of total offense and three scores, scoring the first two rushing touchdowns of his career, a 20-yard run in the second quarter and an 18-yard run in the third
- Posted the best rushing game of his young career, finishing with 114 yards on nine carries – the most by a Michigan quarterback since Devin Gardner ran for 121 yards against Penn State in 2013
- Last Michigan Freshman of the Week: Andrel Anthony (Nov. 1, 2021)
MAC ANNOUNCES WEEK 3 FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
MAC Football Offensive Player of the Week
Ta’Quan Roberson, Buffalo, Quarterback
Sixth, Orange, NJ (DePaul Catholic)
Ta’Quan Roberson completed 28-of-40 passes for 318 and three touchdowns in Buffalo’s come-from-behind victory over Kent State. With the Bulls trailing 14-0 late in the half he connected with Nik McMillan on a 38-yard touchdown and then drove the Bulls back down the field for a field goal as time expired in the second quarter. He connected with Chance Morrow on 21-yard touchdown, early in the third quarter, to give the Bulls their first lead of the game. With the Bulls trailing 28-24 with 2:38 left in the game, Roberson marched the Bulls down the field and found Victor Snow for a touchdown with just 1:03 left to win it for the Bulls. He added 10 carries for 63 yards in the game.
MAC Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Jackson Kleather, Bowling Green, PK
Junior, Tipp City, Ohio (Tippecanoe)
Bowling Green’s Jackson Kleather played a pivotal role in the Falcons’ 23-13 victory over Liberty, accounting for nearly half of the team’s points. The junior kicker went a perfect 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, highlighted by makes from 50 and 48 yards. His 11 total points provided a steady scoring presence, and his 50-yarder in the fourth quarter proved crucial, extending the lead to two possessions at 16-7.
SEC FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: SEPT. 15
OFFENSIVE
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
- Making his first career road start, Stockton went 23-for-31 for a career-high 304 yards, two touchdowns and no picks while adding 13 carries for 38 yards and a score during Georgia’s 44-41 overtime win over No. 15 Tennessee in Knoxville.
- After the Vols scored a TD in 2:30 on the game’s first possession, Stockton promptly drove the Bulldogs down 75 yards in six plays (2:32) to knot the score at 7-all thanks to his rushing TD.
- He cut the deficit to 21-14 early in the second period on a 36-yard scoring strike to Zachariah Branch.
- Then on 4th-and-6 at the Tennessee 28 with Georgia down 38-30, Stockton delivered a perfect strike to London Humphreys in the corner of the end zone before hitting Branch for a two-point conversion to tie the game and send it to overtime.
- The Bulldogs churned up 502 yards and went 5-for-5 in the Red Zone.
DEFENSIVE
Bray Hubbard, S, Alabama
- Played a key role on an Alabama defense that allowed only one offensive score and just 209 yards of total offense.
- The Tide limited Wisconsin to 117 yards passing and 92 rushing in the game.
- Hubbard picked off two passes in the game for a combined eight return yards.
- Added five total tackles on the day, setting the tone for the defense with each hit he delivered.
Dashawn Spears, S, LSU
- Intercepted two passes, returning the second 58 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter, putting LSU up 20-10 in the win over Florida.
- First interception came in first quarter, stopping a Florida drive at the LSU 26-yard line.
- Added 2 tackles as LSU held Florida scoreless in the second half.
- As a unit, LSU intercepted 5 Florida passes, 3 coming in the second half.
- The interceptions were the first two of his career.
- LSU held Florida to 79 rushing yards.
- In the decisive second half, LSU’s defense didn’t allow Florida to penetrate the 30-yard line.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Peyton Woodring, PK, Georgia
- Drilled all three of his field goals and was 3-for-3 on PATs to help clinch Georgia’s 44-41 overtime win over No. 15 Tennessee in Knoxville
- Cut the deficit to four points before halftime with a 20-yard boot
- Put Georgia up 27-21 near the end of the third period with a 48-yard field goal
- Gave the Bulldogs a 30-28 edge at the 12:17 mark of the fourth quarter on a 24-yard field goal
OFFENSIVE LINE
Jordan White, G, Vanderbilt
- Recorded Vandy’s top overall and run block grades for the third week in a row in win at nationally-ranked South Carolina.
