CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kawaan Baker, South Alabama
Baker caught six passes for a career-best 154 yards and three touchdowns to help lead the Jaguars past a ULM defense that entered play allowing just 167 yards per game passing; it was the highest receiving yards total in the Sun Belt this weekend while he matched the most touchdown receptions in the league this year. The senior’s 80-yard touchdown catch in the final minute of the opening quarter was the second-longest pass play in school history and the longest in the conference this season, and he added scores from 16 and five yards out in the second half to post multiple touchdowns in the same game for first time since South visited Louisiana on Nov. 17, 2018. With the effort his second 100-yard game of the year, and third of his career. Baker went over 1,500 receiving yards in his career while finishing the night tied for second on South’s career record list with 14 touchdown catches and moving into the top five on the program’s all-time scoring list.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Zac Thomas, App State
Zac Thomas accounted for a career high-tying five touchdowns in leading the Mountaineers to a 45-17 Sun Belt-opening win against Arkansas State. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 216 yards and a career high-tying four touchdowns, while rushing for a career-high 82 yards and another score on the ground. With top receiver Thomas Hennigan limited and another starter, Jalen Virgil, out due to injury, Thomas spread the ball around to seven different receivers. Up 31-17 late in the third quarter and facing a third-and-14 scenario that would put the Red Wolves in position to get the ball back, Thomas sprinted up the middle for a big gain, made a hard right cut and stayed in bounds along the sideline before making a Superman-style dive into the front-right pylon for a 60-yard score to put App State ahead by 21 again. Thomas won his 26th game in 30 tries as App State’s starting QB. His 26 wins rank No. 2 among active FBS quarterbacks.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jordan Strachan, Georgia State
Georgia State outside linebacker Jordan Strachan collected three tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, and recovered two fumbles to help the Panthers to a hard-fought, 36-34 victory over Troy. Strachan, the junior from Kingsland, Ga., helped Georgia State hold Troy to just 40 yards rushing, the second-lowest figure in school history. In the pivotal third quarter, in which Georgia State outscored Troy 20-0, Strachan had two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He sacked Trojan quarterback Jacob Free and stripped the ball deep in Troy territory, recovering at the Troy 8-yard line. Four plays later, the Panthers scored to take a 33-21 lead. His first fumble recovery came in the second quarter as he scooped up a loose ball and returned it 63 yards to the Troy 20 for the fourth-longest fumble return in GSU history. For the season, Strachan leads the Panthers and the Sun Belt with 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, which has already tied the GSU season sack record. In the last two games alone, he has four sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and two caused fumbles.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Chris Smith, Louisiana
Seized the momentum for Louisiana in its 24-20 victory over UAB with a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown at the end of the first half. The return was his second kickoff return for a touchdown this year. Smith, Raymond Calais and Darryl Surgent are the only three Ragin’ Cajuns to have two or more kickoff returns for a touchdown in their careers in the last 10 years. The return was the longest kickoff return for a touchdown by a Cajun since Raymond Calais did so against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 2, 2017. (100 yards). Smith and Baylor’s Trestan Ebner are currently tied for the most kickoff returns for a touchdown (2) in the country. The return was just the seventh kickoff return for a touchdown by a Ragin’ Cajun in the last decade. He finished the game with 160 yards on four kick returns.