NEW ORLEANS – Arkansas State’s Trey Owens, App State’s Colton Phares and App State’s James London claimed the Sun Belt football weekly accolades after key performances in one-possession wins. 
 
Football Offensive Player of the Week
Trey Owens, Arkansas State
(3rd Yr., QB – Houston, Texas) 
 
Red Wolves third-year quarterback Trey Owens accounted for four touchdowns in Arkansas State’s 38-32 win over Georgia State. The Houston, Texas, native completed 21-of-32 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 36 yards and a pair of scores. Owens became the 10th Arkansas State quarterback since 1995 to pass and rush for multiple scores in the same game. The performance was his third game of the season with multiple touchdown passes and first with multiple rushing scores. 
 
Football Defensive Player of the Week
Colton Phares, App State
(Sr., LB – Beaufort, S.C.) 
 
Mountaineers senior linebacker Colton Phares led all players with a career-high 13 tackles and a tackle for loss in App State’s 34-31 overtime victory over previously unbeaten James Madison. The Beaufort, S.C., native hauled in a leaping interception with just over six minutes remaining, returning it 21 yards to set up App State’s go-ahead touchdown for its first lead of the game. Phares made a third-down tackle short of the line of gain on three occasions to halt a Dukes drive.  
 
Football Special Teams Player of the Week
James London, App State 
(Sr., K – Miami, Fla.)
 
Mountaineers senior kicker James London scored 14 points in App State’s 34-31 overtime win over previously unbeaten James Madison. The Miami, Fla., product made all four of his field goal attempts, including the 40-yard game-winner in overtime. London also converted from 48—tying a season-high, 27 and 36 yards. He connected on both of his point-after tries and sent all five of his kickoffs for touchbacks, keeping the ball out of the hands of the Dukes’ dynamic return man. London’s performance was the fourth time in App State history a kicker has made at least four field goals without a miss. 
 
2026 Sun Belt Football Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Deuce Bailey, Coastal Carolina (RS Fr., QB – Bowling Green, Ky.)
Week 2 – Cameran Brown, Georgia State (5th Yr.., QB – Warner Robins, Ga.)
Week 3 – Malachi Singleton, App State (Sr., QB – Kennesaw, Ga.) 
Week 4 – Camden Coleman, James Madison (4th Yr., QB – Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Week 5 – Cameran Brown, Georgia State (5th Yr., QB – Warner Robins, Ga.) 
Week 6 – Blake Baker, Louisiana Tech (4th Yr., QB – Cypress, Texas)
Week 7 – Jaquari Lewis, App State (So., RB – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 
Week 8 – Trey Owens, Arkansas State (3rd Yr., QB – Houston, Texas) 
 
2026 Sun Belt Football Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Kobi Albert, Southern Miss (RS Jr., DB – Birmingham, Ala.) 
Week 2 – Robert Stevens III, Arkansas State (4th Yr., LB – Washington, D.C.) 
Week 3 – Collin Jacob, Louisiana (RS Sr., DB – Loreauville, La.) 
Week 4 – Brent Gordon Jr., Louisiana (So., DB – Cecilia, La.)
Week 5 – Xavier Esqillion, Georgia State (Sr., LB – Charlotte, N.C.)
Week 6 – Javen Gibson, Old Dominion (4th Yr., DL – Church Point, La.) 
Week 7 – Anthony Bynum, Georgia Southern (4th Yr., LB – Covington, Ga.) 
Week 8 – Colton Phares, App State (Sr., LB – Beaufort, S.C.) 
 
2026 Sun Belt Football Special Teams Players of the Week
Week 1 – Dedrick Latulas, Louisiana Tech (4th Yr., RS – New Iberia, La.) 
Week 2 – Michael Scott, James Madison (2nd Yr., RS – York, Pa.)  
Week 3 – Patrick Rea, James Madison (5th Yr., P – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) 
Week 4 – Isaiah Stone, Georgia State (Jr., RS – Smyrna, Ga.) 
Week 5 – Tony Sterner, Louisiana (RS Sr., K – Kingwood, Texas) 
Week 6 – Keenan Phillips, South Alabama (Jr., RS – Bainbridge, Ga.) 
Week 7 – Tripp Bryant, Georgia Southern (2nd Yr., K – Lexington, S.C.) 
Week 8 – James London, App State (Sr., K – Miami, Fla.)