- Helped the Commodores post 22 first downs and average better than five yards per snap in holding the ball for a season-best 35:43.
- Did not allow a sack, or a QB hit or pressure on 30 pass snaps.
- Helped the Dores to their first win in an SEC opener since 2011 and first road victory over an AP Top 25 opponent dating back to the 2007 campaign.
- Led team to first defeat of the Gamecocks since 2008, and its first win in Columbia going back to the previous season.
Diego Pounds, OT, Ole Miss
- Led a potent Ole Miss offense in a hard-fought SEC win over Arkansas.
- Helped amass 475 yards of total offense and protected first-time QB Trinidad Chambliss who threw for 353 yards.
- Directed a Rebel line that allowed just one sack and two penalties.
- Ole Miss converted all seven red zone opportunities with five touchdowns and committed zero turnovers on the day.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Albert Regis, DT, Texas A&M
- Had 7 tackles, 1.0 sack and 1.0 TFL in victory at No. 8 Notre Dame
- Notched a career high in tackles.
- Helped limit the Fighting Irish to just 3.5 yards per carry and just 136 yards rushing.
FRESHMAN
Tory Blaylock, RB, Oklahoma
- Oklahoma true freshman running back Tory Blaylock registered 100 rushing yards on 14 carries (7.1 yards per rush) and two touchdowns in Oklahoma’s 42-3 road win over Temple on Saturday.
- It was Blaylock’s first career 100-yard rushing game, and he became the first OU running back to score multiple rushing TDs in a game this season.
- He scored on carries of 6 and 18 yards in the second quarter to help the Sooners build a 28-3 halftime lead.
- His 14 carries were the most by an OU running back this season, and he notched rushes of 25, 18, 11 and 10 yards in the game.
- Blaylock’s 25-yard run in the third quarter was the longest rushing play by an OU running back this season and set up a 51-yard touchdown rush by QB John Mateer on the following play.
- In three games, Blaylock has totaled a team-best 166 rushing yards on 31 carries and has scored three touchdowns.
BIG 12 HONORS FOOTBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS FOR WEEK THREE
Offensive Player of the Week: Ismail Mahdi, RB, Arizona and Brendan Sorsby, QB, Cincinnati
Defensive Player of the Week: Jordan Crook, LB, Arizona State and Brice Pollock, DB, Texas Tech
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ethan Sanchez, K, Houston and Palmer Williams, P, Baylor
Freshman of the Week: Ed Small, WR, TCU
Offensive Line of the Week: Arizona
Defensive Line of the Week: West Virginia
IRVING, Texas – The Big 12 Conference’s weekly awards honored standout performances from Friday’s and Saturday’s action. Arizona’s Ismail Mahdi and Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby (offensive) received accolades in addition to Arizona State’s Jordan Crook and Texas Tech’s Brice Pollock (defensive). Houston’s Ethan Sanchez and Palmer Williams from Baylor (special teams) were also recognized alongside TCU wideout Ed Small (freshman). Arizona also had the Big 12 Offensive Line of the Week, while West Virginia took home Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week honors.
Mahdi erupted for 189 yards on the ground on 22 attempts in the Wildcats’ win over Kansas State. His 189 rush yards are the most in a game against a Power Four opponent through week three. The senior’s performance in Tucson also marked the most rushing yards by an Arizona back in a game since the 2022 Territorial Cup.
Despite only playing into the second quarter of UC’s blowout victory over Northwestern State, Sorsby made Big 12 history by becoming the first Conference quarterback to throw five touchdowns in one quarter. He finished his day a perfect 15-of-15 passing for 253 yards and five touchdowns with 39 yards on the ground and a rushing score. Sorsby became just the fifth FBS player over the last 30 years to complete 100% of his passes in a game with a minimum of 15 attempts.
