Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Rutgers Earn Weekly Football Honors
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Following Week 6 contests, the Big Ten Conference Football Players of the Week were announced Monday. Below are this week’s honorees:
Offensive Player of the Week
KJ Duff, Rutgers, WR – Jr. – Riverhead, N.Y. – St. Anthony’s
Posted nine receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-30 Big Ten road win at Maryland
Marked his fourth game of the season in triple figures and seventh for his career
The two receiving scores bring him to nine for the season, one shy of tying the single-season school record, and 17 for his career, tied for fifth most in program history
Last Rutgers Offensive Player of the Week: Kyle Monangai (Sept. 9, 2024)
Defensive Player of the Week
Chris Bracy, Michigan, S – Jr. – Mobile, Ala. – St. Paul's Episcopal
Picked up the Wolverines’ sixth interception this season and his second interception of the year in a 21-18 victory against Penn State
Recorded another turnover in the fourth quarter, forcing a strip sack recovered by Enow Etta and setting up the game-clinching score for the Wolverines
Finished with eight total tackles, 1.0 sack, a forced fumble, an interception and a pass breakup
Last Michigan Defensive Player of the Week honoree: John Henry Daley (Sept. 14, 2026)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Gage Hurych, Oregon, K – Jr. – West Linn, Ore. – West Linn
Helped Oregon to a 17-14 comeback win against Nebraska, going 3-for-3 on field goals with makes from 36, 36 and 37 yards
Stayed perfect on the season, improving to 9-for-9 on field goals
One of seven FBS kickers still perfect on field goals with at least nine attempts
Last Oregon Special Teams Player of the Week honoree: Atticus Sappington (Nov. 10, 2025)
Freshman of the Week
Jay Timmons, Ohio State, CB – Gibsonia, Pa. – Pine-Richland
Forced a fumble in the third quarter, marking the first fumble by the Indiana offense in 1,473 snaps which was the longest streak in the FBS
Totaled seven tackles, two pass breakups and the forced fumble in Ohio State’s second ranked road win of the season
Helped the Buckeyes end Indiana’s 22-game winning streak—the longest active streak in the country and the longest since Georgia won 29 consecutive games from 2021-23
Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Bo Jackson (Nov. 24, 2025)
2026 Big Ten Football Players of the Week
Sept. 7
O: Jayden Maiava, QB, R-Sr., USC
D: Caleb Bacon, DE, R-Sr., PSU
D: Ta’Shawn James, DB, Sr., UCLA
ST: Javon Tracy, WR, 5th-Yr., MINN
F: Jamal Rule, RB, Fr., NEB
Sept. 14
O: Anthony Colandrea, QB, Sr., NEB
D: John Henry Daley, DE, Sr., MICH
ST: Caden Buhr, PK, So., IOWA
F: Mark Bowman, TE, Fr., USC
Sept. 21
O: Aidan Chiles, QB, Sr., NU
D: Sammy Omosigho, LB, Sr., UCLA
ST: Caden Chittenden, K, R-So., USC
F: Riley Wormley, RB, R-Fr., USC
Sept. 28
O: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Jr., OSU
D: Maverick Baranowski, LB, 5th-Yr., MINN
ST: Luke Drzewiecki, K, 5th-Yr., MINN
F: Braeden Jackson, RB, R-Fr., IOWA
Oct. 5
O: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Jr., OSU
O: Colton Joseph, QB, Sr., WIS
D: Braydon Brus, LB, Gr., NU
ST: Jacobo Echeverria Lozano, K, Fr., PUR
F: Luke Wafle, DE, Fr., USC
Oct. 12
O: Fame Ijeboi, RB, So., PUR
D: Jalen Woods, LB, 5th-Yr., UCLA
ST: Ethan Moczulski, K, 5th-Yr., ILL
F: Trent Mosley, WR, Fr., USC
Oct. 19
O: KJ Duff, WR, Jr., RU
D: Chris Bracy, S, Jr., MICH
ST: Gage Hurych, K, Jr., ORE
F: Jay Timmons, CB, Fr., OSU