NEW ORLEANS – App State’s Malachi Singleton, Louisiana’s Collin Jacob and James Madison’s Patrick Rea secured the Sun Belt football weekly honors following significant contributions to team wins. 
 
Football Offensive Player of the Week
Malachi Singleton, App State 
(Sr., QB – Kennesaw, Ga.)
 
Mountaineers senior quarterback Malachi Singleton completed 28-of-42 passes for a career-high 331 yards in a 26-21 win over in-state rival Charlotte to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2019. The Kennesaw, Ga., product threw for two second-half touchdowns to extend the App State lead from 13-7 to 26-7. Singleton added 14 yards in the ground game and even caught a 14-yard pass from fellow quarterback Henry Hasselbeck. He currently paces the Sun Belt in both total offense (305.3) and passing yards (296.3) per game. 
 
Football Defensive Player of the Week
Collin Jacob, Louisiana 
(RS Sr., DB – Loreauville, La.)
 
Ragin’ Cajuns redshirt senior defensive back Collin Jacob was a key cog in the Louisiana defensive unit that held UAB to just 218 yards of total offense and 74 rushing yards in a 21-14 win. The Loreauville, La., native recorded six tackles, an interception and forced a fourth-down fumble late in the fourth quarter. Jacob knocked the ball away from UAB quarterback Ryder Burton on a fourth-and-2 play, with the 16-yard loss with 1:54 remaining sealing the Ragin’ Cajuns fourth-straight win over the Blazers. 
 
Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Patrick Rea, James Madison 
(5th Yr., P – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
 
Dukes fifth-year punter Patrick Rea averaged 41.3 yards over six punts, helping James Madison win the field position battle in a 26-13 victory over San Diego State to improve to 3-0 for the fourth time in five FBS seasons. The Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, native placed three punts inside the 20-yard line and had a fourth downed right at the 20-yard marker. On the year, Rea has placed 4-of-11 punts inside the 20-yard line and boasts an average of 44.00 yards over 11 punts. 
 
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.) 
 
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.) 
 
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)