Crook was pivotal in ASU limiting a Texas State offense that averaged 47.5 points per game to just 15 on Saturday. He tallied the fifth-most tackles in FBS for the week with 12, which included three-and-a-half for a loss with a sack. His tackles for loss were the most by a Sun Devil since Tyler Johnson had the same amount against Stanford on Oct. 8, 2021.
By becoming the first Red Raider since Dadrion Taylor-Demerson in 2023 to intercept two passes in the same game, Pollock was part of a defensive unit that held Oregon State to just 14 points and fewer than 300 yards of total offense. He is also one of 12 players in the nation and the only Big 12 player to record at least two interceptions in the same game in 2025. The junior is part of a Texas Tech defensive unit that has helped power the Red Raiders to the largest point differential in the country this season at +139.
Sanchez made five field goals and three extra points in Houston’s win over Colorado on Friday. His five field goals were the second most ever in a single game in program history, tying Richie Leone’s five makes during the 2013 season. Sanchez’s 52-yard field goal was Houston’s longest kick since Dalton Witherspoon kicked a 52-yarder against Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 28, 2021.
The Preseason All-Big 12 selection at punter, Williams picked up his weekly honor following his performance versus Samford. He booted four times with an average of 48.5 yards per punt, including a pair inside the 20-yard line. His average was fourth best in FBS for the week, and his punt from 59 yards out was the 31st punt of 50 or more yards of his career.
Small was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week after catching six passes for 45 yards and a pair of touchdowns, all of which were career firsts, in TCU’s win over Abilene Christian. He became the third FBS freshman this season to catch multiple touchdowns in a game. Small’s six catches were a team high in Saturday’s win.
Arizona’s offensive line paved the way for the Wildcats’ backs to rush for 234 yards and allowed quarterback Noah Fifita to rush for two scores against K-State. Fifita also became the first Wildcat QB to rush for multiple touchdowns in a game since Khalil Tate in 2017. The unit allowed its fewest tackles for a loss to a Power Four opponent since 2023.
In helping West Virginia to its overtime win over rival Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl, the Mountaineers’ defensive line held the Panthers to just 46 rushing yards. The line finished with a season-high six sacks and tied its season high with eight tackles for loss. WVU has now held two of its three opponents to fewer than 100 yards on the ground this season.
WEEK 3 ACC FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced its Football Players of the Week following standout performances in Week 3. Honorees were selected by a vote of a select media panel.
QUARTERBACK – Haynes King, R-Sr., QB, Georgia Tech (Longview, Texas)
- Accounted for 314 yards of offense (211 passing, 103 rushing) and engineered the game-winning drive in Georgia Tech’s 24-21 win over No. 12 Clemson.
- Topped 300 yards of total offense for the ninth time in 26 games at Georgia Tech, including the second time in his two games this season.
- The 100-yard rushing game was his fifth as a Yellow Jacket, and his second in his two games this season.
- Drove the Yellow Jackets 38 yards on their final possession to set up Aidan Birr’s game-winning 55-yard field goal as time expired.
- On the game-winning drive, King accounted for 36 of the Yellow Jackets’ 38 yards (18 passing, 18 rushing).
- Marks his second ACC Quarterback of the Week honor this season.
RUNNING BACK – Micah Ford, So., RB, Stanford (Toms River, New Jersey)
- Ran the ball 17 times for a career-high 157 yards and one rushing touchdown in the win over Boston College in the ACC opener.
- Finished with the most rushing yards in a game by a Cardinal running back since Bryce Love on November 10, 2017, against Washington.
- Ripped off a 75-yard rush in the third quarter for the longest rush of his career and the longest run by a Cardinal since E.J. Smith’s 87-yard rush against Colgate in the 2022 season opener.
- Has rushed for over 100 yards in two of the first three games to begin the 2025 season.
RECEIVER – Darrell Gill Jr., Jr., WR, Syracuse (Atascocita, Texas)
- Led all Syracuse receivers with six catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Colgate.
- Had a highlight reel touchdown catch that was SportsCenter’s No. 1 play on Friday, September 12.
- All six of his receptions came in the first half of the rout.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Keylan Rutledge, Sr., RG, Georgia Tech (Royston, Georgia)
- All-America right guard was a key catalyst for Georgia Tech’s offense in its 24-21 win over No. 12 Clemson.
- Led by Rutledge, Georgia Tech’s offensive front paved the way for the Yellow Jackets’ 147 rushing yards – including 103 by quarterback Haynes King – against a Clemson defense that came into the game allowing just 93.0 yards per game on the ground.
- Was especially impressive on Tech’s final possession, as the Jackets powered their way into field-goal range, setting up Aidan Birr’s 55-yard game-winner as time expired.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Isaiah Shirley, R-So., DT, NC State (Boone, North Carolina)
- Started in the Wolfpack’s win over Wake Forest at defensive tackle – his first career start at the position.
- In the first quarter, picked off a Demon Deacon pass and rumbled 41 yards for a touchdown. That play changed the momentum of the game for the Pack, which had started the game down 14-0.
- Tallied three total tackles in the contest, while playing 27 snaps (plus 8 on special teams).
LINEBACKER – Mikai Gbayor, Gr., LB, North Carolina (Irvington, New Jersey)
- Recorded six tackles in the Tar Heels’ 41-6 victory over Richmond on Saturday.
- Also recorded a strip sack, leading to North Carolina’s first takeaway of the day, as well as a 62-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown.
- The fumble recovery was Carolina’s first for a touchdown since 2021, and the first of his career.
- Helped the Tar Heels’ defensive unit keep their opponents out of the end zone for the second-straight week, marking the first since the 2012 season.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Omar Daniels, R-Sr., DB, Georgia Tech (Moultrie, Georgia)
- Was at the center of both of Clemson’s turnovers in Georgia Tech’s 24-21 win over the No. 12-ranked Tigers.
- Became just the 13th Georgia Tech player since 2005 with a forced fumble and an interception in the same game.
- Forced a fumble that led to a Georgia Tech field goal in the first quarter.
- Intercepted a pass in the red zone to thwart a Clemson scoring opportunity in the third quarter.
- The first Yellow Jacket with a forced fumble and an interception in the same game since current Los Angeles Charger Kyle Kennard versus South Carolina State in 2023.
- The first Yellow Jacket to accomplish that feat against an FBS opponent since Bruce Jordan-Swilling at Virginia in 2017.
- Finished with seven tackles to go along with the two forced turnovers.
SPECIALIST – Aidan Birr, R-Jr., PK, Georgia Tech (Kennedale, Texas)
- Was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals, including a game-winning, school-record-tying 55-yarder as time expired that lifted Georgia Tech to a 24-21 win over No. 12 Clemson.
- His 55-yard field goal was Georgia Tech’s longest field goal since David Bell matched the school record versus Georgia in 1986.
- His game-winning field goal was just the sixth walk-off field goal in Georgia Tech program history and the first since his own 44-yard walk-off kick in the Yellow Jackets’ 24-21 win over No. 10 Florida State on August 24, 2024, in Dublin, Ireland.
- He was also good from 40 and 42 yards for the contest.
ROOKIE – Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Fr., QB, California (Ewa Beach, Hawaii)
- Threw for a career-high 279 yards and matched his career-best with three touchdown passes in a 27-14 victory over Minnesota.
- Completed 24-of-38 passes without an interception and finished with a 150.9 passer rating.
- Helped lead Cal to a 3-0 start for the second straight season.
- His 780 passing yards this season are the most among all freshmen.
- Marks his second ACC Rookie of the Week honor this season.
HCAC 2025 FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK, WEEK 2
CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) football teams competed in week two of the 2025 season.
Around the League:
HCAC Football Schedule
Athletes of the Week:
Offensive Player of the Week:
Jaxon Schreiber (Cincinnati, Ohio) Mount St. Joseph University | Quarteback | Junior – MSJ junior quarterback had a fantastic game in the Lions loss to Aurora. He completed 31 passes on 53 attempts for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Defensive Player of the Week:
Brian Wall (Sellersburg, Ind.) Hanover College | Linebacker | Sophomore – Wall and the Panther defense turned in an impressive day as they were able to hold Division I foe Butler to just 16 points, allowing just one touchdown (the other came on special teams). The sophomore had 11 total tackles, with eight solo stops and a tackle for loss. Brian also had a pass break-up.
Special Teams Player of the Week:
Nick Stoner (Providence, Ind.) Hanover College | Punter | First Year – Stoner had an impressive afternoon as Hanover welcomed Division I foe Butler to Alumni Stadium. He recorded 259 yards on six punts, averaging 43.2 yards per punt. He also had one punt at 50+ yards. He was key in the Panther efforts of holding Butler to just 16 points.
Notable Performances:
Offensive Players:
- Tywuan Clark (Toledo, Ohio) Bluffton University | Quarterback | Sophomore – Clark nearly led the Beavers to a miraculous comeback victory over Albion on Saturday. Bluffton trailed 29-3 at the half before he guided the home team to 29 straight points and a 32-29 lead late in the 4th quarter. Clark completed 20-of-32 passes that went for 251 yards with three touchdowns. The dual-threat also led Bluffton in rushing with 116 yards on 29 carries and another score on the ground.
- Jace Mohr (Pittsboro, Ind.) Franklin College | Wide Receiver | Senior – Mohr caught five passes for 46 yards, two of those going for touchdowns (6 and 30 yards) in the Grizzlies’ matchup with No. 18 Hope. The senior leads the team in receptions with 14 through the first two games.
- Curbrian Shelby (Indianapolis, Ind.) Hanover College | Wide Receiver | Junior – Shelby had an impressive afternoon as the Panthers welcomed Butler to Alumni Stadium, falling to the Division I foe 16-7. The wide receiver recorded three receptions for a combined 59-yards and one touchdown. His production slowed down in the second half as the Butler defense limited his attempts at the ball. CB also recorded one carry for 12-yards.
- James Lewis (Bloomfield, Ind.) Manchester University | Running Back | Sophomore – Lewis ended the day with 18 carries, for a total of 100 net rushing yards. His longest rush was 31. Lewis also tallied 1 rushing touchdown and 4 receptions for 22 yards.
- Jay Smith (Evansville, Ind.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Running Back | Senior – Jay Smith was the workhorse for the Fightin’ Engineers in the team’s loss to Trine. Smith carried the ball 30 times for a total of 107 yards rushing. He averaged 3.6 yards per carry against a tough Thunder defense.
Defensive Players:
- Blake Haiflich (Ossian, Ind.) Manchester University | Linebacker | Senior – Blake clocked 15 total tackles, 4 of which were solo. He also had 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Brady Pierce (Thompson Station, Tenn.) Mount St. Joseph University | Defensive Back | Senior – Lions senior defensive back Brady Pierce had an outstanding game in helping the Lions defense hold the high-powered Aurora offense to 35 points. He had a team-high 8 tackles (7 solo), and interception and a pass defensed.
- Wyatt Bell (River Falls, Wis.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Defensive Back | Junior – Wyatt Bell made an immaculate play for the Fightin’ Engineers to get the team back in the game against the Trine Thunder this weekend. Bell made an interception off a tipped pass and returned it 60 yards to the endzone for the team’s first defensive touchdown of the season. The score put Rose-Hulman on the board and gave them the momentum. Rose-Hulman would ultimately fall to Trine with a final score of 27-10.
Special Teams Players:
- Zachary Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio) Anderson University | Punter | First Year –Zachary Anderson provided an average of 40.5 yards per punt on 4 punts. His longest punt was 57 yards.
- Angel Estrada (Bremen, Ind.) Manchester University | Punter | Junior – Estrada tallied 7 punts for 238 total yards. He had an average punt of 34 yards, long of 47, and one punt inside the five.
